How To Choose The Best Multivitamin
Walking into any grocery store or pharmacy, it is very easy to get overwhelmed looking at the vitamin/supplement aisle. There are so many conflicting beliefs on what you should take and how much is safe to take. With much research being done in this area, many wonder how to choose the best multivitamin. There are six major components to look for when choosing the right multivitamin for you.
The first characteristic needed is a complete multivitamin. Does this supplement contain at least 30 different vitamins and minerals? After all, the main purpose in taking a multivitamin is to supplement your diet. Without having a wide variety of these vitamins and minerals, as well as and essential fatty acid, it will not be a good choice for you.
The next item that needs to be examined is the bio-availability of the multivitamin. This means how much of the vitamin is absorbed into the body versus just passed through. There are some techniques that connect the vitamins to other molecules that are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. The other end of the spectrum though involves heavy processing that destroys nutritional value- so discretion is needed in this regard, as well.
Next, everyone would prefer to take dietary supplements that are “natural.” When looking at the label, avoid those brands that include artificial preservatives, sweeteners, artificial coloring, etc. As the company obtains their fatty acids from marine life, are they testing it for mercury or lead? Are they distilled for purity?
It is also a good idea for a multivitamin to be reliable. Are they following the FDA’s standard and practices that are put into place for our safety? What is more, are they being held accountable by an unbiased agent? It should be a multivitamin company’s goal to not only just meet these standards, but to exceed them.
The fifth characteristic to be checked is whether it has been laboratory tested or not. Just as with normal medications, every batch that is produced in the factories should be tested to ensure that each pill contains what the label states it should contain. Does this brand of this supplements standardize their production?
It is quite interesting that the way we feel has a great effect, as well. Studies have shown that within 30 days of taking a supplement consistently, you should feel better. You may still have different symptoms, like fatigue, but overall you should be able to tell a difference from before you started taking the supplement to after.
It’s true that learning how to choose the best multivitamin is not easy. There are many ordinary, below par supplements out there. Because of budget cuts and processing methods, they are less effective even if they are at a cheaper rate. Finding the balance between well priced and good quality will be the difficult part.
Overall, it is a great idea to get out there and begin your own research. Ultimately, how to choose the best multivitamin is up to you. The importance lies is how the consumer feels, hopefully more fit, energized, and healthy. It should be our goal to live with our health in mind.
Keeping these six methods in mind, however, will help you in this journey. Finding a multivitamin that is complete, bio-available, natural, reliable, laboratory tested, and personally tested is the best way to find the right fit for you.
So next time you are in the grocery store or the pharmacy and you start to feel a little overwhelmed, just take a deep breath and start your thorough, consistent, researched approach, and you will find success.
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