What to Look for in Your Vitamins
The sheer wealth of available vitamins and herbal supplements in your local health food store can make choosing the right ones a huge challenge. Not only must you select which essential vitamins are the most important for your particular situation, but you must then select from a host of companies all making rather large claims.
When it comes to choosing a supplement therefore you may need to do a little research before pulling out your wallet. In order to make it a little easier however, below we've listed just some of the things you may want to keep an eye out for when making your selection.
1.Basic Ingredients: When choosing a multivitamin for instance, you'll want to make sure that it not only contains the major essential vitamins, but also that it matches these with your daily required intake of minerals and other trace nutrients. Vitamins themselves are only half the story, as the body often requires the presence of other nutrients as well to aid in absorption. Vitamins and minerals function together and this is why a vitamin/mineral supplement is the best bet. For more bang for your buck you might also want to look for a supplement that includes amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavanoids and other herbal extracts essential to good health.
2.Going Natural: Vitamin components are extracted and made in different fashions. Generally, you will have the choice of going with a synthetic or a naturally derived vitamin. If you have a choice you'll want to go with the natural ones. Synthetic vitamins, though cheaper to produce, can often be more difficult to absorb by the body. Research shows that certain vitamins, for instance vitamin E, are more easily absorbed by the body when it its natural state. Using a synthetic version can mean that though it might be easier one your budget you may in fact be receiving less effect. So, when in doubt, go the natural route as this will be the closest to getting the nutrients straight from food sources.
3.Synergy: Many vitamins are also best absorbed when in a proper combination with other vitamins, minerals or nutrients. Thus, when choosing any vitamin product, not just the multivitamins, you'll want to make sure that it is combined with whatever other ingredients are needed to make it function most optimally in the body. Some vitamins absolutely require other ingredients for absorption. Vitamin C for instance is best absorbed with calcium, so choose a calcium ascorbate variety.
4.Function follows Form: Choosing a vitamin or supplement product also involves choosing the form in which you take it. In some cases you'll have the choice between gelatin capsules, pill form, powders, sublinguals or even injections. Depending on the type of vitamin supplement it is the form that gives you optimal absorption will vary. For instance, vitamin B is actually best absorbed via injection, so if you are severely lacking in this vitamin than you may want to speak to your health care professional about getting vitamin B injections. Sublingual forms also tend to enhance absorption so if you're suffering from a cough or cold and want to give your immune system a kick start look for sublingual zinc tablets. Finally, some people may have allergies or may be vegan and thus they may not wish to choose a supplement in gelatin capsule form.
5.Going Raw: Today there are also a whole new genre of vitamin and mineral supplement, ones made from raw foods. These are actually the easiest way for your body to digest supplements. There are also many advantages including the fact that because these are made from raw food sources you can actually take them on an empty stomach. Generally, you'll need to take more pills than you would with traditional vitamins, up to four a day for a multi in some cases, but you can swallow these anytime without worrying about whether or not you've got something in your stomach. Though these can often be the priciest of the bunch, they are easily digested and absorbed and are really the ultimate in vitamin supplements.
6.Manufacturer: Choosing a manufacturer can be one of the most challenging of all tasks when choosing your supplements. Aside from everything above to consider you'll also want to find out a little about the company that makes your vitamins. The supplement industry in most countries is only rather loosely regulated and as such choosing a reputable company is vitally important. Opting for a company that has been around a long time can be a pretty good way to help distinguish between the brands, but for more information you can also simply ask a knowledgeable dietician, alternative health care professional or even the clerk at your local health food store (some of whom are nutritionists themselves).
Choosing a vitamin supplement can be tough, but knowing what you want is really half the battle. Once you've done a little research and decided on the type of supplement that is right for you than you should be able to narrow down the choice quite dramatically. Supplements are an investment in your health and it pays therefore to find the ones that are really going to make a difference in your life.
When it comes to choosing a supplement therefore you may need to do a little research before pulling out your wallet. In order to make it a little easier however, below we've listed just some of the things you may want to keep an eye out for when making your selection.
1.Basic Ingredients: When choosing a multivitamin for instance, you'll want to make sure that it not only contains the major essential vitamins, but also that it matches these with your daily required intake of minerals and other trace nutrients. Vitamins themselves are only half the story, as the body often requires the presence of other nutrients as well to aid in absorption. Vitamins and minerals function together and this is why a vitamin/mineral supplement is the best bet. For more bang for your buck you might also want to look for a supplement that includes amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavanoids and other herbal extracts essential to good health.
2.Going Natural: Vitamin components are extracted and made in different fashions. Generally, you will have the choice of going with a synthetic or a naturally derived vitamin. If you have a choice you'll want to go with the natural ones. Synthetic vitamins, though cheaper to produce, can often be more difficult to absorb by the body. Research shows that certain vitamins, for instance vitamin E, are more easily absorbed by the body when it its natural state. Using a synthetic version can mean that though it might be easier one your budget you may in fact be receiving less effect. So, when in doubt, go the natural route as this will be the closest to getting the nutrients straight from food sources.
3.Synergy: Many vitamins are also best absorbed when in a proper combination with other vitamins, minerals or nutrients. Thus, when choosing any vitamin product, not just the multivitamins, you'll want to make sure that it is combined with whatever other ingredients are needed to make it function most optimally in the body. Some vitamins absolutely require other ingredients for absorption. Vitamin C for instance is best absorbed with calcium, so choose a calcium ascorbate variety.
4.Function follows Form: Choosing a vitamin or supplement product also involves choosing the form in which you take it. In some cases you'll have the choice between gelatin capsules, pill form, powders, sublinguals or even injections. Depending on the type of vitamin supplement it is the form that gives you optimal absorption will vary. For instance, vitamin B is actually best absorbed via injection, so if you are severely lacking in this vitamin than you may want to speak to your health care professional about getting vitamin B injections. Sublingual forms also tend to enhance absorption so if you're suffering from a cough or cold and want to give your immune system a kick start look for sublingual zinc tablets. Finally, some people may have allergies or may be vegan and thus they may not wish to choose a supplement in gelatin capsule form.
5.Going Raw: Today there are also a whole new genre of vitamin and mineral supplement, ones made from raw foods. These are actually the easiest way for your body to digest supplements. There are also many advantages including the fact that because these are made from raw food sources you can actually take them on an empty stomach. Generally, you'll need to take more pills than you would with traditional vitamins, up to four a day for a multi in some cases, but you can swallow these anytime without worrying about whether or not you've got something in your stomach. Though these can often be the priciest of the bunch, they are easily digested and absorbed and are really the ultimate in vitamin supplements.
6.Manufacturer: Choosing a manufacturer can be one of the most challenging of all tasks when choosing your supplements. Aside from everything above to consider you'll also want to find out a little about the company that makes your vitamins. The supplement industry in most countries is only rather loosely regulated and as such choosing a reputable company is vitally important. Opting for a company that has been around a long time can be a pretty good way to help distinguish between the brands, but for more information you can also simply ask a knowledgeable dietician, alternative health care professional or even the clerk at your local health food store (some of whom are nutritionists themselves).
Choosing a vitamin supplement can be tough, but knowing what you want is really half the battle. Once you've done a little research and decided on the type of supplement that is right for you than you should be able to narrow down the choice quite dramatically. Supplements are an investment in your health and it pays therefore to find the ones that are really going to make a difference in your life.
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