Research shows that most Americans don’t get enough nutrients through the foods they eat. Multivitamins are an easy way to ensure that your body gets the essential vitamins and minerals that it needs. Similarly, personalized vitamins can cater to more specific areas of deficiency and your health goals.
What are Multivitamins?
Multivitamins come in the form of capsules, tablets, chewables, or liquids and serve as a daily guarantee that your body receives vitamins that would normally be found in foods and other natural sources. People can take them for a variety of reasons that may range from enforcing a healthy lifestyle and promoting healthy hair and skin, to boosting their immunity and decreasing their risk for cancer and disease.
Healthy Living Inside and Out
Immunity and Energy Boost
Multivitamins that contain Vitamin C and Vitamin B are key players in boosting the immune system and increasing energy levels, respectively. In addition to Vitamin C, Vitamin D and E are strong antioxidants that help boost immunity, too. The Vitamin B family has not only been linked to increasing energy levels, but it may have an effect in decreasing stress and anxiety, promoting overall feelings of well being.
Stronger Nails, Healthier Skin, and Fuller Hair
A lot of essential vitamins (A, C, D, and E) collectively contribute to maintaining strong nails and both healthy skin and hair. Therefore, taking a multivitamin can help in multiple areas at once. Biotin is another vitamin that is especially effective in growing stronger nails and hair, and Vitamin B3 (niacin) helps the skin as it protects skin cells from sun damage, potentially preventing skin cancer.
Reducing Cancer and Disease Risk
There are a medley of vitamins that are cancer-fighting and may help reduce your risk for diseases like cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that a healthy amount of Vitamin E can aid the body in removing cell-damaging atoms and significantly decrease the risk for prostate, colon, and lung cancers. Additionally, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, K1, and magnesium play vital roles in cardiovascular health, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and heart failure.
Potential Drawbacks of Multivitamins
Too Many Vitamins
Sometimes, your body may react poorly to taking too many vitamins. Vitamins that are fat-soluble (A, D, E, K, and iron) can be easily overdosed on and potentially lead to mild to severe symptoms. If you already have a pretty healthy diet, you may want to consult with your doctor before deciding to take a multivitamin.
Inconsistency with Results
Not all multivitamins are created equal. Some work better than others, and this is especially found to be true with chewable and liquid multivitamins, as they are easier for the body to absorb in comparison to solid pills. Gel capsules can also be better options in optimizing the benefits of multivitamins.
Best Multivitamins for Men
- Centrum Silver, $12 for 200 count
Recommended for men over 50, this multivitamin supports eye, heart, brain, and muscle health. Centrum comes in the form of high-quality, non-GMO, and gluten-free capsules that have high levels of Vitamin D3, B Vitamins, and a dash of potassium and folic acid. They also contains antioxidants to help protect the body from damaging elements in the environment such as sun exposure and pollution. The recommended daily dose is one capsule per day, taken with food.
- Vitafusion Men’s Gummy Vitamins, $9 for 150 count
If you have a tough time swallowing pills, this berry-flavored multivitamin may be a good option for you. Vitafusion Men’s comes in the form of a chewable vitamin and includes ingredients that are meant to strengthen the immune system, muscles, and metabolism. This gummy provides a great source of Vitamins A, B, C, and D and contains no artificial sweeteners, dairy, or gluten. Vitafusion is the only gummy vitamin brand with clinically proven absorption and Vitafusion Men’s was granted the 2018 ChefsBest Excellence Award for taste. The recommended daily dose is two gummies per day.
- Men’s Mega Premium Liquid Multivitamin by Tropical Oasis, $35 for 32oz
This liquid multivitamin by Tropical Oasis is designed for men to help boost immunity, heart, and prostate health, while also building metabolism and energy levels. Men’s Mega Premium Liquid Multivitamin contains over 100 vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, including CoQ10 – a vital nutrient which the body begins to slow down production of as people age. Conditions like cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure have actually been linked to low levels of CoQ10. At a recommended daily dose of 1oz per day (or 2 tablespoons), the multivitamin comes in a mango flavor that’s best chilled and can be mixed with water or juice to enhance the flavor.
Best Multivitamins for Women
- Rainbow Light 50+ Mini-Tablet Food-Based Multivitamin, $16 for 90 count
This multivitamin comes in the form of a mini-tablet that is catered to women over the age of 50 and is meant to support the whole body including immune, heart, bone, and prostate health. The tablets contain vital ingredients that support healthy nutrition, such as strong superfoods, vegetables, and a potent Vitamin B-complex. They are also easy on the digestive system because they have probiotics and plant-sourced enzymes. In addition, they are gluten-free and dairy-free and add an overall good boost to mature bodies so they can thrive daily. The recommended daily dose is three tablets per day, taken spaced out between meals.
- One A Day Women’s VitaCraves Multi Gummies, $20 for 150 count
This tasty alternative to swallowing pills is a complete multivitamin that is formulated to support bone health with calcium and Vitamin D, and immune and skin health with Vitamins A, C, D, E, and zinc. Women of all ages can take this universal multivitamin that has a pleasant fruity taste and is free of artificial sweeteners. The recommended daily dose is two gummies per day.
- Women’s Premium Liquid Multivitamin by Tropical Oasis, $30 for 32oz
Tropical Oasis offers a women’s liquid multivitamin that is formulated with ingredients to benefit women in a medley of areas. The blend includes 16 herbs and superfoods, along with plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The combination of healthy ingredients includes dong quai, an ancient Chinese medicine that has historically been used as a tonic for low energy, fatigue, and pelvic pain. The tropical orange-mango flavor is enjoyed by users, and the recommended daily dose is two tablespoons a day that can be mixed with juice or water.
Multivitamins vs. Personalized Vitamins
With many types of formula blends for various needs and deficiencies, multivitamins have been a dominant contender in the vitamin market for a good amount of time now. However, some can argue that multivitamins’ role of a one-size-fits-all supplement may not be everyone’s top choice. This is where the appeal of personalized vitamins comes in.
Personalized vitamins are pretty self-explanatory. Instead of taking one multivitamin, personalized vitamins are a collection of vitamins that are customized to meet people’s personal needs. Today, some of the most highly-rated personalized vitamin companies are Persona Nutrition, Care/Of, Baze, Rootine, and VitaFive. These vitamin companies operate similarly, but they have some key differences. Most start by having you take a quiz that narrows down your health concerns – except for the company Baze – which uses a blood sample to determine what vitamins you’re deficient in. Next, they create a personalized packet of vitamins which they deem make a good fit according to your health report, and you can choose to edit these packets. The variety of vitamins these companies offer widely varies. For example, Persona offers 85 different supplements while Baze offers only 8 vitamins. Compared to its contenders, Persona checks off a lot of benefits that other vitamin companies don’t have. Here is a comparison chart that helpfully outlines where exactly these vitamin companies differ.
Personalized Vitamins by Persona
Compared to other vitamin companies, Persona differs in a number of ways. To start with, they ask about any prescription medications you’re taking in their quiz. They cross-check these medications against a wide database to ensure that there aren’t any drug-nutrient interactions. Aside from their wide selection of vitamins they offer (85 supplements), they separate packets for AM, PM, and bedtime to optimize supplement absorption and ensure that you get the most out of the supplements you are taking. Every Persona order is individually reviewed by a nutritionist before it is processed, and nutritionist support is available via chat, email, or phone for clients. In addition, they source high quality ingredients that meet cGMP guidelines. If you’re interested in trying personalized vitamins, Persona is a leading, nutritionist-recommended personalized vitamin company that is unlikely to disappoint.
Currently Persona is offering a 50% discount on your first order.