Does your Multi-Vitamin really contain the stated nutrients?

In today’s society, so many people are taking responsibility for their own health. And with all the supplements and neutriceutical  products on the market, one might be very confused as to which is best.

An article from MSNBC.com  was released in June 2011.  In that article ConsumerLabs tested 38 multivitamins and discovered that eight contained too little of specific ingredients, two contained more nutrient than claimed and three improperly listed ingredients. 

You may ask, what does it matter if you get too little or too much of a nutrient.  Well, low levels of certain nutrients can be a problem, what is more worrisome are the doses that EXCEED the recommended daily intake.  Several of the products looked at by Consumer Labs had this issue including some designed for children.

Some of the vitamins containted high levels of Vitamin A, which is very concerning.  “ Too much Vitamin A can be toxic to your liver” explained Dr. Michael Ciringliano, associate professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine and the Universtiy of Pennsylvania.  “People don’t realize that everything they put in their mouths is bioactive.  Whether it is baby aspirin or food, it has an effect on the body.  People think if you can get it without a prescripiton it’s safe – that’s baloney.”

When it comes to selecting what supplement or nutriceutical you are going to consume, be sure to do your homework and research the background of that product.  Interestingly, Mother Nature has the best sources of most of the nutrients we need each and every day.  Fruits, vegetables and grains have huge healing capabilities, and it is recommended we consume 9-13 servings of a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.  So why is so hard for the majority of the population to do that?

If you struggle to get a variety of fruits & vegetables in your diet every day, I would love to talk to you about a way you can bridge the gap between what you do eat and what you should be consuming.