How to Choose the Right Multivitamin for Your Lifestyle

Hello Ziddis! You might have heard of multivitamins as a good way to make up for any deficiencies. But is it necessary to have deficiencies to start with a multivitamin routine? How can you figure out how to choose a multivitamin? which one is right for you? How can it help you? All your questions will be answered in a bit, so keep reading!

Who Needs Multivitamins?

Not everyone needs a dose of multivitamins, but a lot of people can benefit from it. If you have a restrictive diet, food allergies or simply a hectic schedule that comes in the way of having a balanced meal consisting of all the nutrients your body needs, multivitamins can help fill up that nutritional gap. You will especially benefit from multivitamins if:

• You follow a vegan or vegetarian diet
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding (but consult your physician on which multivitamin would suit you best)
• Have a chronic health condition or nutrient malabsorption issue
• Are an athlete or have a physically active lifestyle

But, multivitamins are not a shortcut to health and nutrition. They only support your diet but not replace it.

How to Choose a Multivitamin

Various factors come into play when you need to choose the right formula for your multivitamin. Here is what you should consider:

• As a woman, you must look for iron and folic acid during your reproductive years. During or post menopause, you may not need extra iron.
• As a man, you must look out for vitamin D, B12 and zinc in your multivitamins.
• For children, choose age-specific chewables or gummies that meet the requirements of vitamins A, C and D.
• For senior citizens or people aged 50 and above, check for vitamins B12, D and calcium as absorption of nutrients decreases with age.
• For athletes or highly active individuals, formulas with higher doses of vitamin B-complex, magnesium and antioxidants are helpful to support energy levels, metabolism and recovery.

Consider your health goals before you commit to any multivitamin. Between your immunity, skin and hair health, energy levels and hormonal balance, what requires your attention and some extra help should be picked.

Multivitamin Dosage Guidelines

Multivitamins are very safe to use, but everything has some consumption limits and rules. By staying within the recommended daily allowance, or the RDA as seen on labels, one can make sure to use multivitamins in a safe and productive manner. Here are a few safe benchmarks:

• Vitamin D is to be taken not more than 600 to 800 IU for most adults
• Iron should be consumed in 8 to 18 mg via multivitamins, depending on gender and age
• Folic acid can be taken in a dose of 400 mcg for most adults and 600 mcg for pregnant women.
• Vitamin B12 should be restricted to 2.4 mcg generally, but older adults may require it slightly more.

Always check with your physician before starting any high-dose supplements or if you are pregnant/ breastfeeding.

Vegan Multivitamin Options

For those who follow a strictly plant-based diet, you can try multivitamins which include vitamin B12, iron, zinc, iodine, omega 3 and vitamin D. But how can you understand if what you have picked is vegan? Here’s the certification you should check for:

• Vegan Society Approved
• Certified Plant-Based
• FSSAI for Indian options
• USP or NSF certification for quality assurance

How to Read Multivitamin Labels

Labels can be overwhelming, but you need to focus only on a few key aspects to understand if what you are picking is worth the price and helpful or not. Here is what to look for in a label:

• % daily value or %DV to understand how much of the RDA is met. Aim for 100%DV of most vitamins and minerals
• Serving sizes should be checked since some must not be consumed in excess quantity
• Additives of fillers like artificial colours and sweeteners must be checked. If you find that, then keep it back on the shelf.
• Allergen declaration is important if you know what you are allergic to.
• Certifications like veg or vegan certification and quality and safety certifications must be checked.

Read Also: What’s Right for You? Multivitamin Tablets V/S Individual Supplements

Takeaway

Choosing the right multivitamin is not about picking the one with the most ingredients, but picking the one with ingredients that are necessary for you. Your age, gender, lifestyle and dietary habits determine what your body needs. So stop chasing ingredients and start looking for what those ingredients can do for you. Read labels well and also stick to safe doses.