Do I really need multivitamins? Are they safe?

This post answers whether multivitamins are necessary.

Vitamins are essential for our body to function normally. A lack of a particular vitamin in our diet leads to a state of deficiency, which causes certain disorders. When you start including that vitamin back in your diet, the disorder will get resolved on its own. Though vitamins are micronutrients (required only in trace amounts), most of our diets lack a lot of vitamins. This resulted in the increasing popularity of multivitamins. It’s rather convenient too – a single tablet is enough to fulfil your daily vitamins and minerals quotient. But is it really safe in the long term? In fact, are vitamins even necessary? Let’s discuss it in this post.

What are multivitamins?

Simply said, multivitamins are a concentrated form of essential vitamins, available as a tablet, capsules, or chewable candies. Each tablet contains almost all the vitamins and minerals needed by our body, all in the recommended daily levels. A single tablet is usually enough per day, but some multivitamins contain about half the recommended levels per tablet, so the consumer may need to take it twice a day in that case. Multivitamins are largely available as an over-the-counter product, which means that you may purchase them without a doctor’s prescription.

Who needs multivitamins?

Just because multivitamins exist does not mean you could simply consume them. Multivitamins are supplementary products, which means they can be taken only if your normal diet lacks essential vitamins. For instance, Vitamin B12 (also called Cyanocobalamin) is a molecule that is synthesized by bacteria and fungi alone. Contrary to popular belief, animals do not produce Vitamin B12 – they, like us, get it from the microorganisms, and merely store the excess in their bodies. Cyanocobalamin is a vitamin that needs to be supplemented in vegans and non-vegans alike.

Similarly, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is widely found in all citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, papayas, etc. As long as you keep eating these fruits regularly, you don’t really need any supplements for Vitamin C.  

Keeping this in mind, it’s safe to say that those who lack a major amount of vitamins from their diet can benefit from taking multivitamin tablets. Older adults may benefit from taking multivitamins, as the absorption levels of the intestines decrease with age. Similarly, vegetarians and vegans may lack certain vitamins and minerals from their diet (especially Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Zinc, Calcium, Iron, etc.)

This does not, however, imply that people who eat meat acquire all of their vitamins from their diet. Many researchers point out that non-vegans also suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiency. Plus, most meat-eaters are picky and focus less on eating vegetables and fruits, leading to their diet being extremely rich in fats, carbs and empty calories, with very little amounts of vitamins. Hence, they may also need to take multivitamins.

Do multivitamins cause any side effects?

They don’t. Multivitamins are safe to consume. They have to go through various quality assurance tests and have to get the approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System (HACCP), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and other agencies, before being deemed as safe for consumption. These Quality checks are not a one-time affair but are a regular and periodical practice to ensure that each batch is prepared safely.

Many claims that multivitamins improve brain function, reduce the incidences of cardiovascular diseases, and even prevent cancer. These claims, while being made in accordance with actual facts relating to multivitamins, are quite far-fetched.

Most of the time, multivitamins do not cause any side effects, as the supplements are made using nonsteroidal bases. But, Multivitamins have their own risks – Overdosage of vitamins. This is usually not much of a concern with Water-soluble vitamins (Vitamin B Complex and Vitamin C). Since they dissolve in water, the excess vitamins are flushed away through the urine.

However, when an individual overdose themselves on excessive fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E and K), it leads to very serious complications. Vitamin A gets stored in your liver, so too much Vitamin A will affect your liver. Symptoms pointing out to Vitamin A Overdosage includes the formation of rashes, cracked lips, coarse hair, nausea and vomiting Overdosing on Vitamin D can cause Hypercalcemia (extra calcium in the blood), dehydration, and excessive urination, arrhythmia, and other problems.

Conclusion

To avoid these catastrophic outcomes, one should be mindful of how many vitamins they consume, and then take the supplements in accordance with their diet. If unsure, it is always best to consult a dietician before investing in supplements. While supplements are a viable option to boost one’s vitamin levels, it is always best to derive all our nutrients directly from our diet.