by Melissa Chichester
Finding the right supplement can be confusing! If you’re someone who wants to get nourishment in a daily multivitamin instead of figuring out what to take to piece together the supplement puzzle, there are many to choose from. The important part is making sure that your multivitamin is designed to fit your personal lifestyle and health needs. Age, gender, and other health concerns may factor into your multivitamin choices. Here are some recommendations for every stage of life!
Most children receive the supplementation they need by consuming fortified cereals and other foods; however, your pediatrician may recommend a children’s multivitamin to cover more wellness bases.
A multivitamin containing Vitamin A can assist with healthy eyes, while Vitamin D can help develop healthy bones and teeth by enhancing the absorption of calcium and phosphorous.*
Vitamins C and E in addition to zinc can assist with maintaining immune system health.* Many multivitamins for children are available in delicious gummy format, so you don’t have to worry about your children turning up their noses at a dry and chalky supplement.
Depending on what life stage you are in as a woman, your diet may have varying supplemental needs. Women of childbearing age who are planning to have children or are pregnant will want to consider a prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid. Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defects.
It is also recommended that women take a supplement with Vitamin D to support immune health, along with calcium to promote bone health and the absorption of Vitamin D.*
Women entering premenopausal ages should look for a multivitamin that contains iron because many women in this group can be prone to iron deficiency. Some multivitamins also contain biotin to support the health of hair, skin, and nails.*
Multivitamin needs for men contain some similar ingredients compared to women, like Vitamin D for bone and immune system health.* Men’s multivitamins are often tailored with the ingredients that uniquely support men’s health needs, including lycopene for prostate health and heart health.* Men should also look for multivitamins that contain ingredients like the mineral zinc to assist in energy metabolism and male reproductive health.*
Adults over the age of fifty have some challenges when it comes to the body’s absorption of nutrients. A multivitamin can help ensure that seniors are receiving adequate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals that may not be produced by the body after a certain age or are limited in production. Senior multivitamins can be found to be higher in certain nutrients, especially B-12 for energy metabolism, Vitamin C to support immune health, and calcium to promote bone health.* Senior multivitamins are also available in formulas specifically developed for senior men and senior women.
