The Importance of Taking a Daily Multivitamin

Instead of taking individual vitamins, it’s more convenient and cost-effective to take one pill containing 100 percent of the Daily Values recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As you age, the synthetic form of vitamin B-12 found in multivitamins is easier to absorb than from food sources. Women generally do not absorb sufficient folate from food; taking a multivitamin fortified with folic acid protects against pregnancy complications. Vegetarians, vegans and those on low-calorie diets benefit from the comprehensive nutritional support a daily multivitamin offers.

Taking a multivitamin may help reduce your risk of serious diseases as you age. A 2012 study published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” found that men who took a daily multivitamin experienced an 8 percent reduction in cancer risk. Women’s multivitamin formulas contain extra calcium to help prevent osteoporosis. Multivitamins with antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids like vitamin A are believed to neutralize damaging free radicals in the body, protecting skin, eye and bone health.

Multivitamins do not directly provide an energy boost during your workout, but certain vitamins and minerals help your body release energy derived from food sources. If you are nutritionally deficient, you may feel constantly sluggish, which will cause poor athletic performance. The B-vitamin family plays a crucial role in helping the body maintain energy production during physical activity. If you focus on weight-bearing exercises, make sure your multivitamin contains vitamin D and calcium to support bone health.

If you eat a diet rich in fortified foods, multivitamin supplements may be unnecessary and cause toxicity reactions. Taking multivitamins in large doses that exceed the Daily Values may cause symptoms such as flushing, heart palpitations, headaches and diarrhea.