#(with even specific labels not found worth mentioning at the bare minimum)
Note
More love for Semi please? Anything will do, your writing is exquisite in any form anyway :D
» Word Count: 1,857 wordsCross-posted on AO3
SORRY THIS IS SO LATE :(( I actually wrote three chapters’ worth of content for him already and you can read the whole thing on the ao3 link.(NOTE: This is based on the current events of the final arc of the Haikyuu manga. I tagged it as a spoiler but I won’t really go into the specifics of what’s going on. Semi is our main focus here ^__^)
—
“Please?”
“No,” was your flat reply.
Semi heaved a long sigh, mouth twitching into an irritated grimace. You returned his reaction with a sassy look of your own—one, finely penciled brow quirked as bright, red lips rivalled the adamance that Semi brought about. While you were in no position to tell him to just go back to his cubicle and get today’s work done (you, sadly, held the same position in office), you at least had the right to turn him down. Your department had a monthly financial report coming up. Why on Earth did he want your help writing a song?
“Come on,” he groaned. “You know I’d eat my fist first before asking for your help, but our manager really digs your old pieces from college.”
Your eye twitched.
“Way to beg for someone’s aid in a time of dire need,” you bit back sarcastically. “Go do it then.”
“What?”
“Eat your whole fist.” You gave him a pointed look, even making a show of paying attention by putting your pen down.
Your co-worker let out a frustrated groan, fingers carding through his messy, ashen hair. The gesture made the tattoos on his chest visible for a second, before disappearing again behind his barely done button-up. It was a mystery, how a man like him made it as a public servant—with his flamboyant piercings and tip-dyed hair—but you supposed you should learn to look past physical appearances. The agency allowed it, so why should you make a fuss?
Ah, right. Semi Eita was the most hot-headed man in your department, and he had a knack for picking fights with you.
“If you get the balance sheet done by five o'clock, I might reconsider,” you told him, not really meaning the words, as you directed your attention back at the paperwork on your desk. Balance sheets are the toughest to fill out, since the data needed had to be collated from different sectors of the city. You highly doubted that Semi, with his thinner-than-a-strand-of-hair patience, could finish it in one sitting.
“Deal.”
Your gaze hardened as you looked back up at him. “Come again?”
“Are you deaf?” he asked, folding lean arms across his chest. “I said it’s a deal.”
You couldn’t help the snort that made its way past your lips. Whatever his reasons may be, it was painfully obvious that he was desperate. But still. You knew that he wouldn’t be able to carry out the deed in your given deadline, but instead of talking him out of his own agreement, you merely shook your head in acceptance.
Semi eventually stalked off to his cubicle; the one just in front of yours. There was a divider that separated each employee’s workspace from the others, and it at least granted some semblance of privacy from outside gazes. You’ve been to Semi’s cubicle a couple of times—more to coordinate paperwork than engage in conversation, really—and he decorated his personal space exactly how a part-time rock band vocalist would. Though he didn’t exactly put up posters and painted the walls black, he added his own flair to his desk with guitar figurines, neon stickers on his desktop, and a photo of his bandmates enclosed in a sparkly picture frame.
The only reason you bothered looking so closely was the fact that you also went to the same university together (under the same degree, too!) You’ve always been keen around him, with his loud way of living, as opposed to you, who’s always chosen to live simply and without pretentiousness. Sure, the disparity between your lifestyles had caused you to be at each other’s throats since freshman year, but it was still a surprise that your synergy was top notch. You would, as Semi put it so delicately, eat your fist first before admitting to the fact, but it’s a given that you preferred to work with him instead of other, unfamiliar people.
You sighed, brandishing a bored look at the bleak document in front of you. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to help him out…
But when you recalled every time he’s talked over you during board meetings, sneered at you when he got a higher score during exams, and his distateful behavior in general, you steeled your resolve.
Either he’s going to get that balance sheet over with or he’ll keel over. If he wanted your help, he’s going to have to work for it.
—
You were in the middle of fixing your belongings when the sound of a stack of papers hitting your desk rang in your ears.
“There,” Semi said breathlessly, making you look up at him in surprise. He even tossed a flash drive on top of the papers he deposited, where you saw the city hall’s heading printed in full color. You reluctantly checked your phone for the time. 16:57, it said, in a mockingly bold typeface before shoving it in your pocket.
The damn guy really did get it done before five.
“The electronic document is saved in there, in case you lose the print.” He was panting at this point, and you had a vague idea as to why he looked like he just ran a marathon. The one printer in your department (this year’s budget was cut) broke down a few days ago, and the nearest functional one was at the Logistics office three floors down.
Still refusing to believe it, you peered at the documents he just brought in. You scanned each of the entries printed on each page. That’s when you realized that Sendai City’s expenses have skyrocketed since the new year because the list of expenses occupied a whole page alone. A worried sigh made its way past your lips, but at least the liabilities were cut down to a minimum. You heard that the governor of Miyagi was going to pledge a few hundred thousand yen for the city’s founding anniversary, too.
You paused. Blinking, you rearranged the papers neatly back into its pile—biting back the urge to clutch your wounded pride. Semi was looking at you expectantly, like he wanted you to praise his flawless bookkeeping.
In actuality, his determination was beginning to freak you out.
“Why do you want me to help you so badly?” you asked, voice almost trembling. “Seriously, dude. I thought we hated each other. Quit acting out of character.”
“I told you, our manager really liked the songs you composed back in senior year,” he drawled, tired of having to repeat himself.
Your face twisted in confusion. “Who even is this manager of yours?”
There was a half-second delay in his response, but before you could paint a reason for his hesitation, he immediately replied with, “Saito. Saito Makoto.”
You stiffened, gaze going rigid at the mention of that name. “Oh.”
“Yeah. If I manage to give him a piece by the end of the month, he’ll help us sign a contract with a big-shot record label,” Semi explained, oblivious to your discomfort.
“But haven’t you been writing songs since high school?” you wondered aloud. “That’s what you said during our Pol-Gov class ice breaker.”
He frowned. “You still remember that?”
Okay. You kept forgetting that your sharp memory wasn’t always a praiseworthy thing. You gulped, feeling the heat creep up your face. “Um, anyway, the point still stands. You’ve been writing songs for God-knows-how-long, and while I’m not one to dish out compliments especially to you, I’m pretty sure they’re okay if you managed to gather a decent fanbase.”
He rolled his eyes, leaning against the divider of your cubicle. “We’re a rock band. I write rock songs, but Saito wants me to write a goddamn love song.”
Typical Saito. Though he looked like a rugged high school delinquent, he was awfully sentimental when it came to music. He was the one who inspired you to write the songs Semi was pestering you about all day after all…
“Fine,” you relented. “I never go back on my word and since you did a…good job with this, I’ll help you out.”
His light brown eyes lit up for a moment, but Semi managed to mask his relief in a split second—containing his excitement in a single nod. “Are you free this Saturday? You can come by my place and we could start getting to work.”
Well, that was forward of him. You expected to work on the song in a coffee shop or something, but he went on ahead and invited you to his own humble abode anyway. You parsed through your weekend plans in your mind, and once you confirmed that you were free, you scribbled down your phone number on a sticky note. Almost five years of acquaintance and you’d never bothered giving it to him. Huh.
“Just text me the time and place,” you told him, pocketing the flash drive as you slipped the balance sheet in one of the empty folders in your organizer. “You better not pull anything funny and lead me to a secluded alley or something.”
Semi scoffed, folding the piece of paper and sticking it inside his trousers. “As if.”
You then slung your bag across your shoulders, grinning insincerely. “Glad we’re on the same page, then.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
With that, Semi exited your cubicle, leaving you no room to wonder why he didn’t even spare a quick ‘thank you’.
Just as you were smoothing out the creases on your pencil skirt, your phone began buzzing in the pocket of your blazer. Brows raised, you fished it out and unlocked it.
From: Makohey, wanna grab some dinner? its on me :3
Speak of the devil. You swallowed the lump in your throat, fingers shakily managing to type a coherent reply.
To: MakoYeah sure. Where to tho
From: Makocan we get some italian? ik u love the udon place across the street but akane’s having dinner w her friends there
From: Makocant have her seeing us together now do we
The way he put that so casually made your chest constrict with a too-familiar sensation. You heaved a deep breath, pursing your lips into a thin line as you sent a quick “Ok” text to end your conversation. Saito replied with those iffy heart-eyed emojis that he only ever used when he wanted something from you, and you had to compose yourself so you wouldn’t burst into tears right there.
“Oi.”
You almost jumped at the sound of Semi’s voice as he peered inside your cubicle once more. He clutched his suitcase in one hand, eyeing you curiously.
“What do you want?”
“You’re headed uptown, too, right?” he asked, and you nodded reluctantly. “Thought you’d want a lift.”
“Semi, just because I’m helping you achieve your dreams, doesn’t mean you have to be nice to me.” You laughed softly, tension easing from his uncalled for kindness.
He, however, looked unconvinced. “Do you want a ride or not?”
You raised your hands in defeat, managing a genuine smile. “Alright, fine. It’ll be a hellish commute anyway.”
You liked to think that that’s how you started becoming friends with your odd, hot-headed co-worker.
#haikyuu!!#semi eita#semi eita x reader#shiratorizawa#hqscenario#haikyuu headcanons#haikyuu fanfiction#haikyuu spoilers#hq headcanons#hq!! headcanons
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5 ways to be more organized
Think you're disorganized? For years I had no calendar, no to-do lists, no system for taking notes. Chaos reigned. Everything lived—or died—in my head. I’d flake on birthdays, flub errands, and wake up at night, panicked, remembering something I had due the next day. Plus, “keeping it all in my head” burned valuable mental energy, which could have been harnessed to actually get things done.
Enough, I thought recently. I’m a grown-ass man—I need to get my life in order. So I researched the best tools, tried them out, and, believe it or not, I’m now shockingly organized.
If you, too, would like to get your proverbial ducks in a row, try the five-step method I used.
[RELATED1]
Step 1: Find the right organizational system
Recommendation: Getting Things Done
When it comes to productivity, first you need to find an overall “guiding” system—then add the specific tools and apps to put it into effect.
There are lots to choose from, such as the “Pomodoro Technique,” where you work in 25-minute bursts, take a break, then work again for 25 minutes, and so on. There’s also the famed “Eisenhower Matrix” (popularized by the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People), which has you deposit tasks into quadrants labeled Urgent, Important, Not Urgent, Not Important—but as smart as it seems, I found I spent more time trying to choose the right quadrant for a task than I spent actually doing it.
The system I came to rely on is spelled out in David Allen’s classic book Getting Things Done, popularly known as GTD. Its philosophy is simple but sneakily powerful: Clear your head and execute a “brain dump” of everything you need to do; break down big projects into manageable chunks; focus only on the tasks at hand; and, finally, review.
So instead of feeling overwhelmed by the 137 things you have on your plate, with GTD you focus only on the one thing you can do in that moment—then do it.
[RELATED2]
Step 2: Pick the right app to implement the system
Recommendations: Things (iOS), Todoist (Android/Windows)
Now that you have a system, you need the right tools to put it into motion.
For those in the iOS ecosystem, it’s Things, a silky-smooth app that’s a pleasure to use. This matters, as enjoying it means you’re more likely to use it. Even the tutorial is a delight. It’s easy to see how projects break down into subprojects, then tasks, then mini checklists. It all syncs across all your devices—computer, iPad, smartphone—merges with your calendar, then serves up your to-dos exactly when you need them.
Using Things, I did my “brain dump” and dashed off all the various to-dos that stressed me out about a book I was writing (“Revise Ch. 3,” “Find 2nd source,” “Restock beer”) and chunked those into projects (“Research”) and subprojects (“Conduct interviews,” “Review transcript”).
And just like that I had clarity. It felt better than a cold beer after great sex.
Note: At a one-time cost of $49 for a Mac, $20 for an iPad, and $10 for an iPhone, it’s pricey—but worth it.
For Android/Windows users, you’ve got a freebie option: Todoist. The interface may not be as sleek as Things, but you get most of the same functionality, including bells and whistles like collaboration tools, syncing across all devices, and even a GPS reminder to, say, buy milk when you pass a grocery—no more getting home empty-handed.
[RELATED3]
Step 3: Consolidate your notes
Recommendations: Bear (iOS) Evernote (Android/Windows)
In the old days, if I had to jot down a reminder—flight details, work notes, a recipe—I might email it to myself, scribble it on a scrap of paper I’d soon lose, or ink it on my hand, where it would end up sweaty and illegible.
That was before I discovered Bear. Light, quick, and easy on the eyes, Bear syncs from iOS phone to laptop to tablet and lets you easily input random text, photos, Web clippings—anything you need—for just $1.50 a month.
Organization is a snap. You can sprinkle in some hashtags in your notes (like #receipts, #travel, #gym, #charity), then use those to fetch them later. Bonus: You can pin notes to the top—super useful if, for instance, you’re traveling and need directions or a confirmation number quickly.
For Android/Windows users, opt for Evernote, the granddaddy of notekeeping apps. It’s so powerful it can feel overwhelming at times, but it will hoover up all your documents and scraps, giving you easy access to everything in one convenient place.
For romantics who still love scribbling notes, Evernote partners with Moleskine to let you write your thoughts in a journal, then digitally zap them into Evernote’s vault. Slick.
Evernote’s basic plan, with 60MB of uploads per month and syncing across two devices (for more, just use the Web browser), is free; but if you’ll be uploading lots of Web clips—one of Evernote’s nicest features—you may want to opt for the $35/year “Plus” level.
Step 4: Promote the apps
Of course, tools are useless if they’re ignored, so you need to make them part of your routine.
I added both Things and Bear to my phone’s dock and now use them more than any other app. Every morning I crack open Things to get the day’s hit list, and when I realize, “Oh, damn, I need to do such-and-such,” I quickly toss the item into my Things inbox.
If my sister mentions something that sparks an idea for a birthday gift, I’d normally forget it ASAP—now I pop it into Bear labeling it #gifts.
[RELATED4]
Step 5: Do a weekly review
A key component of GTD: At least once a week, take a deep dive into your goals, priorities, and how you spend your time. Skip this step and you end up scurrying from task to task, rarely assessing what’s important. There is an upside to doing this: When you re-evaluate and reassess projects, you start thinking about all the things you could be accomplishing, not just the bare minimum. There’s a halo effect.
Example: While tinkering with Things, I added a group called “Family/Friends” and thought about what I could be doing more of—maybe stay in better touch? Recurring task: Call someone on that list once a week. I even added a project for “Growth” and tossed in tasks like “Explore a goddamn museum”. (Pro tip: Injecting profanity makes you more likely to do the goddamn task.)
Will I do them all? Probably not. But that’s OK. It’s not a panacea, but it is progress.
Jeff Wilser is the author of The Book of Joe: The Life, Wit, and (Sometimes Accidental) Wisdom of Joe Biden, in stores October 24.
Technology
from Men's Fitness http://www.mensfitness.com/life/gearandtech/5-ways-be-more-organized
0 notes
Text
5 ways to be more organized
Think you're disorganized? For years I had no calendar, no to-do lists, no system for taking notes. Chaos reigned. Everything lived—or died—in my head. I’d flake on birthdays, flub errands, and wake up at night, panicked, remembering something I had due the next day. Plus, “keeping it all in my head” burned valuable mental energy, which could have been harnessed to actually get things done.
Enough, I thought recently. I’m a grown-ass man—I need to get my life in order. So I researched the best tools, tried them out, and, believe it or not, I’m now shockingly organized.
If you, too, would like to get your proverbial ducks in a row, try the five-step method I used.
[RELATED1]
Step 1: Find the right organizational system
Recommendation: Getting Things Done
When it comes to productivity, first you need to find an overall “guiding” system—then add the specific tools and apps to put it into effect.
There are lots to choose from, such as the “Pomodoro Technique,” where you work in 25-minute bursts, take a break, then work again for 25 minutes, and so on. There’s also the famed “Eisenhower Matrix” (popularized by the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People), which has you deposit tasks into quadrants labeled Urgent, Important, Not Urgent, Not Important—but as smart as it seems, I found I spent more time trying to choose the right quadrant for a task than I spent actually doing it.
The system I came to rely on is spelled out in David Allen’s classic book Getting Things Done, popularly known as GTD. Its philosophy is simple but sneakily powerful: Clear your head and execute a “brain dump” of everything you need to do; break down big projects into manageable chunks; focus only on the tasks at hand; and, finally, review.
So instead of feeling overwhelmed by the 137 things you have on your plate, with GTD you focus only on the one thing you can do in that moment—then do it.
[RELATED2]
Step 2: Pick the right app to implement the system
Recommendations: Things (iOS), Todoist (Android/Windows)
Now that you have a system, you need the right tools to put it into motion.
For those in the iOS ecosystem, it’s Things, a silky-smooth app that’s a pleasure to use. This matters, as enjoying it means you’re more likely to use it. Even the tutorial is a delight. It’s easy to see how projects break down into subprojects, then tasks, then mini checklists. It all syncs across all your devices—computer, iPad, smartphone—merges with your calendar, then serves up your to-dos exactly when you need them.
Using Things, I did my “brain dump” and dashed off all the various to-dos that stressed me out about a book I was writing (“Revise Ch. 3,” “Find 2nd source,” “Restock beer”) and chunked those into projects (“Research”) and subprojects (“Conduct interviews,” “Review transcript”).
And just like that I had clarity. It felt better than a cold beer after great sex.
Note: At a one-time cost of $49 for a Mac, $20 for an iPad, and $10 for an iPhone, it’s pricey—but worth it.
For Android/Windows users, you’ve got a freebie option: Todoist. The interface may not be as sleek as Things, but you get most of the same functionality, including bells and whistles like collaboration tools, syncing across all devices, and even a GPS reminder to, say, buy milk when you pass a grocery—no more getting home empty-handed.
[RELATED3]
Step 3: Consolidate your notes
Recommendations: Bear (iOS) Evernote (Android/Windows)
In the old days, if I had to jot down a reminder—flight details, work notes, a recipe—I might email it to myself, scribble it on a scrap of paper I’d soon lose, or ink it on my hand, where it would end up sweaty and illegible.
That was before I discovered Bear. Light, quick, and easy on the eyes, Bear syncs from iOS phone to laptop to tablet and lets you easily input random text, photos, Web clippings—anything you need—for just $1.50 a month.
Organization is a snap. You can sprinkle in some hashtags in your notes (like #receipts, #travel, #gym, #charity), then use those to fetch them later. Bonus: You can pin notes to the top—super useful if, for instance, you’re traveling and need directions or a confirmation number quickly.
For Android/Windows users, opt for Evernote, the granddaddy of notekeeping apps. It’s so powerful it can feel overwhelming at times, but it will hoover up all your documents and scraps, giving you easy access to everything in one convenient place.
For romantics who still love scribbling notes, Evernote partners with Moleskine to let you write your thoughts in a journal, then digitally zap them into Evernote’s vault. Slick.
Evernote’s basic plan, with 60MB of uploads per month and syncing across two devices (for more, just use the Web browser), is free; but if you’ll be uploading lots of Web clips—one of Evernote’s nicest features—you may want to opt for the $35/year “Plus” level.
Step 4: Promote the apps
Of course, tools are useless if they’re ignored, so you need to make them part of your routine.
I added both Things and Bear to my phone’s dock and now use them more than any other app. Every morning I crack open Things to get the day’s hit list, and when I realize, “Oh, damn, I need to do such-and-such,” I quickly toss the item into my Things inbox.
If my sister mentions something that sparks an idea for a birthday gift, I’d normally forget it ASAP—now I pop it into Bear labeling it #gifts.
[RELATED4]
Step 5: Do a weekly review
A key component of GTD: At least once a week, take a deep dive into your goals, priorities, and how you spend your time. Skip this step and you end up scurrying from task to task, rarely assessing what’s important. There is an upside to doing this: When you re-evaluate and reassess projects, you start thinking about all the things you could be accomplishing, not just the bare minimum. There’s a halo effect.
Example: While tinkering with Things, I added a group called “Family/Friends” and thought about what I could be doing more of—maybe stay in better touch? Recurring task: Call someone on that list once a week. I even added a project for “Growth” and tossed in tasks like “Explore a goddamn museum”. (Pro tip: Injecting profanity makes you more likely to do the goddamn task.)
Will I do them all? Probably not. But that’s OK. It’s not a panacea, but it is progress.
Jeff Wilser is the author of The Book of Joe: The Life, Wit, and (Sometimes Accidental) Wisdom of Joe Biden, in stores October 24.
Technology
Article source here:Men’s Fitness
0 notes
Text
Reveal RX Eye Cream Review (UPDATED 2017): Don’t Buy Before You Read This!
Reveal RX Eye Cream is an eye cream designed to help restore a youthful appearance to the area surrounding the eye. This formula works to reduce the appearance of unwanted fine lines, wrinkles, bags and dark circles with regular use.
Reveal RX Eye Cream, according to the website, aims to stimulate collagen production with use, firming and plumping skin. The website doesn’t list specific ingredients, but claims the product is made from a blend of moisturizers, antioxidants, vitamins and peptides.
Kremovage is our experts’ favorite eye cream. This product works to bring a youthful radiance to the skin beneath the eye—relying on a blend of peptides, ocean-based retinols and more. Click here to get more information about purchasing Kremovage and start looking younger in no time.
Do You Know the Best Eye Creams of 2017 ?
Reveal RX Eye Cream Ingredients and Side Effects
Unfortunately, the makers of Reveal RX Eye Cream have decided to take a vague approach to advertising their product. As a result, we don’t ever get to see an official ingredient label, nor does the web copy take a deep dive into explaining how the formula works.
Here is a brief look at what the web copy claims is included in this anti-aging cream:
Peptides Moisturizer Vitamins Antioxidants
Peptides: Peptides are small chains of amino acids that make up proteins like collagen and elastin that help the skin maintain its natural structure and elasticity. Peptides work to smooth out wrinkles, as well as improve the texture and the tone of the skin.
Moisturizers: We’re not sure what ingredients are present to provide moisture to the skin, but the website claims this formula contains a blend of moisturizers that work to heal cracked or dry skin with use, as well as work to keep the skin’s elasticity in good shape.
Vitamins: The official website hints at vitamin C in the formula. This immune-boosting vitamin works to improve collagen production and keeps skin healthy.
Antioxidants: Antioxidants are compounds found in a number of plants. They work to treat and prevent oxidative damage caused by things like UV exposure, poor diet, pollution and more—all of which cause a weakened skin structure, age spots and dark circles.
Antioxidants are used to repair cellular damage and protect against incoming free radicals.
Reduce the appearance of tired, puffy eyes — here is our full guide to the extracts and herbs guaranteed to wake you look more awake.
Reveal RX Eye Cream Quality of Ingredients
Reveal RX Eye Cream could contain just about anything. The ingredients listed above are far too vague for us to analyze the formula at all. We don’t know what kinds of moisturizers this product uses to keep skin smooth—it could be anything from jojoba oil and avocado oil at the natural end of the spectrum to petroleum-based mineral oil.
Things like peptides and antioxidants are always a great addition to any antiaging formula, but it’s strange this company hasn’t specified what type of peptides are used and what fruits or plants the antioxidants are sourced from. It’s these small details that make or break peoples’ assumptions about a product.
Without the bare minimum of product details, it’s hardly worth reviewing the formula. We don’t know if there is anything present that might cause someone to have an allergic reaction, nor if there’s anything with a potential link to cancer or any other health problem.
Users should steer clear of this, or any other skin care product that fails to share the official ingredient label, as this cream will be absorbed into the blood stream with use.
Brighten up those eyes! Click here to find the products made for creating a fresh, youthful glow.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this product with a proven eye cream such as Kremovage for better results.
The Price and Quality of Reveal RX Eye Cream
Reveal RX Eye Cream does not present users with a clear pricing structure. Unfortunately, based on the minimal web presence and a collection of sites like revealrx.org and revealrx.net, this appears to be yet another free trial scam.
Skin care products really have no business using a .org domain—as this typically signifies some sort of non-profit work.
These sites invite users to provide their credit card information in exchange for a free sample of the eye cream and a corresponding face serum. Users are responsible for shipping and handling and otherwise get to try the product for “free.”
Like most of these schemes, users are drawn to the site through Facebook posts promising a younger appearance with use. Shortly after signing up for the trial, users report charges of about $80, often before the two-week period is up.
Aside from the fact that users are clearly getting sucked into a free trial scam, $80 is an awful lot to spend on a cream that doesn’t share their key ingredients with potential consumers. Most $80 creams come with a reputation—a brand people trust and a product description that gives consumers some science-backed insight as to whether or not the product will work for them.
Click here to get the full scoop on how to incorporate an eye cream into your skin care regime.
Business of Reveal RX Eye Cream
Reveal RX Eye Cream is made by a manufacturer who has opted to reveal little about themselves. There’s no number to call posted on the website, nor any pricing or ingredients information.
The comments like this go on and on. Some users have reported that a company in Santa Ana is responsible for this scam, which falls in line with some of the other pages we’ve come across in the past.
Based on the complaints regarding the Reveal RX Eye Cream payment structure, as well as the lack of information on the website, there’s simply no way we can recommend this product to anyone looking for a good eye cream.
Reveal RX Eye Cream is simply a good reminder to be careful when placing an order online or over the phone. Any company that promises these kinds of results, i.e. looking 10 years younger with use, erasing deep wrinkles in a short amount of time, etc., are too good to be true. Even more so when there’s no ingredient label listed and no scientific evidence posted to back up those claims.
Customer Opinions of Reveal RX Eye Cream
Reveal RX Eye Cream had several reviews in regards to their deceptive marketing tactics and poor customer service practices, but none that mentioned whether or not this product actually works.
People mentioned that this product was far more expensive than they were anticipating, especially given that a monthly supply costs consumers $90.
As a point of reference, a $90 eye cream generally comes with a long description, detailing higher end ingredients—as in order to justify the price point—you’ll need to know about what makes it special.
Unfortunately, we simply cannot recommend a product with no documented evidence of efficacy. We don’t know if the product does anything to hydrate, plump or erase crow’s feet, as promised. We also don’t know if it contains any ingredients that irritate sensitive skin or petroleum products that consumers may not want in their skin care products.
Click the link here for our guide to finding the eye creams that do it all — from fighting fine lines and wrinkles to banishing dark circles for good.
Conclusion – Does Reveal RX Eye Cream Work?
Reveal RX Eye Cream is a scam product, and we’d suggest staying far away from this company and others operating this same type of scheme.
Based on the information we’ve collected; minimal information on the site, a large number of customer complaints, and no clear pricing structure, there’s nothing positive to say about this company or this product.
Aside from the fact that signing up for a free trial of Reveal RX Eye Cream will likely end badly—with little action on the part of customer service—there’s a risk in not knowing the contents of what you choose to put on your body.
The skin under the eye is very thin and absorbs substances quite easily. Since we don’t know what’s in the formula, users run the risk of adding something potentially dangerous into their blood stream.
We’d suggest readers look elsewhere for a product with a legitimate e-commerce platform. Make sure there’s a price listed, a look at the ingredients, good reviews, etc.
Kremovage on the other hand, is our experts’ most recommended eye cream on the market. This product is ideal for the consumer who wants to treat their puffy tired eyes, while at the same time, erasing dark circles, age spots and firming up the delicate skin around the eye.
Kremovage was created in a certified lab facility, and is a cruelty-free product made from organic ingredients. Click this link to check out the many reasons why you need Kremovage in your life—or at least underneath your eyes.
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Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.”
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
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Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.”
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
http://ift.tt/2rgytzk
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.”
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
http://ift.tt/2rgytzk
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.”
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
http://ift.tt/2rgytzk
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Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.”
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
http://ift.tt/2rgytzk
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.”
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
http://ift.tt/2rgytzk
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.” Just ask Google.
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.” Just ask Google.
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.” Just ask Google.
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.” Just ask Google.
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects�� ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.” Just ask Google.
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
0 notes
Text
Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?
People tend to make two types of mistakes when it comes to nutrition.
One of those errors is overthinking the small stuff. You agonize over questions like “how many meals should I eat?” (Answer: it doesn’t really matter so long as you’re hitting your overall daily needs.)
No matter what marketing will sell you, taking megadoses of vitamins does not bulletproof your immunity.
But then people also under-think questions. They tend to assign broad, sweeping value judgments to foods and supplements. They want to know whether whatever it is they’re taking is “good” or “bad.” Just ask Google.
The problem is that, without knowing who you are and what you are trying to do, the question is meaningless. The only honest answer is, “It depends.” And as you already know, that response always feels like the worst answer in the world. It doesn’t help you get any closer to the answer you want.
That’s especially true for multivitamins. The overall data on them is conflicted. Read one article, and you find out they’re not going to make you live longer or prevent cancer. Or maybe you’ve heard that they cause cancer, but that suggestion is also false.
The mess led the National Institutes of Health to say that “it is not possible to recommend for or against” using them.
But there’s no need to throw your hands up in frustration. If you dig into the research, you’ll find that science has a clear picture of multivitamin’s usefulness for common fitness goals like losing fat or building muscle.
In order to crack the multivitamin code, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Why do I want to take a multivitamin?
What do I hope to achieve with it?
“Should I take a multivitamin?” is a question that only you can answer, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. The guide below will help you gauge a multivitamin’s usefulness for your wants and needs, and help you know the options (if you choose to use a multivitamin) that are safe and effective.
Do You Need a Multivitamin? Start here.
Here’s an ironic fact: Most people use multivitamins as a nutritional insurance policy. Those who take them often follow healthier, more mineral-rich diets. When you think about it, the approach makes sense — healthier people are more likely to engage in health-ish behaviors. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: People who eat less nutrient-rich diets are less likely to take multivitamins.
At least those that are avoiding multivitamins aren’t falling for the belief that taking a multivitamin can help offset the flaws of a terrible, junk food diet. Because they won’t. But that doesn’t mean that those with less-than-stellar diets don’t need a multivitamin.
If you want to consider taking multivitamins, you should do a quick self-assessment. That’s because certain people run a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies even with a healthy diet.
For example, women tend to have a greater risk of iron deficiency, especially when pregnant. Vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin B12. Research indicates that most just about all of us are lacking in magnesium, zinc, and–especially–vitamin D.
When it comes to figuring out exactly what you need, your best option is to start by having a basic blood panel. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Once you are armed with your results (and know where you are deficient), you can move on to finding answers and knowing if multivitamins are the right decision for your goals and needs.
Will a Multivitamin Help You With Fat Loss?
Let’s start with the most common goal in the health and fitness industry: fat loss. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not improve fat loss. If they did, everyone would take them—and then go skipping off for seconds at the soft-serve ice-cream machine, knowing that their six-pack abs were protected by this miracle pill.
Achieving fat loss largely comes down to being in a caloric deficit. You have to burn more calories than you consume. In the most basic sense, that means you either eat fewer calories or increase exercise and activity.
If you go the low-calorie route during a fat loss plan, you might run a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies due to you eating less or enjoying a smaller variety of foods. Now, ideally, when you’re on any plan, you’ll be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. But reality doesn’t always follow ideal situations, so if the above scenario describes you, it might be a good idea to take a multivitamin.
That said, a word of wisdom: feeling hungry all of the time and eating only chicken and broccoli is both boring and unnecessary. Which is why we recommend you listen to the under-heard, more balanced voices in nutrition—people like Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, Alan Aragon, John Berardi and Mike Roussell. They won’t focus on restriction. They’ll tell you to eat more of the good proteins (meat/chicken/eggs/fish/plant sources), fats (oils, nuts, dairy sources, avocados, seeds), and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, grains) that you enjoy. You’ll probably be amazed at how much more full you feel—and how much longer that satisfaction lasts—even as you consume fewer total calories.
You know what else happens when you go with this approach? You’re more likely to meet your micronutrient needs. Making a multivitamin less necessary, or not needed at all.
The verdict: Multivitamins have no benefits for fat loss, but they could help if you’re eating less and not enough vegetables, fats, and proteins.
Multivitamins and Muscle Mass
There is no evidence to support the idea that a multivitamin helps you to gain muscle mass. When you gain muscle, it’s primarily the result of a proper strength training plan combined with a diet that supplies adequate protein and calories, and enough sleep so your body can rebuild and recover.
One supplement that has consistently demonstrated that ability to assist with muscle growth and repair is protein powder. (Creatine has a host of muscle-building benefits too, but that’s a different discussion.) But even then, there’s nothing magical about the powder; it’s the role of protein that makes the biggest difference, whether it’s a supplement, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based sources.
The verdict: If your goal is to add mass, your first priority should be to eat enough high-quality food to help you build it. Any muscle-building benefits claimed by a multivitamin are as of yet unproven.
Multivitamins, Energy, and Cognitive Function
Interestingly enough, Northumbria University in the UK conducted two studies—one of 216 females aged 25-50 years old, the other of 198 males aged 30-55 years old—and found that in both groups a multivitamin improved cognitive function, lowered fatigue, and improved subjects’ ability to multitask. The participants who took a multivitamin did better compared to the placebo group.
These two studies, on their own, are not reason enough to conclude that a multivitamin is your fix for mental fog or will stop you from nodding off at your desk at 3 p.m. It’s worth noting that the studies didn’t discuss a host of variables that could have a significant impact on the results, such as sleep, nutrition, or exercise habits of their participants. However, both studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind, which is a fancy way of saying that they deserve attention and more research.
The verdict: If you’re looking for a low-risk, potentially effective way to beat fatigue and increase your energy, multivitamins are a good option to try.
Will Multivitamins Help Prevent Sickness?
The performance of your immune system depends on a variety of complex factors. One of those is your micronutrient levels, which help create a defense system for your body. Specifically, vitamins A, C and E work along with zinc to help the skin barrier function, while vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E work along with a host of other trace elements to support the immune cells.
Nutrient deficiencies suppress your immunity. So for that reason, a multivitamin could be helpful. But then again, so could a smoothie that loaded with the above vitamins (here’s an easy-to-make one that we like that supports immune function).
It’s important to note that while nutrient deficiencies can hamper your immune function, the reverse is not true. Taking megadoses of vitamins does not improve your immunity. So you can put down the Airborne and slowly back away.
While most multivitamins contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, RDA is what’s required strictly to achieve the bare minimum level of health. In essence, RDA gives you what you need to survive, not necessarily to thrive and live optimally. It’s tough to say whether your specific multivitamin contains the right doses needed to bring your levels to an optimal range.
Even if its label says it hits all the RDAs, some multivitamins aren’t so beneficial as advertised because they use less-than-optimal components. A common example of this would be vitamin D2, which is less biologically active in the body than vitamin D3, and therefore less effective at boosting vitamin D levels. Similarly, studies show that magnesium citrate has superior bioavailability when compared with other forms of magnesium, but those other forms often end up in people’s daily multis.
The verdict: Similar to fat loss, be honest about your diet. If you’re not eating enough of the foods that are high in nutrient content, then it might be worth your while to boost your defenses by taking a multivitamin. Or, the easiest way to measure your deficiencies (as we mentioned in the beginning), is to take a blood test. Then, you can decide if you want to supplement your needs with whole foods or a multivitamin.
Men’s Multivitamin vs. Women’s: Is there a difference?
A common theme you’ll see from popular brands is age- or gender-specific multivitamins. There’s something to this idea. Men and women do have different nutritional needs, and those needs do change as you age.
For example, women who are menstruating have a higher need for iron than men due to the blood lost during menstruation. After menopause, women no longer need that higher iron intake. At that point, their iron needs equal those of men. But menopause brings about another change, this one to a woman’s need for calcium. Estrogen plays a role in calcium reabsorption and bone turnover, so with the decreased estrogen production that stems from menopause, a woman’s need for calcium increases.
The verdict: The idea that your multivitamin formulation should change over time has some merit. You’ll just want to subject any claims on the label to the same type of scrutiny you’d give any other supplement. The same facts still apply: The vitamin won’t cure cancer or add years to your life. It may provide more of the nutrition you need.
Buyer’s Guide: Not All Multivitamins are Created Equal
Because multivitamins are categorized as supplements and FDA regulation of supplements is extremely hands-off, the quality can vary and it’s easy to purchase a product that might be less effective.
You can’t take the claims on a multivitamin’s label at face value because they aren’t managed by a governing body that holds them to a standard. There are, however, certain seals of approval from non-government organizations that can tell you if the supplement has passed their tests for quality, potency, and contaminants.
These seals of approval show that the supplement was manufactured properly and actually contains the ingredients listed on the label. (Which is important when you consider that false labeling is rampant in the supplement space.) They also test for the presence of harmful contaminants. Here are two that offer you a reasonable assurance that what’s inside the bottle matches what’s on its label:
U.S. Pharmacopeia – USP tests a supplement for four P’s: Positive Identity, Potency, Purity, and Performance. Positive Identity means the vitamins and minerals on the label are actually present in the supplement. Potency means those micronutrients are present in the proper amounts listed on the label. Many supplements on the market will have too much, too little, or none of some of the listed ingredients. Purity means the supplement does not contain unwanted ingredients, which could include heavy metals, pesticides, and even banned substances or pharmaceuticals. Lastly, Performance means the supplement will actually break down and be absorbed by your body. After all, if a supplement doesn’t dissolve in your digestive system, it won’t be of a lot of benefit to you.
NSF – NSF is an international health and safety organization that monitors many different types of products including kitchen appliances, water filtration systems, and even plumbing fixtures. When it comes to supplements, the NSF “Certified for Sport” label is especially useful for athletes. Any product bearing that label has been tested for banned substances and verified as safe.
Ideally, the multivitamin you buy would have both of these seals on its label. If it does, and the dosages listed meet at least the RDAs, it shows that multivitamin is more likely to be higher in quality than average. But you also should check the vitamin manufacturer’s website. There you should find more information on the production and testing process the company uses to ensure quality. (And if you don’t, there’s a warning sign for you.)
Another way to check a product’s quality is to visit Labdoor. Labdoor is unique in that they buy supplements directly from retail stores then test them in an FDA-registered lab. Those supplements are then ranked by category based on how well they perform. While Labdoor hasn’t tested every product on the market (and some other ratings — like taste — are more subjective), you can find a breakdown of every multivitamin they’ve tested to date.
Are More Expensive Multivitamins Better?
While the saying, “you get what you pay for” is oftentimes true, that’s not always true with multivitamins. In fact, some of the less expensive options are quite good.
Full disclosure: Born Fitness does not have any financial agreements in place with any of these brands. We’re including them solely based on what we know about them through their reputation, reviews, and other available information.
Thorne Research is a well-respected company in supplement space. They’re known for having extremely high standards for purity and precision. Thorne offers a wide array of NSF Certified for Sport supplements, and has partnered with the Mayo Clinic to run randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies investigating the effects of a variety of nutritional supplements. When it comes to multivitamins, all of Thorne’s offerings contain adequate amounts of the necessary micronutrients, including both vitamin D and K. They also offer several options tailored to those who have specific needs. For example, some of their formulations have copper, iron, or iodine removed for individuals who are sensitive to those nutrients. Thorne multivitamins range from $26.99 for 60 capsules to $44.85 for 180 capsules.
Garden Of Life also provides high-quality multivitamins, according to their test performance on Labdoor. Three of the top five ranked supplements on Labdoor are from Garden of Life. The brand’s multivitamins are USP certified. Garden of Life’s products cover a wide range of needs including specific offerings for men, women, and prenatal. Garden of Life multivitamins range from $34.54 for 120 capsules to $60.52 for 240 capsules.
Nature’s Way is a brand you’ve likely seen in your grocery store. Their Alive Max Daily ranks among the top 5 multivitamins on Labdoor. While you don’t see it on the bottle, they are an NSF certified company. The Alive Max Daily multivitamins cost $22.49 for 180 tablets. One thing to note is that The Alive Max Daily multivitamin contains large doses—ones that far exceed the RDA—of every nutrient it contains. You can take less than the recommended three-tablet dose if that is a concern.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Costco’s multivitamin performs really well in tests. The Kirkland Daily Multi is USP certified and ranks in the top 50 multivitamins on Labdoor. There’s nothing fancy about Costco’s multi—especially not the label—but it provides all the essential nutrients in an easily digestible form, and is extremely cost effective at $14.49 for 500 tablets.
To Take Multivitamins or Not to Take Multivitamins…
If you do decide to take a multivitamin, first be honest with yourself about your expectations. Research does not support the notion that any large-scale physical changes will result from a multivitamin alone.
From there, assess your needs. Bloodwork is the most thorough option. Age- or gender-specific vitamin formulations may be helpful.
For any multivitamin you consider, do your homework. Check the label. Look for seals from USP and NSF. Visit the manufacturer’s website, and see how the product scored on Labdoor.
Of course, you should also consult with your physician.
Whether or not you take a multivitamin, you still need to eat high-quality foods, exercise appropriately, and manage your sleep and stress. These are truly the low-hanging fruit when it comes to disease prevention and living a vibrant, healthy life.
Follow those rules, and you may find that you don’t need a multivitamin at all.
The post Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body? appeared first on Born Fitness.
0 notes
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