Multi-Vitamins

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What Are Multi-Vitamins?

First of all, a multi-vitamin includes both vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins and minerals fall under the category of micro nutrients, meaning nutrients we need in small amounts. Vitamins are organic compounds that regulate numerous bodily processes. They are essential for life. Due to the role they play, a lack of any one vitamin can have wide spread negative effects.

Vitamins are divided into two groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble. There are 4 fat soluble vitamins: A,D,E and K. There are 9 water soluble vitamins: C and the eight B-vitamins: B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, B-12, folic acid, pantothenic acid and biotin.

What Are Minerals

Minerals are structurally simple, inorganic substances. There are at least 16 and they are essential to health: sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sulfur. These are called the macro minerals because the body needs larger quantities. In addition, the remaining are known as trace minerals because the body needs them in smaller amounts. These include boron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, chromium, selenium, iodine, fluoride and vanadium. Further, the functions of minerals is, like vitamins, diverse having structural roles (bones and teeth). Finally, they also have regulatory roles ( fluid balance and regulation of muscle contraction).

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Benefits Of Multi-Vitamins

People don’t realize how important vitamins and minerals are. They tend to think that because multi-vitamins are not flashy and exotic they aren’t a good supplement. What they don’t realize is the function of each nutrient, and the role of that function to your overall health. Let me be blunt. If your health is below par, it won’t matter what else you do. Therefore, you aren’t going to make the gains you could be, period!

Listed below is a brief function statement for each vitamin and mineral with some of the key functions as they relate to muscle growth underlined.

Vitamin A

Promotes skeletal growth, normal tooth structure, healthy skin, eyes and hair; essential for night vision.

Vitamin D

Promotes bone and tooth development and normal growth; aids utilization of phosphorus and calcium; maintains nervous system and heart action; prevents rickets.

Vitamin E

E protects the body’s store of Vitamin A, tissues and fat from destructive oxidation. It also prevents the breakdown of red corpuscles and strengthens capillary walls. In addition, it regulates menstrual rhythm and prevents loss of other vitamins. Furthermore, it aids blood flow to the heart and lowers blood cholesterol and fatty acids. Finally, E is vital to cell health; it regulates protein and calcium metabolism.

Vitamin C

C is essential for the formation of collagen. It’s needed for absorption of iron, some proteins and folic acid and prevents oxidation of other vitamins. In addition, it aids in metabolism of amino acids and calcium, and stops internal bleeding. Furthermore, it strengthens blood vessels, maintains hard bones and teeth, and promotes stamina. It holds body cells together, prevents infections, colds, fatigue and stress. Finally, it reduces allergies; heals both wounds and burns.

Niacin

Aids normal functioning of tissues, particularly skin, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system; used with other vitamins in converting carbohydrates to energy.

Vitamin B-6

B6 aids the metabolism of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Furthermore it helps control cholesterol levels and aids chemical balance between blood and tissue. Finally, it prevents water retention; builds hemoglobin.

Vitamin B-1: (Thiamine)

Helps convert sugar and starches into energy; promotes digestion, strong heart muscle, prevents fatigue, helps prevent fat deposits in arteries.

Vitamin B-2: (Riboflavin)

Aids in releasing energy to body cells; enables utilization of fats, proteins and sugars.

Vitamin B-12

B12 promotes utilization of protein, fats and carbohydrates. As well, it’s essential for formation of red blood cells, builds nucleic acid, and prevents pernicious anemia. Finally, it supports the nervous system.

Folic Acid

This is essential for function of Vitamins A, D, E, and K, forms red blood cells and nucleic acid; improves circulation; aids digestion of proteins. Further, it may help prevent neuro tube defects (pina bifida). Finally, it reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.

Calcium

Builds bones and teeth and aids in proper function of muscles, heart, nerves, and iron utilization. Also, it helps blood coagulation and regulates the passage of nutrients in and out of cells. Additionally, it relieves pain and cramps and eases insomnia.

Magnesium

This mineral reduces blood cholesterol, forms hard tooth enamel and fights tooth decay. Also, it aids in converting blood sugar into energy and helps regulate body temperature. Furthermore it aids nerve function, bone growth, and  helps utilize Vitamins B, C, E. Additionally, it promotes absorption and metabolism of other minerals. It also activates enzymes for metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids. Finally, it prevents calcium deposits in the bladder.

Iron

Present in all cells; one of the constituents of hemoglobin which carries oxygen to the tissues by blood circulation.

Iodine

Aids thyroid gland and prevents goiter; helps burn fat; converts carotene into Vitamin A; aids absorption of carbohydrates from small intestine; promotes growth; regulates energy production; maintains hair, nails skin and teeth.

Copper

Facilitates iron absorption; synthesizes enzymes and skin pigments; promotes protein metabolism; aids Vitamin C oxidation; produces RNA; forms hemoglobin, red blood cells, and hair color.

Zinc

This mineral eliminates cholesterol deposits and aids in absorption of B-Vitamins. Also, it aids in the manufacture of enzymes and insulin. In addition, it aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates. It is essential for growth, and aids healing essential for proper function of prostate gland. finally, it keeps hair glossy and smooth.

Sodium

Sodium regulates the total amount of water in the body. The transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells also plays a role in critical body functions. In addition, many processes in the body require electrical signals for communication. This takes place especially in the brain, nervous system, and muscles. The movement of sodium is critical in generation of these electrical signals.

Fluoride

Acts systemically to strengthen developing teeth. For the prevention of dental caries by increasing tooth resistance to acid dissolution. Promotes remineralization and inhibits the cariogenic microbial process.

Selenium

This is an antioxidant that works closely with vitamin E in actions like production of antibodies, binding of toxic metals like mercury, amino acid metabolism and promotion of normal body growth and fertility. Selenium protects the cell “machinery” that generates energy. It is also necessary for the production of prostaglandins, substances which affect blood pressure and platelet aggregation.

Manganese

This is an antioxidant, activates numerous enzymes and has roles in protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. It is necessary for blood sugar regulation, healthy nerves and brain, sex hormone production, normal skeletal development, production of mother’s milk and a healthy immune system.

Molybdenum

This plays an essential role in several enzymes including xanthine oxidase which aids in mobilizing iron from liver reserves; aldehyde oxidase which is necessary for oxidation of fats and sulphate oxidase. It modulates metabolism of calcium, magnesium, copper and nitrogen and may also be an antioxidant.

Boron

This appears to affect calcium and magnesium metabolism and membrane function. It is essential for efficient absorption of calcium in the body.

Phosphorus

This is an essential component of bone mineral and needs to be in correct balance with calcium for both of these minerals to be used effectively in the body. It also plays a role in almost every chemical reaction in the body.

Chromium

This is required for normal glucose absorption. It appears to increase the effectiveness of insulin and its ability to regulate blood sugar levels. It may also be involved in protein synthesis.

Vanadium: or, Vanadyl sulfate

This is a nutrient that is involved in bone development and growth. Vanadyl sulfate mimics insulin, breaking down glucose more quickly for energy.

Now that is quite a list of underlined functions! And you thought a multiple wasn’t important!

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What Choices Are There?

Choosing multi-vitamins can be a confusing experience. Below is a list of some common terms and types of vitamin formulas you will encounter:

Natural

A concentrated nutrient derived from a quality natural source. The idea is maximum retention of the natural material; no artificial colors, sweeteners, or preservatives are used.

A natural source contains co-factors that come with the nutrient in nature. For instance, some co-factors that are usually found with Vitamin C are various bioflavonoids. This is the thought process as to why a natural vitamin is better than synthetic vitamins: they do not contain the natural co-factors, they’re just the isolated vitamin.

Synthetic

Synthetic vitamins are made in a laboratory setting from coal tar derivatives. No co-factors are present. Most of the food supplements sold on the market today are synthetic and often cheaper to produce than natural vitamins.

Organic

Organic is currently a big term. Vitamins are organic compounds ( minerals are not) so in reality all vitamins are organic. However, in this context the idea is, are the natural sources of the vitamins grown without the use of pesticides? Furthermore, are the binders and fillers natural, grown without pesticides? A play off the idea of natural and organic vitamins is the reasonably new concept of whole food vitamin/minerals. The nutrients are derived from whole food concentrates so you get all that occurs in that food source.

Mega Potency

Many multi-vitamin products provide high potency, much more-so than what you could buy at a drugstore or what a typical doctor would advise. This ties into the old RDA’s and current Daily Values. When the RDA’s for vitamin and minerals were established, they were set up to just barely prevent people from getting deficiency diseases. They were never intended to provide optimal health benefits. The idea with mega potency is to provide optimal health while still staying within the realms of safety.

Specialized Formulas

This refers to the current options available today. This includes men’s formulas, women’s formulas, over 50 formulas, one a days, 2 a days, 3 a days, sport formulas. Many of these formulas will add nutrients that do not fall into the vitamin or mineral categories. This includes CoQ 10 for the heart ( among many other benefits ) or Glucosamine for the joints.

So we can see the choices are many. I recommend a natural product that contains all the nutrients I’ve listed in this guide at reasonably high potencies. You can choose tablets, capsules (two-piece or softgels). With capsules and softgels, less materials are required to make the capsule, cutting down on fillers, coatings and binders. These slide down your throat easier too. Most 1 or 2 a day products will have compromises in potency. This is because you can only get so much into a tablet, even if it’s 2 a day. Therefore I recommend multi-vitamins in packet form. These contain 5 or 6 pills providing a more complete, balanced potency ratio.

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Using A Multi-Vitamin

The most important thing is to always take your multi-vitamins with food for complete absorption. Beyond that is simply realizing, as shown in this guide, how important they are and adding them to your supplement program.

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