Multivitamins – Yes or No?

Quick disclaimer: I am not a doctor but have an interest in nutrition. The below is just information that I have picked up along the way, mostly by researching this information myself, so you can’t sue me if you take my advice and something goes wrong :)

There is a lot of contradicting evidence on the actual benefits of multivitamins. Some people are convinced they are essential in making sure your body is as healthy as it can be, others think all it does is make your urine expensive, but I’d imagine the majority of people reckon that a multivitamin probably does no harm and may or may not help, but to be on the safe side will take them at least occasionally.

I truly believe that you can get most of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals your body needs by having a healthy and balanced diet.

I also think that some people are prone to deficiencies, and in certain cases targeted supplements (i.e. supplements specific to that one deficiency) may help (in my case, I have always been prone to iron deficiency even on a diet full of greens and the odd steak).

So in certain cases, supplements specific to one particular area can be helpful, but everything in moderation and with a bit of common sense.

One of the most popular supplements out there is vitamin C. Studies have shown that increasing your Vitamin C intake for a short period of time will help boost your immune system, but it only helps in the short-term. Everything goes back to normal after a while, so prolonged intake of high doses of Vitamin C isn’t useful. But if you think you need a boost for a few days/weeks e.g. coming up to winter (either through a supplement or by eating more vitamin C-dense foods) then go for it.

Now, back to the original subject: multivitamins.

A lot of studies have shown that your body will only absorb vitamins and minerals up to a point, and the excess is then expelled from your body. So even though the supplements say you are taking 200/500/1000% etc of your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for a whole range of vitamins, your body will only absorb what it can and discard the rest (hence the “expensive urine” comment above).

Also, a few studies have shown that people who take multivitamins tend to make unhealthier food choices. A small-scale study tested this out with a group of volunteers. They gave half the group some supplements, and the other half nothing. Then they observed what food choices they made at a buffet, and those who had taken the supplements tended to go for the un-healthier food.

Of course there could be a whole other range of reasons for these individuals’ choices and this study was small, but it corroborated the point that if you think you’re being healthy by taking multivitamins you will them probably not feel as guilty when it comes to eating rubbish and are more likely to choose junk over something healthier.

I do know people who openly eat unhealthily and think it’s OK because they are taking supplements.

There are probably more things that I have missed, but this is all for now.

And that’s why I don’t like supplements. You should try as much as possible to eat the right foods, as it’s better for your body and your pocket, but listen to your body and if you think you have a deficiency then go to your doctor and talk it through with them.