Should I take a daily vitamin?
In short, food should always come first. There is no vitamin or supplement in the world which can replace a balanced, varied and nutrient filled diet. I like to tell my clients “supplements are intended to do just that, supplement.” A supplement is always something which is ‘in addition to’ not ‘in replace of’. We should never aim to replace food with a vitamin or a protein shake or a bar. Always approach your supplements this way.
The sneaky trick with supplements though, is they are not regulated by the FDA. Essentially there is no governing body which oversees the ingredient purity of a supplement. We have these governing bodies with food products, but unfortunately not with vitamins or nutritional supplement products. Of course the altering and tampering of nutritional products is prohibited. There is just no governing body which is responsible for testing the purity and effectiveness of supplements before they hit the shelves.
How can you navigate this as a consumer? The answer is third party testing. There are many third party companies out there which test supplements for purity (never effectiveness-only peer reviewed research can do that). When considering purchasing a vitamin or any nutritional product, look for third party testing. Many companies will advertise this on their bottle, but sometimes doing a quick internet search can give you your answer. If a company has no third party, steer clear and make a different choice.
What third party testing can you look for?
NSF - this certification guarantees that what is on the ingredients list is actually what is in the bottle. They also test for potency. You don’t want to think you’re taking 100mg of something when in fact you’re taking 500mg.
USP - This is another company who verifies supplement purity and potency.
There are other verification companies depending on the type of supplement (fish oil, protein powder etc.)
What Daily Vitamin supplement companies can you look for?
Nutrilight uses NSF verification. This brand is typically sold at Walmart and on Amazon.
Nature Made uses USP verification. This brand is typically sold at Target, CVS, Walgreens and on Amazon.
Do I as a dietitian take a daily Multi-vitamin?
Yes! I do. Vitamins never replace my food intake. I take one to supplement my daily meals and make sure I am getting adequate micro-nutrients as a women in her 30’s. I take the Nature Made Women’s Daily with Omega 3’s.
If you’re wondering at supplement claims and effectiveness, ask your Doctor or your Registered Dietitian! When in doubt, look for one of the third party tested verifications above.
