I’m asked this question commonly. The answer, however, depends on several factors, including quality, dosage, source, and how absorbable or bio-available each nutrient is.
The National Academy of Science and other research has documented for a number of years that over 60% of the US population is deficient in one OR MORE trace minerals (for example, selenium, zinc, magnesium, chromium, manganese, and others). These minerals are essential co-factors for biochemical processes in your body, without which your cells cannot function optimally and disease results.
For this reason, I agree that a broad-spectrum multivitamin with minerals (MVM) is a good insurance policy but choosing the right one for your needs has some challenges. While inexpensive, many ‘one a day’ type vitamins are very low potency, so you aren’t getting much for your money. Furthermore, pharmaceutically manufactured products can be coated with shellac (yep, the stuff that protects wood from water damage) or carnauba wax (used in polishing cars and repelling water). Since you have to dissolve the nutrients in water in order to absorb them, these products just don’t provide the support you need.
A good twice a day MVM may be a good option, if you are fairly healthy. The top supplement manufacturers have a high dose option which often requires 4 to 8 pills per day; which may be necessary for someone with health problems. Another challenge for a multi is they contain a lot of ingredients so those with a sensitive stomach may not feel good taking them or they simply can’t make good use of the nutrients, especially with the higher dose options.
Even supplements from reputable companies can cut corners by using a form that is less well absorbed. For instance, calcium carbonate is barely absorbed while other “chelated” forms of the mineral get into the body much more efficiently. These little details on the label make a big difference in your health. You also want to understand which minerals you need and which ones, if taken when you don’t need them, can cause problems. For instance, copper and iron are essential minerals but can cause oxidative stress in excess. So, I generally recommend a multi without them, unless I’ve done lab testing and know you need them. We can perform complete mineral analysis testing at our office, especially testing for intracellular levels, which allows us to target and make individualized recommendations for you.
