In a world where everything is “good for you” or “bad for you”, it is easy to forget the human body is a complex thing. Age, gender, environment, medical history, and numerous variables can impact how vitamins affect us. That is why it so important when taking vitamins to not just blindly purchase and consume vitamins without research, medical opinions and careful consideration.
Before taking your vitamins today, consider the following information to assess whether or not your vitamin regime is working against you, for you, or not at all.
1. Your Medication Impacts the Vitamins You Take
Medications can impact the way vitamins interact with your body. For example, some vitamins can cancel out the effects of medication which can be an extremely dangerous problem. If you are on medication it is imperative to first talk with your doctor about any vitamins you may be taking. Sometimes the doctor may advise you to take more of a certain supplement due to the fact medications can strip our bodies of certain kinds of nutrients.
2. You May Not Even Need a Daily Multi-Vitamin
If you are one of those people who rarely encounter a vegetable or fruit then you can disregard this section, but for everyone else, go ahead and read on. Multi-vitamins work as supplement for people who do not eat a balanced diet by providing the nutrition they may not be getting from food. However, if you eat around 5 servings of fruit and vegetables with whole grains then you don’t really need a multi-vitamin. If you are like most people who have healthier days than other, just take the multi-vitamins on days where you are slacking on the nutritional front, but otherwise, feel free to not bother with a multi-vitamin.
3. Too Much of a Good Thing
Believe it or not, you can actually take too many vitamins. Just like we can have a deficiency in a certain vitamin, we also can have an overabundance. Basically, when you take a lot of certain vitamins it changes how the body uses the vitamins, and this can cause all sorts of negative side effects. As a general rule of thumb, only take vitamins with 100% of the RDI (recommended daily intake) unless otherwise advised by a physician.
Conclusion on Vitamins
Navigating the world of vitamins can be a difficult journey, but there are some definite benefits of taking the right vitamins that make this a journey worth taking. When in doubt about your vitamins always consult with a professional to help guide you through this process.