Getting
the maximum benefit from a multi is more than just popping
a one-a-day tablet.
A multivitamin in the morning has long been a cornerstone
of many people’s nutritional programs. It’s usually
the first type of health supplement that an individual will
try. However, getting the maximum benefit from a multi is
more than just popping a “one-a-day tablet.” We
don’t breathe or eat just once a day!
The basics of nutrition are being rewritten, with old approaches
to good health changing to make room for advances that are
continually evolving. The way multivitamins are taken must
now be re-evaluated, as new information directly contradicts
what was once believed to be the best method.
Supplementation is Changing
It is now being questioned how often a multivitamin should
be taken, what form that multivitamin should be, and what
can be done to ensure that our bodies properly absorb the
nutrients that it holds. Mounting evidence suggests that despite
its convenience, a high potency tablet taken once a day is
no longer the best option.
We now know that the nutrient content of the regular foods
we eat is diminishing and that our bodies are taxed with more
and more toxins from our environment. However, we have also
increased knowledge of how the human body works and it is
clear that a good multivitamin provides an important edge
in the pursuit of good health.
The right multivitamin must meet a few requirements. Does
it take into account age, gender and level of activity? Is
it available in sensible, divided doses? Does it come in capsules,
preferably vegetable capsules? Does it contain high quality
ingredients that are readily utilized by the body? Is the
formula based on current science, or is it several years old?
Consumers should be asking these questions and looking for
more effective solutions from their multi-vitamin. Our health
depends on it.
Single Dose Disadvantage
The old one-a-day multivitamin approach has a distinct disadvantage:
a single dose is incapable of flexibility. One tablet is intended
to satisfy the nutritional requirements of everyone that consumes
it. That is impossible. Men and women have very different
nutritional needs. Those requirements change with age, and
change even further with an active lifestyle. For example,
post-menopausal women don’t need additional iron, yet
a typical multivitamin tablet contains iron. Not only is the
consumer getting a nutrient they don’t require, but
valuable milligrams are being taken up in the formula that
could be devoted to other vitamins or minerals that would
be of benefit. As well, men over 50 need more nutrients that
strengthen heart function and lower the risk of cardiovascular
disease, while more active people have to worry about reducing
free radical damage and minimizing recuperation time after
exercise. A single formulation cannot satisfy the unique nutritional
requirements of modern day adults.
In addition, our bodies aren’t designed to utilize nutrients
in one large single dose. Research has proven that eating
smaller, more frequent meals allows for better utilization
of the nutritional value of our food. The same principle applies
to vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, for example, is a water-soluble
vitamin. The body has no means of storing it and its lifespan
in your system is relatively short. This limits the effectiveness
of a one-a-day multi and ultimately leaves us unprotected
much of the time. A more effective strategy would be to use
a multi that is taken in divided doses throughout the day.
By consuming a multi designed to be taken with each meal,
a more constant supply of nutrients is provided.
To complicate things further, chalky, stick-in-the throat
tablets present several problems. Not only do many people
have difficulty swallowing them but also, due to the lengthy
dissolving time involved with tablets, key nutrients are often
not absorbed, travelling through the system undigested. Capsules
offer an optimal solution. With a faster and more thorough
digestive rate, our bodies utilize encapsulated nutrients
more efficiently. It is what we absorb and assimilate from
our multi that counts, not merely what it contains. Capsules
dissolve quickly, so the body is able to absorb virtually
every nutrient.
An additional bonus is pure vegetable-based capsules. While
capsules offer greater absorption in general, vegetable capsules
eliminate the concern over the potential impurities associated
with traditional beef and pork-based gelatin capsules.
Understanding Regulation
Consumers may be unaware of the regulations surrounding vitamins
and minerals in Canada. This category of supplements is strictly
regulated by the Health Protection Branch of the federal government.
Before a product reaches the shelf, manufacturers must go
through a very extensive and expensive process to secure a
“Drug Identification Number,” also referred to
as a “DIN.” Once this has been approved by government,
the manufacturer is required to pay yearly maintenance fees.
It is very expensive to change and update formulas. As a result,
many multivitamin products that are in stores today are based
on DINs that were approved in the 1980s! There have been huge
advances in the natural products industry since then, so consumers
should look for recent and re-formulated products that reflect
the current standards.
We can still look to the multi as a foundation of our health
regime. It’s worth the research to get the most appropriate
formula, and ensure the best result.
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