Do You Really Need to Take a Multi-Vitamin?

A straight answer

There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about the need for multi-vitamin/mineral supplementation. Some people say you can get everything you need from the food you eat. But can you really?

The answer is, “If you are relatively healthy, yes, you probably can.” Do most Americans eat a diet that will provide them with sufficient amounts of all the health-giving vitamins and minerals they need for optimal health? The answer is, “Probably not.”

Due to the current state of the food supply and because very few Americans eat the recommended five daily servings of health-giving fruits and vegetables, many nutrition experts agree that a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement taken daily could help fill the nutrition gap.¹

Consider Basic Nutrients 2/Day – comprehensive multiple-vitamin and mineral formula that includes the most bioavailable forms of nutrients available in a convenient, two-capsule/day formulation.

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans don’t typically eat a diet that will provide them with all the nutrients they need. By their definition, adults should be eating 1.5-2 cups of fruit daily and 2-3 cups of vegetables daily.

In a CDC 2013 survey by state, only 13.1 percent of the entire U.S. population met sufficient fruit intake (ranging from 7.5 percent in Tennessee to 17.7 percent in California). In this same survey, only 8.9 percent of adults met the recommended daily vegetable intake (ranging from 5.5 percent in Mississippi to 13.1 percent in California).²

Common vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the United States

A report from the CDC revealed some shocking statistics about the nutrient status of Americans. Some of the highlights of the report are:

Who is especially at risk and why?

Suboptimal levels of vitamins and minerals are especially common in certain groups of people, either because they are not consuming an optimal diet or because of health conditions – or both. Increased nutrient needs may be seen in:

• Individuals of any age with a chronic health problem
• Elderly people, because of low appetite and lack of interest in food, poor absorption, medications, and/or chronic disease
• Children, because they can be very picky eaters
• Teenagers, because their diets generally include too much fast food and not enough fruits and vegetables
• Individuals on strict diets that exclude whole food groups (for example, vegans may be at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency because B12 is primarily found in animal products)
• Women of childbearing age – who may be at risk for iron deficiency, in particular; needs increase during pregnancy as well. (NOTE: Always be sure to use a supplement specifically designated as a prenatal vitamin, if you are pregnant, in order to assure that you get enough of certain vitamins and not too much of others.)

Suboptimal intake is especially common in Americans over age 50

Suboptimal intake of several vitamins is common in the general population, particularly among aging Americans. In a study of 4,381 adults age 51 or older, less than 50 percent of them received adequate amounts of vitamin E, the B-vitamin folic acid, or magnesium from diet alone.⁴

Other vitamins and minerals that were difficult to acquire in sufficient amounts were vitamins A, B6, and C, and the mineral zinc. When people added supplements, 80 percent or more were able to meet the average daily recommendation for vitamins A, B6, B12, C, and E; folate, iron, and zinc.⁴

Recommended multi-vitamins with third-party testing

Every Thorne supplement is validated with independent third-party certification for quality and safety. Always check the label on each bottle of a Thorne supplements for the exact certification. This list of Thorne multi-vitamin/mineral formulas will help guide you to finding the right one for your health needs.

Thorne Basic Nutrients 2/Day – For adults and teenagers who want foundational support for overall wellness, Basic Nutrients 2/Day may benefit individuals looking for comprehensive daily nutritional support in a convenient, low-capsule format. For the competitive athlete, Basic Nutrients 2/Day is available with the option of NSF Certified for Sport® certification.

Thorne Multi-Vitamin Elite – For high-performance nutritional support and a more advanced wellness routine, Multi-Vitamin Elite provides targeted support with two formulas in one convenient set. The A.M. formula promotes morning energy, while the P.M. formula enhances nighttime recovery. It’s ideal for those who want broad-spectrum support for energy production, immune function, cognitive health, and overall vitality, including active individuals and high performers.* Multi-Vitamin Elite is available with an NSF Certified for Sport® certification option.

Thorne Basic Prenatal – For women who are trying to conceive, are pregnant, or are nursing, Basic Prenatal benefits women who want targeted nutritional support for both mom and baby. It provides key nutrients like folate, choline, and iron to support healthy fetal development and maternal health.*

Thorne Women’s Multi 50+ – Formulated with 23 optimally absorbed nutrients that women need to promote healthy aging, Women’s Multi-50+ provides extra vitamins D and K2 for bone support, as well as vitamin B6 for estrogen metabolism.* Because women have a lower need for iron as they age, Women’s Multi 50+ is a multi-vitamin without iron.

Thorne Men’s Multi-50+ – Two common health topics for men age 50 and older are prostate health and balanced testosterone. That’s why Men’s Multi 50+ is formulated with additional zinc and lycopene, along with a full complement of 23 bioavailable nutrients to boost vitality and support an active lifestyle.*

Thorne Advanced Nutrients – For individuals needing a more robust, performance-focused multi-vitamin and mineral formula to promote cellular energy and balance oxidative stress, Advanced Nutrients fits the bill. It’s well suited for those seeking comprehensive support for energy production, stress resilience, and overall metabolic health, with potent antioxidant botanical extracts to provide additional support for eye health and healthy aging.*

 

Benefits of taking a multi-vitamin

Taking a good combination multiple-vitamin and mineral assures you are getting at least the recommended daily value for most vitamins and minerals.

Benefits of a multi-vitamin for women of any age: May support hormonal balance, bone health, energy production, and overall wellness throughout different life stages.*

Benefits of a multi-vitamin for men of any age: May enhance energy, heart health, muscle function, and overall vitality to meet the demands of daily life.*

Benefits of a multi-vitamin for women of who are pregnant or nursing: Provides key nutrients like folate to help support healthy fetal development while optimizing a woman’s own health during pregnancy through breastfeeding.*

Benefits of a multi-vitamin for working professionals: May promote cognitive performance, stress resilience, and immune health during busy and demanding schedules.*

Benefits of a multi-vitamin for teenagers: May promote a growing teen’s bone development and cognitive function, by providing foundational nutrient support during periods of rapid physical and mental development, especially when a teenager’s diet may not include healthy whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.*

Benefits of a multi-vitamin for seniors: May promote healthy aging by maintaining bone strength, cognitive function, heart health, and overall nutrient adequacy as absorption and dietary intake change with age.*

Benefits of a multi-vitamin for athletes: May help energy production, muscle recovery, immune function, and overall performance by addressing increased nutrient demands from training.*

A healthy diet increases the benefits of a multi

An excellent multi-vitamin/mineral nutritional supplement is good “dietary insurance” and a small investment to make to ensure you are getting all the essential nutrients daily, particularly if you aren’t eating a balanced diet.

In addition to providing nutrients your body needs to function physically, at least one study found that supplementing with a multi-vitamin/mineral for 28 days could improve mood and ability to handle stress.5* Even greater health benefits can be realized when you eat a healthy diet in addition to taking a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.

We believe a good multiple-vitamin/mineral formula is the starting point for every individual’s supplementation needs and that it should contain all the essential nutrients. We also believe that by using the purest, most bioavailable raw materials – without adding any unnecessary additives or preservatives – absorption and utilization of the nutrients will be maximized and health outcomes will be optimized.

References

1. Ward E. Addressing nutrition gaps with multivitamin and mineral supplements. Nutr J 2014;13:72.
2. Moore LV, Thompson FE. Adults meeting fruit and vegetable Intake recommendations – United States, 2013. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015 Jul 10;64(26):709-713.
3. Haeusler S, Parry-Strong A, Krebs JD. The prevalence of low vitamin B12 status in people with type 2 diabetes receiving metformin therapy in New Zealand – a clinical audit. N Z Med J 2014;127(1404):8-16.
4. Sebastian RS, Cleveland LE, Goldman JD, Moshfegh AJ. Older adults who use vitamin/mineral supplements differ from nonusers in nutrient intake adequacy and dietary attitudes. J Am Diet Assoc 2007;107(8):1322-1332.
5. Long SJ, Benton D. Effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on stress, mild psychiatric symptoms, and mood in nonclinical samples: a meta-analysis. Psychosom Med 2013 Feb;75(2):144-153.