Do Women’s Multivitamins Really Work? What You Need to Know

There is an ongoing debate in the health world about whether or not multivitamins are truly effective. The stances are all over the map, from some saying multivitamins are a waste of money to others swearing that they’ve radicalized their health and gut issues. The pendulum on this debate can swing to either extreme, but most scientists and doctors would collectively agree on a more middle ground stance that at the end of the day, research supports that Multivitamins have real benefits for people and the risks of taking them are extremely low. Adding a daily multivitamin to your regimen is an easy cost-effective way to bridge the gap of nutrient insufficiencies in your diet which cause your immune system and health vitality to otherwise decline. The first thing a doctor will ask people who report facing extreme exhaustion or being tired all the time is what their diet looks like because chances are that there are key micro-nutrients and vitamins that their body is lacking that can cause a wide array of negative symptoms. 

Bridging Nutrient Gaps

Take Vitamin B12 for instance, when people have a Vitamin B12 deficiency in their diet they can be more prone to dizziness, exhaustion, weakness, numbness, lightheadedness, vision loss, memory loss, or depression. Deficiency of Vitamin B12 is actually very common in Vegans as the natural sources of food that carry Vitamin B12 are red meats, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and eggs. This is a prime example of how a multivitamin can help close those natural food gaps that can occur when people are not getting enough nutrients in their diet.

Many people would be surprised to know that a quality multivitamin should be one that bridges those nutrient gaps, but does it with variants of the nutrient that is food-friendly and easy for a person to digest. Far too often, a multivitamin might have the correct vitamins on the label, but they are weird variants of the vitamin that are not found in foods and can not be easily digested or broken down. Finding a quality multivitamin for women is a hard task when so many out there rely on the chemical versions of the supplements, instead of the ones most naturally found in the food you already eat. Luckily, there are lots of studies out there that show what ingredients should be in your multivitamin and which versions are best for your body to ingest and break down most easily.

Ingredient lists within multivitamins vary from brand to brand. Still, if you’re feeling in over your head on what your supplement should include, a good place to start is finding a women’s multivitamin that contains Folate, Omega-3 DHA, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Iron, Vitamin K2, Boron, Vitamin E, and Magnesium. 

Who would benefit from a Multivitamin? 

Gaps in the nutrients that your body needs are shown to lead to illness and chronic diseases. Cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, and cognitive dysfunction have in some cases been tied back to your body not getting what it needs. Studies found that multivitamins can actually decrease the risk of cataracts by 9% and cancer by 8%. Some studies even show that not getting enough of certain micronutrients has led to impaired immune function which can make you more susceptible to infection. There is very little data about multivitamins having any sort of negative impact, which is why most doctors will tell you there is very little risk and only potential benefits of adding a multivitamin to your diet. So who should be taking a multivitamin and how would they benefit from it? We’ve compiled a list below.

Like it is mentioned above, because there are no downsides to adding a multivitamin to your diet, multivitamins really do have the capacity to benefit anyone who takes them. Multivitamins are for all, but if you fall into the range of any of the below categories you are someone who is especially susceptible to needing the supplement that the multivitamin has to offer. People who could especially benefit are women who are childbearing age, pregnant or lactating, as the added nutrients are especially important. Infants, kids, and teens who are growing and developing could also benefit from supplemented nutrients. Furthermore, older adults experiencing reduced nutrient absorption and appetite may need the benefits of a multivitamin. Vegans or Vegetarians may experience nutrient gaps and could benefit from supplementing.  Those facing food insecurity or who do not have a healthy diet are more than likely to need added support. Doctors say that individuals facing obesity may also have increased requirements for some nutrients. Those who are on certain medications, who have had bariatric surgery, or who are heavy alcohol users may have nutrient absorption issues and need extra assistance from a multivitamin.