According to a study by Martin J. J. Ronis and colleagues, multivitamins are one of the most used supplements in the United States, with approximately one-third of adults currently taking them. According to a survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), multivitamins and minerals, B-complex vitamins, and vitamin C are the most consumed supplements by Filipinos. People who take multivitamins frequently do so to improve or maintain their health, to protect themselves from nutrient deficiencies, or simply to fill in the odd in nutrient gap in their diet. Multivitamins are available without a prescription, and most people believe they are safe, which may explain their popularity.
Going to the local supermarket will reveal more vitamin and mineral supplement variations than one could ever imagine. People believed to the health claims of manufacturers that they will sometimes substitute these supplements for a healthy diet. What exactly are vitamins? Vitamins are defined by Yvette Brazier of Medical News Today, are organic compounds that people require in small amounts. Most vitamins must be obtained from food because the body either does not produce them or produces only a small amount. Each organism requires a different set of vitamins. Humans, for example, require vitamin C from their diets, whereas dogs can produce all the vitamin C they require. Different vitamins serve different functions in the body, and each vitamin requires a different amount to keep a person healthy.
Vitamins are classified as soluble or dissolvable in fat or water. Fat-soluble vitamins are the vitamins that must be stored in our bodies, and reserves of these vitamins can last for days, if not months. Water-soluble vitamins do not last long in the body and cannot be stored. They can be eliminated in our body through urination. As a result, people require more water-soluble vitamins than fat-soluble vitamins on a regular basis. According to Alina Petre of Healthline, your body requires at least 13 vitamins and 16 minerals on a regular basis to function properly. The best way to get these nutrients is to eat a well-balanced diet.
However, for those who are unable to meet their nutrient requirements through diet alone, multivitamins are a good alternative source. Multivitamins that provide up to 100 percent of the daily Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are generally considered safe and rarely cause side effects when taken as directed. Alina Petree further reiterated that certain side effects are more likely to occur when taking multivitamins than others. These include constipation, diarrhea, stomach upset, and nausea. These gastrointestinal side effects are usually minor and only last a short time. They usually fade away as your body becomes accustomed to taking the multivitamin. Nonetheless, if your symptoms persist, contact your healthcare provider for further assistance.
According to the National Institutes of Health, multivitamins with nutrient levels close to their DRI should not cause serious side effects. However, it is important to note that multivitamins are not regulated in the same way with the medications. It means that there's a chance in which the multivitamin contains more nutrients than the label has revealed. Some multivitamins' nutrient levels may even reach or exceed the daily UL. Multivitamins can become contaminated with dangerous compounds like arsenic or lead. To reduce this risk, look for multivitamins that have been independently tested by a third-party laboratory. Make sure to notify your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you experience any side effects.
PNFP Marie-Claire Gaas
References:
1. ADVERSE EFFECTS OF NUTRACEUTICALS AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
Martin J. J. Ronis, Kim B. Pedersen, and James Watt
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6380172/
2. Do you really need vitamin and mineral supplements for good health
https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/index.php/publications/writers-pool-corner/58-health-and-nutrition/92-do-you-really-need-vitamin-and-mineral-supplements-for-good-health
3. Multivitamin Side Effects: Timespan and When to Be Concerned
Written by Alina Petre, MS, RD (NL) on December 14, 2020 — Medically reviewed by Lisa Hodgson, RDN, CDN, CDCES, FADCES, Nutrition
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/multivitamin-side-effects
4. Multivitamin/mineral Supplements
National Institutes of Health
