All you need to know about Multivitamins
Are multivitamins good for you?
Multivitamins are good for you if you need help getting specific vitamins into your diet. The risk is that a multivitamin might be missing an essential nutrient that you need. Some people need very specific supplements, either because of a specific requirement they have (e.g. IBS) or because of a specific issue in their lifestyle (e.g. they are taking prescription medication or smoke).
If you are looking for a general all-round product to help improve your wellness then multivitamins are generally quite good. If you have had a specific diagnosis about a deficiency in your diet or blood then you should speak to your GP to get their advice on what supplements are suitable for you.
Are multivitamins worth taking?
Good-quality multivitamins are worth taking. The simple truth is that not all vitamins are created equal. Some vitamin companies spend far more on marketing than they do on product research. The result is that some multivitamins are made with cheap, low-quality materials or lack proper research about how they break down in the body.
As a result, low-quality multivitamins tend to struggle to break down in the gut when they need to (because the capsule is made using the cheapest material, not the best). This means that the body struggles to absorb all the nutrients and so you don’t strictly see many benefits.
At Landys Chemist, we carefully select the companies we work with. If we don’t think products are made with sufficient quality then we won’t stock them. You can always buy multivitamins from us with the confidence that we have vetted brands to ensure the ingredients they use are high quality and that their manufacturing processes are focussed on quality not price.
What are the side effects of taking multivitamins?
When taken as directed, multivitamins should not have any adverse side effects. If you are taking a supplement that means you are ingesting more than your recommended daily allowance (this is particularly true with minerals) then you may experience some side effects, such as: increased urination, upset stomach or constipation. Always follow the instructions on your multivitamins and consult your GP before starting any regular supplementation.