Introduction
Multivitamin supplementation is the process of taking daily approved minerals and vitamins to ensure that one is getting the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of body nutrients. These are essential nutrients that play a vital role in maintaining our health and well-being. There are many reasons why adults may need to take a multivitamin supplement. For example, adults may have a decreased ability to absorb nutrients from food and may therefore need an extra boost. People with certain health conditions such as Crohn’s disease may also benefit from multivitamin supplementation. Additionally, people who do not eat a balanced diet or who have restricted diets, such as vegetarians, may also need to take a multivitamin to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need. Therefore, multivitamin supplementation is necessary for adults but needs doctor’s consultation since some multivitamin supplements are dangerous to the body, especially to people with health issues.
Multivitamin Supplementation
Multivitamin supplementation aids adults in ensuring they meet the recommended minerals and vitamins for better health. It helps in ensuring that the body gets the vitamins and minerals it needs to function properly (Blumberg et al., 2018, 271). While multivitamins are not a substitute for a healthy diet, they can be helpful for people who are unable to get all of the nutrients they need from their diet alone. Multivitamin supplementation aids in boosting brain function and energy levels in adults. It can improve energy levels and brain function by providing the body with essential nutrients it might not otherwise get. For example, vitamin B6 is necessary for the production of neurotransmitters, which are responsible for sending signals between nerve cells. And omega-3 fatty acids are important for cognitive function and memory (Blumberg et al., 2018, 251). So, ensuring that one is taking a multivitamin that includes these essential nutrients can help to ensure that the body and brain are functioning at their best.
Conversely, multivitamin supplementation provides the body with energy in a few different ways. The most important way that multivitamins provide energy is by ensuring that the body has all of the essential vitamins and minerals that it needs to function properly (Smelt et al., 2020, 9). Multivitamins also contain caffeine and other ingredients that can provide a temporary boost in energy levels (Blumberg et al., 2018, 248). Additionally, many people feel more energetic and less tired when they are taking multivitamins on a regular basis because the vitamins and minerals help to optimize cellular function throughout the body. Ultimately, the main way that multivitamins provide energy is by helping to ensure that all of the body’s systems are functioning optimally. Moreover, this energy is crucial since every process in the body needs some amount of energy (Heusschen et al., 2021, 2526). This energy is used for different activities from keeping the heart beating and lungs breathing, to contracting muscles, digesting food, brain and heart functionality. Energy is again needed to maintain body temperature and to keep the body’s systems functioning properly.
Multivitamins also help in improving immune system functionality during adulthood. Multivitamin supplementation has been found to improve immune system functionality in a number of ways. One way is by enhancing the function of natural killer cells, which are important for destroying cancer cells and virus-infected cells (Fantacone et al., 2020, 2447). Multivitamin supplementation also increases the number of T-cells, which are important for fighting infection, and enhances the function of B-cells, which produce antibodies that fight infection. Finally, multivitamin supplementation reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which can damage immune system cells.
On the other hand, it is important to realize that taking a multivitamin is not a substitute for eating a healthy diet. In fact, vegetables and whole grains are also important parts of a healthy diet. A balanced diet provides people with the essential vitamins and minerals the body needs to function properly. A multivitamin can help fill in any gaps in the nutrient intake, but it is no substitute for eating a variety of healthy foods (Wallace et al., 2019, 315). There are a few dangers of nutrient gaps among adults’ health. First, nutrient deficiencies can lead to health problems such as anemia, fatigue, and weakened immune systems. Second, without proper nutrition, adults are more susceptible to developing dangerous chronic diseases. Lastly, nutrient gaps can also contribute to weight gain and obesity. Therefore, it is important for people to make sure that they are getting the right nutrients for their bodies by taking a balanced diet in order to maintain good health (Liu et al., 2017, 61). Therefore, it is crucial that individuals include plenty of fruits and vegetables in their diet, along with whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.
There are also a few reasons why multivitamin supplementation may not be necessary for adults. First, many adults already get the recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals from their diet. Second, taking a multivitamin supplement cannot make up for an unhealthy diet or lifestyle (Biesalski and Tinz, 2017, 77). Third, some research suggests that taking certain vitamins and minerals in supplement form may be harmful. For example, studies have linked vitamin A supplements to bone loss and vitamin E supplements to an increased risk of prostate cancer. Vitamin A is a critical vitamin for maintaining vision, cell growth, and the immune system. It is also necessary for bone health; however, too much vitamin A can lead to bone loss. Excessive intake of vitamin A can cause an increase in the number of cells that break down bone tissue. This increase in cell turnover leads to a decrease in the amount of bone tissue, which can cause bones to become thin and weak.
Additionally, high levels of vitamin A can interfere with the absorption of calcium and other minerals needed for strong bones, which can further contribute to bone loss. Men who take 50 mg or more of vitamin E daily are almost twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as those who did not take any vitamin E supplements (Kim et al., 2018, 43). There are many types of vitamin E, and the form of vitamin E that was linked with increased prostate cancer risk in this study was alpha-tocopherol. This is the most common form of vitamin E in supplements. The researchers speculate that high doses of alpha-tocopherol may promote tumor growth by inhibiting the body’s natural defense system against cancer (Wallace et al., 2019, 325). Therefore, it is important to consult with the doctor before starting any supplement regimen, especially if one has any health concerns.
Conclusion
In conclusion, multivitamin supplementation has several health benefits and therefore is necessary for adults but with regulation. Multivitamins fill the nutrient gaps, especially for individuals taking unbalanced diet. Conversely, multivitamin supplementation increases T-cells and enhances the B-cell functionality, which fights infections, thus strengthening body immunity among adults. Other than these benefits, multivitamins can never be substituted with a healthy diet, and thus adults still have to include fruits and vegetables in the diet. Similarly, Vitamin A and E supplements, when taken in excessive amounts, can be dangerous to the body. Therefore, multivitamin supplementation is necessary for adults due to its several health benefits, but doctors’ recommendations remain important since some of the supplements can be toxic to the body, especially to adults with health complications.
Reference List
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Heusschen, L., Berendsen, A.A., Cooiman, M.I., Deden, L.N., Hazebroek, E.J. and Aarts, E.O., 2021. Optimizing multivitamin supplementation for sleeve gastrectomy patients. Obesity Surgery, 31(6), p.2520-2528.
Kim, J., Choi, J., Kwon, S.Y., McEvoy, J.W., Blaha, M.J., Blumenthal, R.S., Guallar, E., Zhao, D. and Michos, E.D., 2018. Association of multivitamin and mineral supplementation and risk of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 11(7).
Liu, E., Wang, D., Darling, A.M., Perumal, N., Wang, M., Urassa, W., Pembe, A. and Fawzi, W.W., 2021. Multivitamin supplementation is associated with greater adequacy of gestational weight gain among pregnant women in Tanzania. The Journal of Nutrition.
Smelt, H.J., Pouwels, S., Smulders, J.F. and Hazebroek, E.J., 2020. Patient adherence to multivitamin supplementation after bariatric surgery: a narrative review. Journal of Nutritional Science, 9.
Wallace, T.C., Frankenfeld, C.L., Frei, B., Shah, A.V., Yu, C.R., van Klinken, B.J.W. and Adeleke, M., 2019. Multivitamin/multimineral supplement use is associated with increased micronutrient intakes and biomarkers and decreased prevalence of inadequacies and deficiencies in middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, 38(4), p.307-328.