When you start working out and creating a nutrition plan according to your goals, you'll probably be paying close attention to the nutrients contained within those foods. Having variety in your nutrition plan is the the absolute best way to make ...
When you start working out and creating a nutrition plan according to your goals, you'll probably be paying close attention to the nutrients contained within those foods. Having variety in your nutrition plan is the the absolute best way to make sure you are consuming the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain proper health and give you the required energy to train hard. However, you may still be asking yourself "Do I need to Take Vitamins?"
The most important reason to take a multi-vitamin is for the health benefits. A deficiency in any one of the major vitamins or minerals can lead to serious disease or other smaller health concerns. There are special formulations for men that contain essential ingredients that promote prostate health, as well as providing you with what you need for performance.
I don't take a multivitamin - is that bad? Possibly.
If you are paying close attention to the foods you are eating and making sure you are eating a variety of foods that contain all the vitamins and minerals you need, then you are probably fine. However, if you are on a restricted, fat-burning or weight loss diet then yes, you may want to consider a vitamin. When you're in a caloric deficit and restricting calories for any reason you are at a higher risk of missing essential nutrients which will require your body to manufacture them from some place else (like leeching from your bones).
Many experts believe that a healthy balanced diet will provide your body with all of the required nutrients you need. However, there are several fad diets out there and philosophies floating around like limiting dairy or other food groups in order to have a lean body. If you are partaking in any of these diets you would seriously want to consider taking a multivitamin. For instance, a diet extremely low in dairy may be lacking the appropriate amount of calcium.
Another possible reason to consider a vitamin is your lifestyle. Our body gets most of its vitamin D from the sun. If you live in a cold climate or work indoors, you may be low in the Vitamin-D column and could benefit from a vitamin.
So what's the verdict?
As with all health and nutrition philosophies, it comes down to balance and listening to your body. If you believe you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, you are probably fine and don't need a vitamin. If you're restricting your caloric intake, on a fad diet, high protein, low dairy or anything in-between, you should probably consider a vitamin supplement.
