Supplement Spotlight #3: Multi-Vitamins

Today's post describes the importance of using a Multi-Vitamin.  Multi-Vitamins are classified under the Longevity & Vitality supplement row from the Supplement Pyramid post found here.  Here are six reasons why you should use a high-quality multi-vitamin on a daily basis:

1. They Help Assist With Weight Loss.  This was proven in a study cited online in the Journal of Obesity.  The multi-vitamin group lost body fat while the other two groups (One was a placebo group and the other group just took minerals) didn't lose any weight.
2. Poor Soil Quality.  Most farm land has been over farmed and is very deficient of minerals.  Taking a multi-vitamin helps replace those lost minerals.
3. Poor Diet.  Many health experts suggest people should eat 9-11 servings of vegetables and fruit each day.  In my experience most people don't even eat three servings/day.  A multi-vitamin helps ensure you are getting the nutrients from the missed servings.
4. Medication Use.  Most people use medications in some way.  Based on the medication being used, nutrients can be lost.  For example, Birth Control Pills deplete the body of Vitamin B6, B12, Folic Acid, Magnessium and Zinc.  Statin medications deplete the body of CoQ10.  Antacids deplete calcium and phosphorus.  Antidepressants deplete CoQ10 and Vitamin B2.  There are many more that could be listed.
5. Increased Stress.  We live in a world where we are exposed to 100X as much stress as our grand parents.  There are six forms of stress (Physical, Emotional, Chemical, Nutritional, Electromagnetic and Thermal) and all of them take a tolll on the body by depleting nutrients.
6. Increased Energy and Feeling Better.  In my experience people who have given high-quality multi-vitamin use an honest try for a month had more energy during the day, slept better at night and felt better overall.

For most people in addition to a multi-vitamin it is essential to use Omega-3 and Vitamin D daily.  Think of them as the "Big 3" of supplements.