Multivitamins - Health Benefits of 

Multivitamin

Increases Energy Levels

When our body doesn’t meet the nutritional criteria, we may feel weak and lethargic. A
regular course of multivitamin capsules as per your doctor’s advice can help you regain
your energy. Taking multivitamins and keeping a healthy lifestyle can keep you energetic
and fit.

Boosts the Immune System 

The multivitamin capsule contains vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin D-know for
strengthening the immune system. Vitamin C and vitamin E are antioxidants that help to
reduce allergy symptoms.

Keeps Heart Healthy The heart is a vital organ of the body and keeping it healthy is
necessary. Various studies suggest that taking high-quality multivitamins may reduce
cardiovascular diseases. Vitamins B1, B2, B6, K1, Niacin, and magnesium all play a role in
cardiovascular health.

Supports Eye Health Vitamin A is also known as an eye vitamin because of its benefits.
It helps to improve your eyesight and reduce age-related macular degeneration that may
cause permanent eye damage. One study suggests vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
may slow down the progression of macular degeneration.

Maintains Muscle Strength Free radicals in the body are dangerous as they are mainly
responsible for muscle ageing-related problems. These free radicals can be destroyed by
antioxidants, which are present in multivitamin capsules. Taking multivitamins can help
keep these damaging free radicals in check.

Reduces Cancer Risk 

Many results suggested that taking a multivitamin daily can reduce the risk of getting all
types of cancer. As per your doctor’s advice, you can take multivitamins accordingly.

Improves Brain Function 

Some vitamins and fatty acids are slow or prevent memory loss. Vitamins like vitamin
B12, herbal supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids help restore brain function.
Reduces Stress & Depression 
The vitamins and minerals in your multivitamin capsule can significantly reduce stress
and depression symptoms. Vitamin B stimulates your nervous system to produce stress
hormones to reduce stress. Acquiring enough vitamins and minerals improves the brain
functions responsible for your mood.

Beneficial for Skin

Vitamins and minerals are always best for skin health. They help keep your skin healthy
and shiny by providing essential vitamins such as vitamin E and vitamin C. They help to
retain the natural oil inside your skin to prevent dryness of the skin. Antioxidants present
in it also play an important role.

Good for Healthy Hair 

Hair requires the most care, especially in winters. Vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, and
some minerals are essential for the healthy growth of hair. They work excellently in hair
fall problems.

Vitamins

Pharmacies and supermarkets in the U.S. sell a large variety of vitamin dietary supplements

Main article: Vitamin
A vitamin is an organic compound required by an organism as a vital nutrient in limited amounts.
[12]
 An organic chemical compound (or related set of compounds) is called a vitamin when it cannot
be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. The term
is conditional both on the circumstances and on the particular organism. For example, ascorbic
acid (vitamin C) is a vitamin for anthropoid primates, humans, guinea pigs and bats, but not for other
mammals. Vitamin D is not an essential nutrient for people who get sufficient exposure to ultraviolet
light, either from the sun or an artificial source, as they synthesize vitamin D in skin. [13] Humans
require thirteen vitamins in their diet, most of which are actually groups of related molecules,
"vitamers", (e.g. vitamin E includes tocopherols and tocotrienols, vitamin K includes vitamin K 1 and
K2). The list: vitamins A, C, D, E, K, Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid
(B5), Vitamin B6, Biotin (B7), Folate (B9) and Vitamin B12. Vitamin intake below recommended
amounts can result in signs and symptoms associated with vitamin deficiency. There is little
evidence of benefit when vitamins are consumed as a dietary supplement by those who are healthy
and have a nutritionally adequate diet.[14]
The U.S. Institute of Medicine sets Tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) for some of the vitamins. This
does not prevent dietary supplement companies from selling products with content per serving
higher than the ULs. For example, the UL for vitamin D is 100 µg (4,000 IU),[15] but products are
available without prescription at 10,000 IU.

Minerals
Main article: Mineral (nutrient)

Minerals are the exogenous chemical elements indispensable for life. Four

minerals: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, are essential for life but are so ubiquitous in food
and drink that these are not considered nutrients and there are no recommended intakes for these
as minerals. The need for nitrogen is addressed by requirements set for protein, which is composed
of nitrogen-containing amino acids. Sulfur is essential, but for humans, not identified as having a
recommended intake per se. Instead, recommended intakes are identified for the sulfur-containing
amino acids methionine and cysteine. There are dietary supplements that provide sulfur, such
as taurine and methylsulfonylmethane.
The essential nutrient minerals for humans, listed in order by weight needed to be at
the Recommended Dietary Allowance or Adequate
Intake are potassium, chlorine, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, co
pper, iodine, chromium, molybdenum, selenium and cobalt (the last as a component of vitamin B12).
There are other minerals which are essential for some plants and animals, but may or may not be
essential for humans, such as boron and silicon. Essential and purportedly essential minerals are
marketed as dietary supplements, individually and in combination with vitamins and other minerals.
Although as a general rule, dietary supplement labeling and marketing are not allowed to make
disease prevention or treatment claims, the U.S. FDA has for some foods and dietary supplements
reviewed the science, concluded that there is significant scientific agreement, and published
specifically worded allowed health claims. An initial ruling allowing a health claim for calcium dietary
supplements and osteoporosis was later amended to include calcium supplements with or without
vitamin D, effective January 1, 2010. Examples of allowed wording are shown below. In order to
qualify for the calcium health claim, a dietary supplement must contain at least 20% of the Reference
Dietary Intake, which for calcium means at least 260 mg/serving.[16]

 "Adequate calcium throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of
osteoporosis."
 "Adequate calcium as part of a healthful diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of
osteoporosis in later life."
 "Adequate calcium and vitamin D throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the
risk of osteoporosis."
 "Adequate calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthful diet, along with physical activity, may
reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life."
In the same year, the European Food Safety Authority also approved a dietary supplement health
claim for calcium and vitamin D and the reduction of the risk of osteoporotic fractures by reducing
bone loss.[17] The U.S. FDA also approved Qualified Health Claims (QHCs) for various health
conditions for calcium, selenium and chromium picolinate.[18] QHCs are supported by scientific
evidence, but do not meet the more rigorous “significant scientific agreement” standard required for
an authorized health claim. If dietary supplement companies choose to make such a claim then the
FDA stipulates the exact wording of the QHC to be used on labels and in marketing materials. The
wording can be onerous: "One study suggests that selenium intake may reduce the risk of bladder
cancer in women. However, one smaller study showed no reduction in risk. Based on these studies,
FDA concludes that it is highly uncertain that selenium supplements reduce the risk of bladder
cancer in women."[19]

Multivitamin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

Multivitamins contain multiple micro-nutrients, such as vitamins and dietary minerals.

A multivitamin is a preparation intended to serve as a dietary

supplement with vitamins, dietary minerals, and other nutritional elements. Such
preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids, or
injectable formulations. Other than injectable formulations, which are only available and
administered under medical supervision, multivitamins are recognized by the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (the United Nations' authority on food standards) as a
category of food.[1]
In healthy people, most scientific evidence indicates that multivitamin supplements do
not prevent cancer, heart disease, or other ailments, and regular supplementation is not
necessary.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] However, specific groups of people may benefit from multivitamin
supplements, for example, people with poor nutrition or those at high risk of macular
degeneration.[3][9]
There is no standardized scientific definition for multivitamin. [10] In the United States, a
multivitamin/mineral supplement is defined as a supplement containing three or more
vitamins and minerals that does not include herbs, hormones, or drugs, where each
vitamin and mineral is included at a dose below the tolerable upper intake level as
determined by the Food and Drug Board, and does not present a risk of adverse health
effects.[11]

Products and components[edit]

Many multivitamin formulas contain vitamin
C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, A, E, D2 (or D3), K, potassium, iodine, selenium, borate, zinc, c
alcium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, beta carotene, and/or iron. Multivitamins are
typically available in a variety of formulas based on age and sex, or (as in prenatal vitamins) based
on more specific nutritional needs; a multivitamin for men might include less iron, while a
multivitamin for seniors might include extra vitamin D. Some formulas make a point of including
extra antioxidants.
Some nutrients, such as calcium and magnesium, are rarely included at 100% of the recommended
allowance because the pill would become too large. Most multivitamins come in capsule form;
tablets, powders, liquids, and injectable formulations also exist. In the United States,
the FDA requires any product marketed as a "multivitamin" to contain at least three vitamins and
minerals; furthermore, the dosages must be below a "tolerable upper limit", and a multivitamin may
not include herbs, hormones, or drugs.[12]

Uses[edit]
For certain people, particularly the elderly, supplementing the diet with additional vitamins and
minerals can have health impacts; however, the majority will not benefit. [13] People with dietary
imbalances may include those on restrictive diets and those who cannot or will not eat a nutritious
diet. Pregnant women and elderly adults have different nutritional needs than other adults, and a
multivitamin may be indicated by a physician. Generally, medical advice is to avoid multivitamins
during pregnancy, particularly those containing vitamin A, unless they are recommended by a health
care professional. However, the NHS recommends 10μg of Vitamin D per day throughout the
pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding, as well as 400μg of folic acid during the first trimester (first 12
weeks of pregnancy).[14] Some women may need to take iron, vitamin C, or calcium supplements
during pregnancy, but only on the advice of a doctor.
In the 1999–2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 52% of adults in the United
States reported taking at least one dietary supplement in the last month and 35% reported regular
use of multivitamin-multimineral supplements. Women versus men, older adults versus younger
adults, non-Hispanic whites versus non-Hispanic blacks, and those with higher education levels
versus lower education levels (among other categories) were more likely to take multivitamins.
Individuals who use dietary supplements (including multivitamins) generally report higher dietary
nutrient intakes and healthier diets. Additionally, adults with a history of prostate and breast cancers
were more likely to use dietary and multivitamin supplements. [15]