Open the bathroom cupboard of any Australian household and you will most likely discover a bottle or two of multivitamin tablets. Multivitamin and mineral formulations are one of the biggest categories for supplementation and are also the least understood.  For many consumers it is the convenience factor that sells the idea but is that really the best approach?

Do you need a multi?

Living and working in a fast paced society many individuals are often “overfed but undernourished”.  Food is quick, easy, lacks variety and is low is nutrients. Suboptimal intake of vitamins has been identified as a risk factor for fatigue, poor immune function, reduced ability to cope with stress and an increased risk of chronic illness such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. At greatest risk of inadequate intake are the elderly, vegans, heavy drinkers, smokers, highly stressed individuals and individuals with bowel disorders.

Benefits of multi’s include:

• Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects
• Multivitamin supplementation reduces C-reactive protein levels, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease
• B6 and B12 help support energy production and stress management, along with reducing symptoms of PMS
• Vitamin D can lower the risk of colon and other cancers
• Antioxidants, including vitamins C, A, E and selenium can help prevent damage to DNA reducing the risk of cellular damage
• Multivitamins may help reduce infection and increase natural immunity

What to look for in a multi?

• Balance of vitamins should meet current Australian RDI requirements
• Calcium and magnesium should be in a 2:1 ratio
• Nutrients should be in the form best utilised by the body. Alpha-lipoic acid should be in the form the body can use – R-alpha-lipoic acid. Vitamin E should be natural as opposed to synthetic.
• Organic salts such as citrates, chelates, phosphates and gluconates provide better absorption and higher bioavailability. Inorganic salts, including oxides, chlorides and sulphates may limit uptake of the nutrient into systemic tissues and cause undesirable gastro-intestinal side effects.
• Use of nutrient forms that do not degrade other nutrients eg, ascorbic acid tends to degrade other vitamins due to its acidic properties compared to calcium ascorbate which is neutral (forms of vitamin C).

If you want a full listing of nutrient use and values for Australia, go to:

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/_files/n35.pdf