So what’s the deal with multivitamins?  Should you take them, not take them or just maintain a healthy diet that follows the food pyramid?

In most developed nations with access to clean water and nutrient-rich soil, a healthy, well-rounded diet can provide plenty of the vital minerals and vitamins that are necessary to sustain a healthy body. If you feel your diet lacks proper nutrition and you decide to take a multivitamin, seek out a brand that doesn’t contain excessive amounts of one particular vitamin.

Some may think that receiving vitamin B6 at 2500 percent of your daily value indicates that it will have stronger-than-usual positive effects on you. However, most vitamins are water-soluble and, in excessive concentrations, will be excreted through the urine.

Fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, D and K) in excessive amounts can have negative impacts and actually cause one to feel sick. Too much vitamin D can cause nausea, constipation, heart problems and kidney stones.  

Most multivitamins contain exorbitant amounts of minerals and vitamins with hopes that one will get the impression that their product makes him or her “extra” healthy.

While vitamins and minerals play vital roles in the body, contributing to metabolism, cognition and many other bodily functions, they have been made out to be supplements that are much more effective than they actually are.

One can receive the necessary amounts of vitamin C from eating an orange or other citrus fruit.  Vitamin D can be obtained from a glass of milk.  Leafy green vegetables are a great source of vitamin K.   

Your best bet is to take supplements that are beneficial to your health, but aren’t usually found in a typical, everyday diet.

There has been a multitude of clinical studies looking into the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oils, flax seeds and walnuts.  Omega-3s have been found to reduce inflammation in the body, protect against heart disease and possibly offer protection against cancer. Fish oil supplements are a great option to integrate more Omega-3s into your diet.

One supplement that may seem rather odd but is necessary to reverse the effects of  all-you-can-drink night at C&G is milk thistle.  It is still uncertain whether this supplement can truly help in cirrhosis of the liver – a condition that develops after excessive drinking – but there are some anti-oxidative properties as well, which help to reduce the growth of cancer cells.

While there is no one true pill that replaces the benefits of a healthy diet, opt for supplements that aren’t typically found  in your diet but have been shown to reduce many common ailments.