Many people do not eat in a way that nourishes their bodies. They eat to please their taste buds. Even when a person tries to eat well, the foods that are available may not contain as many nutrients as one hopes. Nutritional supplements can help support the body in these situations. It is important not to rely on only on supplements to nourish the body. A person can aim to eat a good, nutritionally balanced, whole foods diet. When supplements are needed, remember the two main tips for choosing nutritional supplements are age and gender.

Personal Story

When I became pregnant with our first child, I started taking a prenatal vitamin-mineral supplement every day. I hadn’t been taking supplements regularly, because my husband and I were college students and our budget way very limited. I continued taking a multivitamin after our son was born. When I forgot, I could really tell that I was dragging due to less nutrition. I was convinced that taking vitamins was important and we needed to budget for at least a daily multivitamin.

Age

When choosing vitamins, it is important to consider a person’s age.

• Infancy- breastmilk is best for the first year
• A well-balanced multivitamin/multimineral is beneficial for people of all ages. Beyond that, vitamin supplementation should be based on individual needs.
• Toddlers/Preschoolers- may need a multivitamin to cover deficiencies from not eating well.
• School age-Vitamin D3, protein, calcium-magnesium
• Adults- Vitamin D3, calcium-magnesium
• Older adults- Vitamins B, C, and D3, Vitamin B12, calcium-magnesium, lutein, lycopene

Other body support may be needed for specific conditions.

Gender

Choose a multivitamin that is correct for each gender.

• Women- women need calcium; menstruating women may need iron, if blood labs show there is a deficiency; women in child bearing years need folic acid if they may become pregnant; and teen-age girls may need calcium, iron, folate, vitamins A, B, C, and D.
• Men- Men aren’t as likely to need a multivitamin with iron; they may need vitamin D for muscle building; and coQ10 for heart health.

Specific conditions need specific supplementation.

Action

Talk with your health care provider about which vitamins and minerals supplements you may need.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. What do you think?