Are Multivitamins Really Helpful?

Multivitamins have recently let down a bunch of researchers. An eight-year study showed that multivitamins do nothing to prevent cancer or heart disease.

Nutritionists and doctors understand that vitamin-rich food can go a long way towards preventing certain kinds of diseases.

But for some reason, taking vitamins that are so helpful in food form and placing them in supplements fails to deliver.

But not only are vitamins not found to be helpful, but some research has shown that vitamins can actually be harmful. We all know about the harmful effects of excessive iron, but Vitamin C might also do harm by protecting cancer cells.

So should I pitch my vitamins?

Not all of them. Research has found that B12 supplements are still great for the elderly. Doctors still recommend folic acid supplement for women at child bearing age. Vitamin D supplements still help protect elderly women from bone loss. But other than that, the 4 billion dollar supplement industry seems to be the biggest waste of money in the field of health.

What I should know about multivitamins?

Vitamins are not designed to give you energy. You can only get energy from consuming carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Instead, vitamins give your body the nutrients it needs in order to function properly.

If your body starts to become deficient in certain nutrients, your body will begin conserving nutrients. This will lead to all sorts of problems resulting from deficiencies that will interfere with your ability to exercise.

The athlete’s nutrition plan

If you have an active lifestyle, instead of loading up on the supplements, you should load up on nutrients that provide your body with natural energy. Athletes need a large amount of carbohydrates in order to fuel themselves when they are working out.

The best sources for these carbohydrates are fruits and grains. The best time to eat these foods is 4 hours before you begin your workout, though eating one hour before a workout will still give your body enough time to metabolize the glucose. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water before exercising.

During the exercise, you should not worry about eating. Focus on keeping yourself hydrated during the workout. After the workout, it’s time to consume a very balanced meal of grains, potatoes, pastas, vegetables, fruits and meat.

You will need all the same vitamins and minerals that inactive people need as well as an extra amount of protein in order to fuel your muscle repair.