Do multivitamins work? Benefits & Side Effects of using them

Multivitamins are generally a combination of lots of different vitamins, which are usually derived from different kinds of food sources. They are commonly used to supplement our diet so that we can derive important nutrients from them, which we may miss out on in our regular diet. Multivitamins are also used to treat any forms of vitamin deficiency and any health complications that might result from that deficiency.

There are many important benefits of taking multivitamins since they provide important and much-needed minerals along with vitamins as well. A few multivitamin capsules and supplements also contain herbal ingredients such as different kinds of herbs, amino acids, and more. What a multivitamin capsule essentially does is that it plugs the nutritional deficit or gap. If we are missing out on any particular vitamin or mineral in our usual diet, it helps in providing that.

Benefits of Multivitamins

Now, let’s come to the broader benefits that multivitamins provide us. In the list below, the major benefits derived from taking the various multivitamin capsules and supplements have been underlined and discussed.

INCREASES ENERGY LEVELS

One of the direct and most apparent benefits of taking a multivitamin is that it has been shown to significantly improve our energy levels. If a steady dose of multivitamin medication is taken alongside a healthy diet, then that can really help a person work more energetically in their day-to-day life.

IMPROVES CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

Several studies have confirmed that vitamins B1, B2, B6, K1, and minerals like Magnesium, and others improve our cardiovascular health. Multiple health studies have also inferred that taking appropriate multivitamins that contain those important vitamins and minerals do have a positive impact on the heart.

IMPROVES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Multivitamins containing vitamins C, E, and D have been shown to significantly boost and improve the immune functions in our body. It is partly due to this reason that many doctors routinely recommend such medication in addition to the regular one to a patient suffering from any prolonged illness or even in cases of flu, fever, etc.

KEEPS OUR EYES HEALTHY

This is another very important benefit that can be derived from a multivitamin. Vitamin A is extremely beneficial for our eyes and taking a vitamin A-rich multivitamin certainly helps in improving the health of our eyes. Also, the minerals and antioxidants present in multivitamin medication help in preventing any kind of macular degeneration.

Side Effects of Multivitamins

Although multivitamin medications offer lots of important and tangible benefits to both our short-term and long-term health, there are also a lot of side effects associated with them.

  • There is a significant risk of overdosing on multivitamins. If someone overdoses on vitamins A, D, E, and K, or on certain minerals. It can also lead to a severe allergic reaction, which can prove to be fatal if not treated quickly.
  • Headaches are some of the most common side effects reported after taking a multivitamin for a certain period.
  • Some individuals can also experience an upset stomach or diarrhea.
  • Other common side effects include back pain, blood in urine, muscle pain, absence of taste, etc. In these cases, one should immediately consult their physician.