Put Your Multivitamin to the Test | Things to Look Out For

As the most popular dietary supplement in the world, multivitamins offer a combination of nutrients to support your health and help you meet nutritional needs. Within the broad range of formulas specific to gender, age and lifestyle, there are several things a multivitamin should contain.

On the other hand, they can contain certain ingredients that tend to cause more harm than good.

There’s no shortage of multivitamin brands and formulas that are sold just about anywhere. In fact, about 50% of Americans take a multivitamin, making it a billion dollar industry.

While taking vitamins is a good step toward better health, it’s a big problem that not all supplements can be trusted. Many have low quality versions of nutrients and harmful additives that go unnoticed if you don’t know what to look for. 

With that said, if you’re wondering if you even need a multivitamin, you’ll find that answer and more in my blog, “Are Multivitamins Really Necessary?”

Alright, it’s time to grab your multivitamin and take a closer look at it! Keep reading as I reveal 4 things to seek out and 3 things to avoid on the label.

Look for the natural form of D3, also called cholecalciferol. This comes from animal sources and is like the vitamin D that comes from sunlight. Vitamin D should always be taken with vitamin K2 to ensure that calcium is directed away from your arteries and into your bones and teeth.

This phytonutrient converts to vitamin A to help you absorb calcium and improve skin, vision, digestion and immunity. Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene is a much better choice than the synthetic form, palmitate.

You need as many antioxidants as possible to protect your cells from damage and lower your risk for disease.

✓ CoQ10 

✓ Lycopene

✓ Lutein

✓ Zeaxanthin

✓ Selenium

✓ Vitamin C

✓ Vitamin E

✓ Vitamin A

Unfortunately, many supplements contain fillers, chemicals, artificial colors and other ingredients to extend their shelf life – but at the expense of your health. These contaminants cause harm by negating any health benefits the supplement would provide, and even worse, could cause long-term health damage.

While your body needs both these minerals, they shouldn’t be taken together because iron impairs calcium absorption. Your multivitamin should contain only one or the other, and then you can supplement the other if needed at a different time of day. 

Look closely at the type of vitamin E on the label and avoid “dl-alpha tocopheryl.” Instead, look for “d-alpha tocopheryl.” Notice the slight difference here is the “l” but it makes a big difference in your health as synthetic vitamin E is derived from petrochemicals. 

Look on the label for a non-GMO symbol or certification. If you’re new to GMOs, here is some further information.

Sugar is lurking in the most unsuspecting places so always check the label!

Note: A dietary source of vitamin K2 (in the MK-7 form) comes from fermented soy called natto. In this is case, make sure it is non-GMO soy. If you’re not already gluten-free, here’s why you should be. 

Also known as trans-fat, many manufacturers use this toxic devil as a filler in their supplements. Yuck! 

Examples include red #40/blue #1/yellow # 5

This is an FDA approved food pigment often added to supplements to color them white. Research has shown that it has the ability to damage DNA and cause intestinal inflammation leading to cancer, autoimmune disorders, and allergies. This is scary news especially for the many people with digestive disorders (like celiac and Chrohn’s) that are likely taking supplements. 

The best approach to getting all the vitamins and mineral your body needs is to follow a healthy organic diet. I realize this is not possible for everyone all the time, especially in parts of the world where certain foods are not available year round. Changes in the way food is grown and manufactured over the last 100 years have also caused a downward trend in the nutritional content of both animal and plant food sources.

A gap exists between what your body needs and what your body actually gets from diet and this is precisely why supplements have become necessary. 

In general, any supplement you take should be from a reputable brand that uses superior quality sourced ingredients that are tested for true bioavailability and potency.   

I formulated BodyManual’s Multivitamin and Mineral to support healthy function and enhance the daily performance of both men and women. You’ll find that it provides a complete profile of critical nutrients to support your daily needs – all in a single serving of either capsules, packets or powder if you prefer a drink.

I invite you to learn more on how BodyManual exceeds the industry standard with superior ingredients, manufacturing practices, and independent testing to bring you and your family dietary supplements you can trust. 

"I switched to these after learning my usual "natural" brand sold to Nestle (NO THANK YOU). Although it was a pain to find a brand that was actually natural, I'm so glad I had to make the switch. The purity of these are a breath of fresh air and they make me feel great. I definitely recommend!