We do not all eat the same diet, live the same lifestyle or have the same health concerns. Therefore why should we all be taking the same vitamins in the same amounts?
As a physician, I have had many patients ask me what vitamins to take. Most people are, understandably, confused about this. They hear conflicting information from the media, friends, relatives and more about certain vitamins and their potential benefits or harms.
It turns out that each individual has different needs based on who they are and certain aspects of their lives. The vegetarian may need more iron than the regular meat eater and the consumer of dairy may need less calcium than the vegan. People with certain symptoms such as thinning hair, migraines, fatigue, irritable bowel and others may benefit from taking certain vitamins more than others.
Generic off the shelf multivitamins fall short in many ways. They assume we are all the same and provide a long laundry list of ingredients— many are unneeded and potentially harmful (i.e. do you really want to ingest up to 4 heavy metals every day when they are associated with Alzheimers disease?). While many multivitamins contain lots of different ingredients, they often fall short on the amounts of certain key nutrients. This is where personalization can make all the difference.
As a physician I can talk to each patient to determine their unique nutritional needs and then recommend the right blend of vitamins for their routine. Taking a personalized vitamin via an online vitamin quiz is a way that anyone can get the right nutrients to meet their needs. It only makes sense to get the right vitamins to match your diet, lifestyle and concerns.
Did you know that taking the wrong vitamins or excessive doses of needed vitamins can cause you harm? Many people think that because vitamins are natural and found in nature, taking them can not cause harm. It turns out that vitamins, if taken improperly can cause great harm. Taking poor quality products can be unsafe as these products may contain harmful ingredients, not mentioned on the label. This is due to a lack of oversight in the manufacturing of vitamins. Unlike that of medications, vitamin manufacturing is not regulated by the FDA.
Taking too much of even essential nutrients can lead to dangerous side effects. For example, vitamin D — a vitamin which most Americans are deficient in if they do not take as a supplement. However, if taken in excess doses can cause many problems including kidney stones, constipation, change in mental status and more. Each person may need a different amount of vitamin D to achieve an optimal blood level, to support immune health, energy, muscle strength and more. A personalized vitamin regimen is the best way to get the right amount for individual needs.
A personalized vitamin regimen should be simple, safe, doctor created and based on the best medical evidence to meet individual needs. An all in one personalized daily vitamin is a great way to get the right vitamins in a simple regimen. When looking for what vitamins to take, an online vitamin survey allows you to provide detailed information that will allow you to get vitamins tailored to your unique needs. Forget the old days of the generic multivitamin meant to treat everyone the same, and get a personalized vitamin to give you the right vitamins for you.
Arielle Levitan M.D.
Co-founder Vous Vitamin LLC
Author of The Vitamin Solution:Two Doctors Clear the Confusion About Vitamins and Your Health
