Supplementing your diet with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients is an important part of overall health. It’s especially beneficial for those who don’t eat a well-rounded diet. However, there are many different ways that you can supplement your diet.
Some people like to take supplements in pill form while others prefer liquid or powder form. There are also some supplements that are better suited for certain individuals based on their health needs and preferences.
Here we will discuss the most popular types of supplements, how they work, and how to take them so you get the most out of them.
Multivitamins
A multivitamin is a daily dose of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Some multis include additional ingredients which may help support specific areas of concern such as weight management, stress management, sleep quality, energy levels, or muscle recovery.
There are several benefits of taking a multivitamin every day. One of the main benefits is that it provides a full spectrum of essential nutrients without having to eat multiple servings of food throughout the day. This makes it easier to stick to a healthier meal plan by not having to worry about consuming too much food.
The other benefit of taking a multi-vitamin is that it has a standardized mix of nutrients that ensures that each person gets a similar amount of nutrients. If you take a multivitamin every day, then you won’t have to guess at what percentage of your daily intake of nutrients comes from the various foods you eat.
One drawback of taking a multi-vitamin is that it doesn’t contain any supplemental nutrition. Therefore, if you want to add more calories or protein to your diet, you need to combine your multi-vitamin with other supplements. For example, one of the best multi-vitamins includes protein shakes that provide extra protein to improve muscle mass and strength.
If you want to take a multi-vitamin and still consume enough calories and protein, then you should try using a combination of supplements instead of just a multi-vitamin.
Benefits of Taking Multivitamins
Multivitamins are beneficial because they contain all of the essential vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health.
The following are some of the major benefits of taking a multi-vitamin every day:
Provides a full spectrum of essential nutrients
The amount of nutrients in a multi-vitamin will vary depending on the brand. The amount of nutrients depends on whether the multi-vitamin contains synthetic vitamins or natural vitamins. Synthetic vitamins are made in a lab, whereas natural vitamins come from plants or animals. Natural vitamin supplements tend to be higher in antioxidants and B-complex vitamins than synthetic vitamins.
Standardized nutrient mix
A multi-vitamin typically contains a standard mixture of nutrients. This means that everyone who takes a multi-vitamin will receive the same amount of nutrients. For example, if you take a multi-vitamin containing 10% calcium, 10% magnesium, and 10% zinc, then you will receive these three specific amounts of nutrients even though the actual percentages of the ingredients might differ from person to person.
Helps avoid guessing at how much you need
When you take only one type of supplement (such as a multi-vitamin), it can be difficult to determine how much you actually need to consume per day. For example, if you take a multi-vitamin that contains 100 mg of calcium but you weigh 300 pounds, then you know for sure that you’re going to need to consume 1,000 mg of calcium to meet your daily requirements. With a multi-vitamin, you won’t have to guess at how much calcium you need to consume to reach your goal.
Doesn’t require special eating habits
Most multis are designed to be taken every day. You don’t have to change your lifestyle to take multis. Just pop a pill under your tongue or swallow a tablet before breakfast and dinner.
How to Take a Multi-Vitamin
You can buy a multi-vitamin in either capsule or tablet form. Both forms are fine, however tablets are preferred over capsules as they dissolve faster.
Before taking the multi-vitamin, make sure to read the label to see what the recommended serving size is. You may also want to check the expiration date because this information tells you when the product is no longer effective.
If you ever want to take any kind of supplement it does not matter that it is multivitamin or protein. The first thing which you have to do is to take guidance from a professional and then take their recommended supplements. The supplements which they provide you or recommend you will make your way of achieving your goal faster as compared to the supplements which a person will take at their own basis.
To take a multi-vitamin, follow these steps:
- Swallow the entire tablet whole. Do not crush it.
- Place the tablet on top of your tongue and hold it firmly until it dissolves into a liquid. Keep the tablet under your tongue for 20 seconds. Remove the tablet from your mouth once it starts to dissolve. Do not chew the tablet.
- Drink plenty of water to ensure that your body absorbs all of the nutrients.
- Wait for 30 minutes after taking the multi-vitamin to ensure that it fully dissolves into your system.
- Continue taking the multi-vitamin every day. It’s best to take the multi-vitamin first thing in the morning and last thing at night.