Adding nutrients from multi-style nutritional supplements has many advantages.
Firstly, supplements can help correct actual deficiencies of nutrients. Secondly they can correct sub-optimum levels. These occur when body nutrient levels are below the levels your body needs to operate at its full potential.
When choosing a nutritional supplement you should ensure it includes the nutrients often at dangerously low levels in our bodies. The first is Vitamin D. This critical nutrient is responsible for a lot more than just building strong bones. Vitamin D drives our immune system and is responsible for many of our cancer defences. Vitamin D levels are very low in NZ and most people should supplement with 1000IU daily.
The next is the trace mineral selenium. This mineral is the building block of our internal antioxidant enzyme systems and low levels have been linked to most cancers and many other problems including immune disorders. The reality is that most of us are low in many minerals especially magnesium, iodine, zinc, boron, molybdenum and chromium. I would ensure your multi has all the minerals, not just some of them. Ideally these should be in the form of chelated minerals where the mineral is bonded to amino acids to maximise the body's ability to absorb them.
Your multi should have a full B vitamin complex, in particular B6, folic acid and B12. Most people have very low levels of these critical B vitamins. For example B6 is used as a co-factor in over 100 enzymes and these three combine to reduce homocysteine, which is a risk factor for heart disease and dementia related problems.
Finally it should contain highly potent flavanol antioxidants. These include the OPCs (proanthocyanidins) and catechins. I know of only a few multis that contain these super potent antioxidants. In nature they are found mostly on the seeds, skins and bark of plants as protection from free radical damage. Unfortunately these are very difficult to get in recommended amounts as we usually discard the parts of the plant that contain these active antioxidants. Nothing will get people feeling better faster than these super potent free radical scavengers. Most people notice a difference within a few months after adding 100-200mg of these super antioxidants.
John Arts is a natural health commentator and researcher. If you have questions or would like a free health plan you can contact John at john@johnarts.co.nz or phone 07 578 9051 or 0800 423 559. You can join his newsletter at www.johnarts.co.nz Read more from John at www.sunlive.co.nz