So, you’re thinking of taking a daily multivitamin? Or maybe you’re already taking one and you’re just wondering if it’s the best one you could be taking?
Or maybe you’re wondering exactly what the health benefits of a multivitamin supplement are or if there are any possible side effects associated with it? Or, maybe you just want to know what the best multivitamin is for men, and what the best one is for women?
Well, if you came here with any of those questions in mind, sit back and relax. You’re about to get all of the answers.
What Are The Benefits? What Will It Do For Me?
Multivitamins are one of few supplements whose benefits are pretty obvious. Quite simply, they contain the vitamins and minerals the human body requires on a daily basis to keep you healthy and functioning at the highest possible level.
Will taking a daily multivitamin supplement directly cause fat loss? No. Will it directly cause an increase in muscle or strength? No. But, will it indirectly help with fat loss and building muscle and really any fitness related goal? Definitely.
Like I said, multivitamins contain the vitamins and minerals the human body needs to function on a daily basis and do everything that is required of it. Whether it’s lose fat, build muscle, recover from exercise, see, sleep, move, think, pump blood or just avoid getting sick.
Whatever it is your body does, a multivitamin contains the nutrients it needs to do it. Simple as that.
Who Should Take A Multivitamin? And Why?
Honestly? Everyone should probably be taking a daily multivitamin supplement. Men, women, young, old… whether you work out or not.
Technically of course, if your daily diet is EXACTLY what it should be 365 days of the year, you may not truly NEED to take one. The problem is, there are VERY few people whose daily diets are anywhere near as good as they’re supposed to be.
That’s just the world we live in these days. Men and women all over the world eat too much useless crap with no significant nutritional value, while at the same time eating too little of the healthy foods that are high in the nutrients we need. This combination pretty much guarantees that most people are lacking in various essential vitamins and minerals.
But wait, what about that small group of men and women whose daily diets actually ARE pretty good? Well, you should probably still take a multivitamin supplement every day. Why?
Because it will serve as your diet’s fall back plan and guarantee your body is getting everything it needs on a daily basis, even on those days when you might not have eaten as perfectly as you should have (or usually do).
In my case, that’s exactly why I take one. In all honesty, my diet is as close to perfect as it gets. It consists primarily of foods high in nutritional value, and I rarely eat any junk of any kind. But, I still love the idea of taking a daily multivitamin just to be sure that I supplied my body with every important vitamin and mineral it needs to keep me healthy and functioning at my very best.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Nope, none. I mean, hello, it’s a multivitamin. It contains the things we are SUPPOSED to be getting from our diets already, but usually aren’t.
Obviously, if you are taking any medications or have any known health or medical issues (or are pregnant or nursing) it would be a good idea to check with your doctor first just like you should before taking any supplement of any kind. But really, as long as you are just a typical healthy adult and are taking a high quality brand (more on that in a second), a daily multivitamin is probably the safest supplement there is.
In fact, the only actual “side effect” I’ve ever heard about is an upset stomach, and this can very easily be avoided by simply taking your multivitamin with food. And once again, a high quality brand helps, too. Speaking of the best brands…
What Is The Best Multivitamin For Men And Women?
This is usually the most common question. There are hundreds of different multivitamins on the market, all containing different amounts of certain vitamins and minerals. Some are designed to be the best for men, some are the designed to be the best for women. Some are designed to be the best for people who are active. Some for men and women above the age of 50. Some are even designed with specific health benefits in mind (like heart health).
So then, which multivitamin is the best for you? Well, there’s a few things to take into consideration.
- First, the amounts of vitamins and minerals it contains. If it contains too much of certain nutrients, you end up literally pissing away your money. If it contains too little, then it’s a waste just the same.
- Second, does it ACTUALLY contain those claimed amounts? This is something you can only find out through independent lab tests, and I have seen the results of a couple of them. While most passed just fine, many popular name brands failed for containing significantly more or less of certain nutrients than their labels claimed. One popular brand even failed due to lead contamination.
- Third, is it right for YOU? For example, most men do NOT want a multivitamin that contains iron, while most women under the age of 50 usually do.
- Fourth, how much does it cost? There are plenty of multivitamins on the market that claim to have all of these extra magical health and fitness related benefits (all of which are total bullshit) and therefore cost significantly more than others.
So, taking all of this into account, here are my recommendations:
The Best Multivitamin For Men
For men, I personally use and fully recommend GNC’s Mega Men. It passed all the independent lab testing I saw and contains the right amounts of the right nutrients most men require on a daily basis. I’ve been taking this brand for quite a while myself.
In case you’re wondering, I always order it from right here so I don’t have to step foot anywhere near a GNC (hate them, love their multi).
The Best Multivitamin For Women
For women, I fully recommend GNC’s Women’s Ultra Mega. It also passed all of the independent lab testing I saw, and it too contains the right amounts of the right nutrients most women require on a daily basis. It can also be ordered online right here.
The Best Multivitamin For Men & Women Over 50
For men and women over the age of 50, my recommendation would definitely be Centrum Silver for the exact same reasons I mentioned above. You can order it from here at well.
In Conclusion…
So, there you go, everything you need to know about one of the VERY few supplements that are safe, effective, and beneficial to pretty much everyone. I personally take a daily multivitamin and recommend you do, too.