A busy and hectic day, it would be ideal to get a balanced intake of various nutrients through food alone, but since that's not easy, people often choose dietary supplements. Although supplements offer convenient nutrition, they come in various types such as vitamins, iron, and lutein, making it feel cumbersome to even take them amidst a busy daily routine. In such cases, people commonly opt for multivitamins.

The biggest advantage of multivitamins is that they allow you to take a variety of nutrients in a balanced way all at once, but opinions are divided regarding their effectiveness.

In this regard, the American health information media 'Everyday Health' introduced that while multivitamins supplement nutrients based on expert opinions, their clear effectiveness has not been proven.

 

Not yet proven effective, further research needed

 

While supplementing deficient nutrients is meaningful in itself, most vitamins and minerals contain only amounts that do not exceed the daily recommended intake for each nutrient, which is a weakness described as 'broad but insufficient.' Because it covers an excessively wide range, it is generally difficult to improve overall health or expect specific health benefits. This is because the deficient nutrients, necessary nutrients, and required amounts vary from person to person.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) conducted a meta-analysis of 84 studies on the use of multivitamins and concluded that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that taking multivitamins helps prevent heart disease or cancer or improves overall health. While it has been proven that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, there is no clear evidence that taking vitamins from these foods in pill form can help prevent these diseases.

 

However, a limitation noted is that most people participating in research related to multivitamins tend to be health-conscious and generally maintain healthy eating habits. There is a call for further research, suggesting that if studies were conducted on participants with completely different lifestyles, habits, and diets, it might be possible to better demonstrate the effects of multivitamins.

 

If you want to get pregnant, it's necessary; ultimately, it's a personal choice.

 

While there is no strict need for general adults to take multivitamins, it is helpful for those considering pregnancy or trying to conceive. Pregnant women require higher amounts of various nutrients such as folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, and vitamin C, which can be difficult to obtain solely through food, so taking a multivitamin is recommended to maintain health.

 

If you are not pregnant, there is no noticeable effect, so is it unnecessary to take a multivitamin? It is also difficult to give a definitive answer to this. Just because the effects have not been fully proven does not mean there are no benefits. The reasons for taking supplements, health status, and other factors should be carefully considered, and then you can decide for yourself whether to take a multivitamin.

 

Taking multivitamins alone without paying close attention to proper nutrition and balance can actually harm health. Not all nutrients are included in multivitamins, so it is important to maintain the habit of eating a healthy diet regularly. Specifically, this includes △appropriate calorie intake △a diet focused on fruits and vegetables △whole grains △healthy proteins such as plant-based proteins and lean meats △reducing processed foods as much as possible △avoiding added sugars △abstaining from or limiting alcohol consumption, along with consistent exercise, to prevent various chronic diseases and maintain good health.

 

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I also take Centrum Multi Vitamins.

I'm not sure about the effectiveness..

I feel like I managed everything well at once, but...

They say the effect has not been proven.