What are multivitamins?

As the name suggests, Multivitamins are synonymous with multiple nutrients that contain at least 13 vitamins and 16 minerals necessary for good health

These nutrients are necessary for the body’s 10,000 enzyme reactions or as hormones, signaling molecules or structural elements to grow, maintain or regulate physiological responses

• Is it really a waste of money to eat multivitamins?

 

• 5 Effects and Side Effects of Multivitamins for Pregnant Women (Point 5: Most Asked)

 

 

Which ethnic groups need multivitamins the most?

To date, there is no evidence to recommend that all people should supplement with multivitamins, but some groups may be deficient in certain nutrients due to changes in physiological conditions or dietary conditions, so appropriate supplementation can bring benefits

• Seniors: Digestion and absorption capacity will gradually weaken at this stage, especially vitamin D, calcium and vitamin B12 deficiencies are the most common
• Vegetarians: Certain nutrients are mainly found in animal foods, and vegetarians are most likely to be deficient in vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, iron and vitamin D
• Pregnancy or lactation: This phase requires a lot of nutrients to support the growth of a new life, but also to avoid the harm caused by excessive nutrition (such as excessive folic acid and vitamin A may have a negative impact on the fetus)

 

 

What are the recommended empirical effects (benefits) of multivitamins?

 

1. Beneficial osteoporotic hip fracture

Osteoporotic hip fracture is a fracture of the proximal femur that often occurs after a fall in older people with osteoporosis (affecting 18% of women and 6% of men worldwide)

Hip fractures pose a significant social and personal economic burden. While hip fractures account for only 14% of all fragility fractures, these injuries cause huge losses, estimated at up to $150 billion per year

After a hip fracture, the risk of death from other causes increases 5 to 8 times, and the cumulative mortality rate after 1 year of fracture is between 20% and 40%, the mortality rate is higher in men than in women, and only 30% to 40% of patients return to functional status

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (8 observational studies with 80,148 participants) found that taking multivitamins was significantly associated with a low risk of osteoporotic hip fracture. Note 1

*Conclusion: The use of combination vitamins is associated with a lower incidence of osteoporotic hip fractures, but randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm that they can be used as effective preventive measures

 

 

4 health foods that are good for osteoporosis (the first is very important)

 

 

 

2. Beneficial for cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease remains the largest cause of death worldwide, accounting for 48% of all deaths (38% of men and 54% of women) despite a significant decline in mortality over the past few decades

Age, sex, family history, and ethnicity are all major cardiovascular risk factors, and although direct therapeutic intervention is not available, it remains important for risk stratification and has implications for drug efficacy and adherence.

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (18 clinical trials and prospective cohort studies with 2019862 participants) found that, overall, multivitamin/mineral supplementation was not associated with cardiovascular mortality, coronary heart disease mortality, stroke mortality, or stroke mortality. Note 1

In addition, subgroup analysis (classified by mean follow-up, mean age, duration of use, sex, population type, exclusion of patients with a history of coronary heart disease, dietary modification, smoking modification, physical activity modification, and study location) also showed no association between vitamin supplementation and cardiovascular disease or coronary heart disease mortality

*Conclusion: To date, the evidence shows that the use of multivitamins does not prevent and treat cardiovascular disease

 

 

3 types of health foods that are beneficial for cardiovascular disease (the first most inquired about)

 

 

 

3. Reduce the incidence of autism

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is widely recognized as a multifactorial disorder caused by the interaction of genetic and non-genetic risk factors, with a prevalence of about 1% to 2%, and the number of patients is 2 to 3 times that of women.

People with autism are usually noticed before the age of 3 years and lack social, verbal, and nonverbal communication, and these unique social behaviors include: reduced eye contact/facial expressions and body movements, poor emotional control or difficulty understanding the emotions of others, and marked limited range of activities and interests, non-specific symptoms such as mental retardation, emotional apathy, hyperactivity, aggression, self-harm, and repetitive behaviors such as shaking or clapping.

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (5 observational studies with 231163 pediatric participants) noted that mothers who took multivitamins prenatally were significantly less likely to have autism spectrum disorder in their children compared with mothers who did not take prenatal multivitamins. Note 2

*Conclusion: Prenatal multivitamin supplementation is associated with a lower risk of developing autism spectrum disorder in children

 

 

 

4. Comprehensive vitamins are beneficial for blood pressure regulation

Blood pressure refers to blood pressure measured in the large arteries of the systemic circulation, this number is divided into systolic and diastolic blood pressure, traditionally using mercury tube sphygmomanometer auscultation to measure blood pressure, measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Systolic blood pressure refers to the maximum pressure in the aortic arteries when myocardial contractions push blood through the body. Diastolic blood pressure refers to the lowest pressure in the aortic arteries when the heart muscle is relaxing between beats, and it is necessary to maintain blood pressure within the normal range, blood pressure between 140/80 mmHg and 159/99 mmHg is classified as stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension is classified as blood pressure between 160/100 mmHg and 179/109 mmHg.

A meta-analysis (12 randomized controlled trials, 23,207 participants) noted that multivitamin and mineral supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Note 3

Subgroup analysis showed that the blood pressure-lowering effect of multivitamin and multimineral supplementation was only significant in patients with chronic disease or hypertension, and had no effect on healthy patients, with WMD (weighted mean difference) of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of -6.29 mmHg and -2.32 mmHg in patients with chronic disease

*Conclusion: For patients with chronic diseases or hypertension, multivitamin supplementation may have a positive effect on blood pressure regulation, but limited by small sample sizes, more studies are needed to support this

 

 

3 health foods that are beneficial for high blood pressure (the third is rarely known)

 

 

 

5. Beneficial cognitive function

Improving cognitive function and slowing cognitive decline has become one of the most interesting topics in human society, because good memory, attention, creativity and intelligence are desirable for everyone, and are key factors for success and self-improvement

A meta-analysis (10 studies, 3,200 participants) noted that vitamin supplementation improved immediate free recall memory, but was not significantly helpful in other cognitive domains (such as delayed memory recall or language fluency). Note 1

A meta-analysis of 20 studies in children under the age of 16 suggested that multi-micronutrient supplementation may help improve fluid intelligence (the ability to solve new problems) and academic performance. Note 2

*Conclusion: Multivitamin supplementation has limited effect on improving cognitive function, but it may be related to nutrient dosage and subjects’ own nutrient intake level, which needs to be verified by more studies

 

 

3 health foods that reduce the risk of dementia (the first is the most common)

 

 

 

6. Beneficial macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration, mainly caused by the degeneration of pigmented epithelial cells in the central part of the retina, is the main factor causing vision loss and blindness in the elderly over 60 years old, with a prevalence of up to 80% over 35 years old, and the main risk factors are race, gender, hypertension, genetics, diet and sun exposure

A Cochrane Review (5 studies, 76,756 participants) noted that multivitamin supplementation does not prevent or slow the onset of aging-related macular degeneration. Note 1

Another Cochrane Review (19 studies) pointed out that for patients with aging-related macular degeneration, multivitamin supplementation can slow the rate of disease progression. Note 2

*Conclusion: Multivitamin intake has no obvious effect on preventing macular degeneration, but may slow down the deterioration of patients with existing diseases

 

 

3 health foods that are beneficial for age-related macular degeneration (the first is the most discussed)

 

 

 

7. Incidence of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and occurs mainly in the lining of the milk ducts or lobules in the breast tissue

The occurrence of breast cancer is related to genetic and non-genetic factors, in addition to BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene variants, non-genetic factors include: age at menarche, childbearing age, number of breastfeedings, smoking, radiation exposure, oral contraceptives and postmenopausal hormone use, high-fat diet, and obesity

A population observation of Swiss women suggests that multivitamin use may increase the risk of breast cancer. Note 2

However, a well-documented meta-analysis (27 studies, 355,080 participants) found that supplementation with multivitamins did not significantly increase or decrease the incidence of breast cancer, and there was no significant association between the two. Note 1

*Conclusion: There is no causal relationship between comprehensive vitamin intake and breast cancer events, but the results still need to be verified by more cases or randomized controlled studies

 

 

 

 

8. Increase anti-stress

People face different pressures every day, whether from work, family, relationships, or even emotions

Everyone feels about stress differently and affects us in different ways, some people can perform well in critical moments, but most people often feel intimidated when facing stress, and even affect normal performance, and the best way to deal with stress is to use a proactive approach to decompress yourself

One double-blind controlled study (8 weeks, 50 men) showed that oral multivitamins helped reduce overall stress, anxiety, and depression scores. In addition, alertness and daily well-being are also improved. Note 3

Another controlled study (4 weeks, 76 women) showed that oral multivitamins improved depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS) scores, with stress being the most significant. Note 4

*Conclusion: Multivitamin supplementation may reduce stress index, but results still need to be confirmed by more large experiments

 

 

3 types of health foods fortified with anti-stress (the first is the most popular)

 

 

 

 

９． Beneficial for chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is medically defined as unexplained persistent fatigue for more than 6 months, often accompanied by headache, joint pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, cognitive impairment and paresthesia

Although there are many underlying pathological mechanisms of chronic fatigue, the increase in oxidative stress and low-grade chronic inflammation are the most accepted. Note 6

According to an observational study (in 38 women of reproductive age), comprehensive vitamins helped improve fatigue and quality-of-life-related questionnaire scores, including reduced fatigue, sleep disturbances, autonomic symptoms, headache frequency and intensity, and infection problems. Note 5

It also raises levels of the antioxidant, superoxide dismutase, which may be a safe and accessible adjunct therapy option

*Conclusion: Multivitamins may have the effect of improving chronic fatigue syndrome, but more large-scale experiments are still needed

 

 

 

 

１０． Improve cancer survival

Malnutrition is a common problem in cancer patients, affecting more than 85% of patients, and about 20-40% of cancer cases are due to malnutrition, not the cancer itself. Note 8

In some severe cases, malnutrition may progress to cancer cachexia phenomenon, resulting in symptoms such as weight loss, muscle wasting, impaired immune function, weakness, and anorexia

Malnutrition also often affects patients’ ability to withstand treatment and fight infection, so establishing a complete nutritional care plan and actively supplementing nutrition is also the key to improving survival rates

An observational study (7.1 years follow-up, 7,728 patients with aggressive breast cancer) reduced cancer mortality by 30% compared to non-users. Note 7

*Conclusion: Observational studies have found that the use of multivitamins may be associated with lower breast cancer mortality, but the authors mention that the results need to be further verified in the future

 

 

4 types of health foods to assist cancer treatment (the first most asked type)

 

 

 

11. Reduce the risk of cataracts

Age-related cataracts are by far the leading cause of vision loss and the highest medical cost of all eye diseases (about 60% of total eye disease-related expenditure)

Cataract related causative factors include smoking, diabetes, sun exposure, body mass index, drug use, and estrogen replacement therapy. Note 9

It is estimated that more than 2 million people in the United States alone will have cataracts, which will grow to 2030 million by 3

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (12 studies) showed that taking multivitamins was associated with a lower risk of senile cataracts, with a higher period of use and older age being more significant. Note 10

*Conclusion: For older adults, multivitamin use is associated with a lower risk of cataracts

 

 

3 kinds of health foods that are beneficial for cataracts (the third most people want to ask)

 

 

 

 

Are there any side effects of multivitamins?

For people in good health, taking appropriate doses of multivitamins is very safe without side effects, but possible adverse effects include gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea and constipation

Although allergies after taking multivitamins are uncommon, if you experience rashes, itching, swelling (especially in the face, tongue or throat), dizziness and difficulty breathing, please seek medical attention immediately without delay

 

Safety precautions (contraindications)

Before using any multivitamin product, be sure to check with a healthcare professional if you wish to take any medication or monogram to reduce possible interactions or overdoses

For example:

Iron cannot be used with antacids, bisphosphonates, levodopa, thyroid preparations, and certain antibiotics

Folic acid cannot be used with antiepileptic drugs

 

 

 

Here’s how to choose a can of multivitamins that’s right for you

Confirm help on the label (top 3 points)

1. Nutrients are contained in the right amounts:

A good can of multivitamins must contain at least vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid, B12, B5, biotin, A, E, D, K, POTASSIUM, IODINE, SELENIUM, BORATE, ZINC, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, MANGANESE, MOLYBDENUM, BETA-CAROTENE AND IRON, Check to see if you meet 100% of the Daily Value, which can be found on the canister label

Calcium and magnesium usually do not reach 100% of the recommended intake value depending on the brand, because the volume of calcium and magnesium is large, and adding enough will make the pill too large and difficult to swallow

 

2. Component forms of various nutrients

The type of nutrients can see the quality and absorption rate of a can of multivitamins, which refers to how much of these ingredients can be used by the body after entering the gastrointestinal tract

Vitamins and drugs, there are also natural and artificial differences, natural source of vitamins absorption rate must be higher than synthetic production, the human body is very intelligent, can accurately distinguish which are synthetic, and natural nutrients are very easy to be absorbed

In recent years, some studies often point out that the use of certain vitamins causes an increase in the incidence of certain diseases, such as the use of vitamin A and vitamin E to increase the risk of cancer, in-depth exploration of the reasons These studies mostly use synthetic nutrients, these artificial nutrients may not only cause rejection of the body, but also may cause immune response, and negative effects are inevitable

And you don’t need to study the chemical forms of various nutrients one by one, but some ingredients are particularly important and worth confirming, the following provides a table to understand, which forms of nutrients are better and more absorbed.

Comparative table of comprehensive vitamin ingredients

Nutrients	Better form	Poor form
Calcium	Calcium citrate-malate Calcium pantothenate Calcium Orotate	Calcium Carbonate Calcium citrate Oyster Shell Calcium Calcium Gluconate
Magnesium	Magnesium Orotate Magnesium Amino Acid Chelates Magnesium Glycinate Magnesium Citrate	Magnesium Oxide Magnesium Sulphate Magnesium Chloride Magnesium Carbonate
Zinc	Zinc Citrate Amino Acid Chelates Zinc Gluconate Zinc Picolinate	Zinc Sulphate
Selenium	Selenomethionine Selenium Yeast	Selenite Selenate
Chromium	Picolinate Polynicotinate	Chromium Chloride
Iron	Bisglycinate Ferrous fumarate Ferrous Gluconate Iron glycine amino acid chelate	Ferrous Sulphate (may cause intestinal discomfort)
Vitamin A	Beta-Carotene (plant form)	Retinol (animal form)
Vitamin D	D3 (cholecalciferol)	D2 (ergocalciferol)
Vitamin E	D-Alpha Tocopherol (natural form)	DL-Alpha Tocopherol (synthetic)