Vitamins vs Multivitamins: Their pros and cons
At a time when we’re all looking for ways to boost our immune system, vitamins are the obvious answer.
Viruses, flu, coronavirus… This winter has been “heavy”, not necessarily because of the low temperatures but because of the many viruses that are circulating. Strengthening the immune system with a balanced and varied diet, adequate sleep and physical activity are among the good habits we can adopt in this direction.
Vitamins and supplements cannot be left out of the equation of good health! But what to choose? Individual vitamins, multivitamins, or perhaps probiotics are the… new entry into immune protection.
There is no single right answer to this question, so the following list of pros and cons of each option can point you in the right direction for your needs.
Of course, your advisor in the choice of vitamins or multivitamins is your doctor or pharmacist, who, thanks to his or her scientific capacity and constant information, can suggest the best choice in each case.
Multivitamins
The pros
- They can help you meet your basic nutritional needs
- They reduce the likelihood that you will exceed your permitted intake of a vitamin, mineral, or trace element without realizing it.
- You can choose a multifunctional formula according to your age, gender and specific needs, e.g. pregnancy, menopause, for concentration or mental clarity.
- The nutrient composition in multivitamins can “mimic” the variety in nutrient prevention through diet.
- They are simpler to take and facilitate consumer consistency in dosage.
- They are a more economical option compared to taking many individual vitamins.
The cons
- Do not allow targeting the intake or replenishment of specific vitamins and minerals.
- May not contain sufficient amounts of specific ingredients that a person may need.
- They make it easier to overdose and consume without an actual deficiency in the body.
Individual vitamins – probiotics
The pros
- Tailored to the individual needs of each person (dosage, type).
- You can find them in the form you prefer (e.g. pills or effervescent formulation).
- Cover more targeted specific needs (e.g. anemia, vegan diet).
The cons
- If you take more than one vitamin, you may need to take them at different times during the day, which makes taking them a little more complicated.
- Buying individual vitamins can be more expensive compared to multivitamins.
- If you do not follow the instructions of your pharmacist or doctor there may be a risk of toxicity.
- The synergy of the ingredients may be lower.
In any case, what we all recognize is that vitamins, minerals, trace elements and probiotics are essential for our bodies to function effectively, especially in times of intense fatigue and the need to boost the immune system. However, before taking any dietary supplement, specific vitamin or multivitamin formulation, it is important to get the agreement of our doctor or pharmacist and to follow the instructions for taking them consistently.