Vitamins Can Fill Nutritional Gaps

Depleted soil, processing and cooking can result in foods that simply lack the nourishment our bodies need. And with so many of us on the go, nutrition can fall by the wayside.

That's why some doctors recommend multi-vitamin/mineral supplements and why many people choose to take them. And if the general population needs supplements, where does that leave athletes, who put much greater demands on their bodies? A good multi-vitamin/mineral supplement may be an inexpensive way to help ensure that your body has the nutrients it needs to fuel your performance. In my personal opinion, if you eat reasonably well most of the time, you probably don't need a vitamin. That said, I do keep a bag of Halls Vitamin C drops in my desk at work, and I usually have one per day during the work week. Likewise, I usually have one of those chewy chocolate calcium supplements (Viactiv) each day during the work week, because I think there's enough evidence to suggest that you really can't go overboard on calcium and vitamin D.

If you are looking for a general multivitamin, try something like Centrum. But be sure to tell your doctor at each visit if you are taking a multivitamin or any other supplement because there may be potentially adverse interactions with prescription medications.