What is a Daily Multivitamin?

A daily multivitamin is a dietary supplement taken to maintain health and to prevent nutritional deficiency through a convenient and non-intrusive method of steadily introducing vitamins and minerals into our system, intended to fortify our overall health, to help retain our body's supply of nutrients, and to alleviate health problems.

Our body takes in a substantial amount of nutrients per day that are expelled almost as quickly as they came in, through physical exertion transforming them into energy and heat, and through our body's natural excretion process breaking them down. We can even lose nutrients only by exhaling our breath!

Daily multivitamins are a great way to keep ourselves packed to the brim with the essential vitamins and minerals we need to maintain optimal health. They're not strong enough to adversely affect our health, even in large doses, as they don't have a high enough concentration to do any damage.

So why bother with taking daily multivitamins if they’re so benign? As long as we maintain a consistent stream of healthy minerals flowing through our system before they disappear, this gives our organs the support they need to perform at their best and to keep our body's functions running smoothly.

Daily Multivitamin Cheatsheet

Types of daily multivitamins:

• Women’s: typically include folic acid, calcium, and vitamin D
  

• Men’s: most popularly include vitamins C, E, and beta carotene
  

• Children’s: often contain vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, B12, calcium, and iron
  

• Seniors’: generally consist of high doses of vitamins D, B12, and iron
  

• Prenatal: frequently incorporate more folic acid and iron content

Uses for daily multivitamins:

• Prevent or treat vitamin and mineral deficiencies

• Supplement a diet or lifestyle lacking in nutrients

• Boost the body’s supply of nutrients during stress

• Provide nutrients for pregnant women and babies

• Facilitate the body’s overall absorption of nutrients

• Alleviate symtpoms related to a particular ailment

Natural Daily Multivitamins

• Borage: gamma-linolenic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid known to reduce inflammation

• Pau D’arco: treats arthritis, fever, contains anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties

The most important thing to remember is that we must derive the majority of our nutritional intake from our diet. Daily multivitamins are not a substitute for eating real food; they're a tool, kind of like an extra credit assignment: a subsidiary implementation to help us achieve our optimal health.

Daily multivitamins are not a replacement for practicing general healthy habits, such as eating and sleeping enough throughout the week, as well as going outside every once in a while. Making healthier choices every day, in the long run, will benefit our health and our lives more than anything else.

Always consult a medical professional before embarking on a new health regimen, or before adding any herbal supplement into your existing health routine, to examine your specific requirements and options. Also, be sure to test for any potential allergies before ingesting any herbal supplement to ensure your safety and wellbeing.