Three questions to ask when choosing your multivitamins
When it comes to your health, you don't want to take any chances. You should be able to guarantee that your multivitamin will provide you with all the essential nutrients that you need to be glowing with vitality.
But understanding the jumble of letters, numbers and micrograms of this and that can be enough to make anyone's head spin.
Here's a simple guide to the three essential considerations that will make sure you're choosing the right brand of vitamins.
1. What do they contain?
The best multivitamins will cover most of your daily needs for vitamins and minerals in an easy-to-swallow tablet.
To find out how yours performs, start by carefully reading the label. Look for the Nutritional Reference Values, or NRVs, which will tell you what percentage of your daily requirements of each nutrient a tablet contains.
Among the essential vitamins to look out is vitamin D, especially if you're expecting. The Department of Health recommends that all pregnant and breastfeeding women take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms (µg) of vitamin D, which helps to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Our bodies produce vitamin D when we're in the sun, but in rainy Britain that can be easier said than done. So it's also recommended that older people take a supplement. Why not try Swisse High Strength Vitamin D3, which contains 25µg of Vitamin D3 in a convenient one-a-day capsule.
2. Can you trust the brand?
Premium brands tend to come at a higher cost for good reasons. They usually have higher quality ingredients and a wider range - all of which means more nutrients in each tablet.
Do your research into leading brands: look for clinical research and see what leading scientists have to say. With the number of choices on the market, brands promoting their products in the UK must also comply with all the relevant regulations, so you know that they're safe and accurately labelled.
3. What are your needs?
We all tend to look for multivitamins to fill a nutritional gap, but we don't all have the same needs. Try to consider your personal circumstances, changing dietary requirements and individual lifestyle choices when making your decision.
There are supplements tailored for men and women, as well as for different stages of life. For example, multivitamins aimed at women in their childbearing years often contain higher doses of nutrients such as iron, which helps the formation of blood cells, and folic acid, which is important for a developing baby. Those targeting men, on the other hand, often don't include iron.
If you have dietary restrictions, you can also select multivitamins without added lactose, yeast, or artificial flavours.
Bear in mind these tips when you're next shopping for premium multivitamins, combine them with a healthy balanced diet, and you should be able to maximise your health and well-being.
Do you take a Swisse vitamin? Let us know which one and how it helps you in the comments below.