Multivitamin and Mineral

About Multivitamin and Mineral

Multivitamin and mineral supplements provide the foundational micronutrients for wellness in a convenient tablet or capsule. These important nutrients assist in preventing the development of nutrient deficiencies, reducing the risk for chronic diseases and promote overall wellness. Examples of vitamins are the B complex and retinol (vitamin A), while minerals such as magnesium and zinc will be found in these products. From a plants perspective, minerals are "taken-up" from the soil, while vitamins are synthesized within the plant. This means the quality of the soil largely determines the nutritional value of the plant.

You may have noticed that most multivitamins contains more than the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI). The RDI is the smallest amount of each nutrient required to prevent a deficiency disease, for around 95% of the population. For example, scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency which results in a number of signs and symptoms, such as ulcerations of the gums, anemia and pain in the limbs. Fortunately, this condition is rare in Australia.

By consuming the adult RDI for vitamin C at 45mg per day, you are most likely not going to develop scurvy. However, a multivitamin and mineral can contain around 90-100mg of Vitamin C per tablet. Some vitamin C products contain up to 1,500mg per tablet. Although the RDI is the smallest amount of a nutrient required to prevent a deficiency disease, the amount of a nutrient required to support optimal health and prevent chonric disease is another story entirely. In fact, research published back in 2001 by the International Journal of Sports Medicine indicates that 1,500mg of vitamin C taken after exercise assists in reducing inflammation and cortisol levels. 

Vitamin C is required for catecholamine synthesis (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine) and collagen synthesis (skin health) amongst many other roles. Research published in 2009 by Free Radical Biology and Medicine indicates that Vitamin C may assist in the prevention of cognitive decline. And this is just one of the many important micronutrients found in a high quality multivitamin and mineral product.

Multivitamins are especially useful when the diet is lacking in quality whole foods or when food intake is low, such as during dieting or illness. A good multivitamin and mineral covers all of your bases for these micronutrients, and can deliver more optimal levels of nutrients as well, covering most of the RDIs. Some formulations even include herbal tonics to assist with general health maintenance, such as Dong quai for women and Tribulus terrestris for men. Other gender specific additions are Vitex Agnus Castus to support hormonal health in women, and lycopene (found in tomatoes) for prostate health in men. 

Multivitamins and minerals are a great addition to a supplementation regime for men, women and kids. They are more important now than ever before due to the fact that the mineral content of food is not what it used to be due to conventional farming practices that involve over-farming in depleted, artifically propping up plant life with chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and even genetically engineered seeds for maximum yealds. This leads to reduced soil fertility, with imbalances in microbes, worms and nutritional value.

Parallels can easily be drawn between soil, plant and human health. Given that less micronutrients are finding their way onto our plates, a quality multivitamin and mineral helps to make up for the deficiencies created through standard agricultural practices and unhealthy food choices.