I often find myself perusing the isles of my local supermarket or pharmacy reading the ingredients and benefits of all the different over the counter vitamin choices, without ever feeling that I know exactly which vitamins are best for me and my health. With that in mind, I decided to do a little research on the topic and share my findings with you so that you have the information you need to find the right combination of vitamins for your daily use.

First, I would like to talk about multivitamins. Multivitamins, in theory, are the best choice because it covers you from A to Z. However, many multivitamin labels don’t offer all the ingredients that you may need in your diet. For example, the lack of iron in some multivitamins will leave an expecting mother in short demand of the necessary amounts of iron to prevent anemia. Toss in the fact that you may also be lacking folic acid in your diet, this can lead to complications and potential health risks in neural tube defects. Not all Multivitamins are equal, and just like any diet or health regime it is important to find out exactly what ingredients are included in your multivitamin choices to give you the best benefit you need on a personal level.

Second, we take a look at focused vitamins such as Vitamin C chewables. Picking out a single vitamin to supplement your diet can be a wonderful health boost to your daily well being, however, there are several vitamins that can actually damage your body by overdosing. Vitamin A for an example, when taken at a higher dosage, can damage your kidneys and liver because excess Vitamin A is stored in those organs when you exceed your body’s need. The popular Vitamin C has been known to lead to kidney disease when you are overdosing on a daily basis and requires you to be fully aware of your entire diet intake. No matter which vitamin you choose to supplement, it is important that you are tracking your supplement intake, along with your natural diet intake to make sure you are getting the right amount for a balanced and healthy diet.

My final word of advice is to be very selective in the brand and type of supplements that you choose to use. Not all dietary supplements are mandated to be tested for safe use in humans! That’s right, you may be taking unregulated supplements that contain all kinds of additional preservatives, ingredients and compounds furthering your health risk. It is suggested that when researching your next vitamin or supplemental product, research the brand and manufacturer thoroughly to understand how they produce, test and distribute the products. Typically you want to find a supplement that is produced in the United States to help guarantee the agricultural restrictions, along with standard preparation guidelines.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a big supporter and fan of vitamins, supplemental remedies, and natural sources of dietary intake, however I have also learned that not all vitamins are made equal and the effects and long lasting impact some vitamins and manufacturers can have on your body are not worth the risk. So next time you are at your local grocery store perusing for the next best thing, make sure you jot down a few labels and brands to do a little research on your own before you toss that bottle into your shopping cart. You will be both surprised and relieved at what you find before committing to a new vitamin or supplement.

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