5 Reasons to Avoid Multivitamins and Instead Get Nutrients Naturally

Do multivitamins work? We dive into five main reasons why you may want to skip your daily multi and opt for fresh foods instead.
Share

Do multivitamins work? We’re told they are essential at every stage of life–children need their Flintstones, teenagers demand more calcium, pregnant and breastfeeding women look for added iron, folate, and omega-3s, while older adults seek more calcium and potassium. But were we not born perfectly balanced, with pillboxes in hand? How have we stayed healthy before the invention of multivitamins?

It’s believed that we do not need multivitamins unless you’re treating a specific condition therapeutically. Instead, what really matters is the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods, a varied diet, regular exercise, movement, exposure to sunlight, and pursing happiness. In fact, food is best processed by the body when it’s free of stress, anger, and negative emotions.

5. Lack of Proof That They Actually Work

Do multivitamins work? vitamin bottle

HealthVit

Wondering if you should take multivitamins to supplement your diet? The manufacturing process of multivitamins creates artificial nutrients, which have the same chemical composition as natural nutrients.. Although they provide your body with the suggested daily intake of essential nutrients, your body may react differently to synthetic nutrients as compared to natural nutrients found in whole foods.

Whole foods contain a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that support your body in optimally using those nutrients. In contrast, synthetic nutrients lack these additional sources of support, making it unclear how beneficial they can be for your body.Your body may not process some synthetic nutrients Your body may not process some synthetic nutrients at all, leading to wasted money and time.

In addition, scientific evidence has limited support to show that consuming multivitamins can prevent or help treat chronic health conditions. This lack of clear evidence and uncertain benefits is why it is essential to invest in whole foods and conduct further research before including multivitamins in your health regimen. Invest in yourself!

 

4.) Gastrointestinal Upset

Do multivitamins work? They sometimes cause stomach upset

Amazing Wellness

Synthetic vitamins can be dangerous in their basic forms, causing stomach upset. Unlike with naturally occurring food, overdosing on synthetic vitamins poses health risks. Contrary to popular belief, taking more than recommended doses of multivitamins provides no advantage and can even have serious disadvantages. When exceeding the recommended amount, fat-soluble vitamins such A, D, and E deposit in the body, creating an overload that can cause harm to the consumer.
Multivitamins often contain heavily processed petrochemicals, which are inorganic and difficult for our bodies to digest. Unlike natural foods composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, these artificial formulas can be unrecognizable and problematic for our systems. As a result, the body must detoxify these unnaturally amalgamated nutrients, which can cause stomach upset and gas. With the efficacy of multivitamins called into question because of this, it may be wise to opt for more natural forms of nutrition from whole foods.

 

3. Harmful Ingredients

do multivitamins work? They may contain toxic ingredients

Philadelphia Magazine

It’s best to avoid synthetic compounds when consuming fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K. Synthetic chemicals don’t support the metabolism of these nutrients and can be harmful to the body.

Some multivitamins act more like drugs, aggressively driving down metabolic pathways in your body and potentially causing undesired side effects. An example of this is caffeine in energy drinks, which can lead to anxiety, insomnia and irregular heartbeat rhythms. To avoid undesired side effects caused by metabolic pathways, tea and coffee have reduced caffeine levels as opposed to energy drinks..

Unfortunately, many multivitamins include synthetic ingredients such as titanium dioxide, natural flavors (which can contain MSG), methyl paraben (propyl paraben), microcrystalline cellulose, colors like D&C red #33, silicon dioxide, talcum powder, pharmaceutical glaze (which is shellac) and povidone (polyvinylpyrrolidone or PVP). Therefore most studies say they don’t work and may do more harm than good.

 

2. Worse Eating Habits

Ever wonder if multivitamins work?

Readers Digest

Many believe that taking a multivitamin eliminates the need for nutrient-dense food. However, this is not correct. Food offers bioavailable water, perfectly-combined nutrients, fiber, active enzymes, and more.

These are what will bring you health, not a multi and less-than-optimal eating.

 

1. Inability to Self-Diagnose

Do multivitamins work? Avoid self-diagnosis with multivitams
We often rely on advertising and general research to determine our vitamin and mineral needs by age, but our unique bodies create different demands. Synthetic multivitamins exacerbate the problem: they confuse which nutrients the body requires while also imposing undue stress.
This begs the question if multivitamins are useful. However, merely taking more vitamin D, for instance, might not help and thus impose the extra burden.
Thus, focus on consuming fresh, whole foods, exercising, and purging waste for efficient nutrient absorption. If worried about deficits, get a nutrition analysis.

Do multivitamins work? The answer here is obvious. Studies show that multivitamins don’t work. Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and move your body. For additional health benefits, try juicing fresh vegetables and combine your foods well for optimal digestion and nutrient assimilation. Cleansing the body will help tremendously in vibrancy and ease in daily living while protecting the organs from toxic substances, the real culprits behind chronic ailments and aging.