Multivitamins are the single most popular health supplement on the market. More people take multivitamins than any other product-related to health and fitness. The benefits of multivitamins are well-documented, and we will cover the main benefits below.
For detox and cleanse purposes, a multivitamin can play an important role. The benefits of multivitamins can help restore the natural balance of nutrients at various times during the detox process. More importantly, we should explore the benefits of multivitamins after a detox.
During a detox or a cleanse, you will consume a steady supply of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other forms of nutrition. This is one of the central features of a sound detox diet. But following the detox diet, and as you begin to eat a regular diet, there may be some sound reason to seek the benefits of multivitamins.
What exactly are multivitamins? What are the benefits of multivitamins? And what is the role of a multivitamin after a detox diet? This guide will explore the benefits of multivitamins and the role multivitamins play in the process of detoxing.
What is a multivitamin?
A multivitamin is a supplement that contains many different vitamins and minerals. Some multivitamins contain other things besides vitamins and minerals. No standard determines what is in a multivitamin, so you should always read the label to see what it contains.
Multivitamins can come in tablets, capsules, chewable, powders, and liquids. Some multivitamins are designed to help specific types of people. For example, there are multivitamins specifically formulated for children. These contain doses of certain vitamins at levels that are meant for developing bodies.
Some multivitamins may contain things like herbal extracts. Multivitamins may contain things like green tea extract, for example, to provide added antioxidants along with vitamins and minerals.
Multivitamins are available almost anywhere. You can buy them in drugstores or online. Perhaps the most important thing to think about when considering a multivitamin is the exact ingredients in any one multivitamin. These ingredients and the concentrations of various vitamins and minerals can vary greatly from one brand to the next. Always carefully read the product label on any multivitamin.
Multivitamins role in your body
Vitamins are natural organic compounds necessary to support life. As organic compounds, vitamins occur in nature and are found in dietary sources. Some vitamins are derived from other compounds which are found in dietary sources.
There are 13 basic vitamins each of which is essential to certain physiological functions. All vitamins support multiple functions, but each works toward a specific area.
- Vitamin A: Supports eye health.
- Vitamin B1: It is essential for producing various enzymes that help break down blood sugar.
- Vitamin B2: Essential for the growth and development of body cells and helps metabolize food.
- Vitamin B3: The body needs niacin for the cells to grow and work correctly.
- Vitamin B5: Necessary for producing energy and hormones.
- Vitamin B6: Vital for the formation of red blood cells.
- Vitamin B7: Enables the body to metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It also contributes to keratin, a structural protein in the skin, hair, and nails.
- Vitamin B9: Essential for making DNA and RNA.
- Vitamin B12: Essential for a healthy nervous system.
- Vitamin C: Contributes to collagen production, wound healing, and bone formation. It also strengthens blood vessels, supports the immune system, helps the body absorb iron, and acts as an antioxidant.
- Vitamin D: Necessary for the healthy mineralization of bone.
- Vitamin E: Antioxidant activity helps prevent oxidative stress, an issue that increases the risk of widespread inflammation and various diseases.
- Vitamin K: Necessary for blood clotting.
Any multivitamin will contain some or all of these vitamins at various concentrations. Some multivitamins are specially formulated for things like bone health, for example, and will contain added vitamin D.
In any case, one can see that each of the thirteen vitamins is essential to our health, and we need to make certain we consume a minimum amount of each vitamin on any given day. When we do not get enough of a specific vitamin, we run the risk of a vitamin deficiency. Vitamin deficiencies can lead to serious health problems.
On the other hand, some vitamins can accumulate in the body. Too many certain vitamins can be dangerous. Vitamin A, for example, can become toxic and even fatal if we take too much. This is one reason we need to pay close attention to the ingredients of a multivitamin.
Benefits of multivitamins after a detox diet
The benefits of a multivitamin after a detox largely work toward restoring specific areas of your physical health that can be damaged or otherwise impeded as a result of the toxicity you just worked to eliminate. Following your detox diet, you will want to increase certain vitamins and minerals to sustain the benefits of the detox diet.
For example, calcium and vitamin D are known to improve bone health, particularly in older adults. Vitamin D also helps colon health and may reduce the risk of colon cancer. A detox diet is designed in part to address these very health issues, and taking a multivitamin after detox can increase the benefit of the detox diet.
All the B vitamins are essential. B vitamins increase energy levels and help with neurological function. B vitamins are also helpful in decreasing the onset of neurodegeneration in older adults. Therefore, taking significant amounts of B vitamins after a detox diet increases the benefits of the detox and boosts the natural functions that toxins tend to inhibit.
B vitamins are also ideal for the restoration of damaged tissue that can come as the result of toxicity. Following a detox diet, a multivitamin that contains the B complex can help restore heal damage to things like the liver that bears the brunt of toxicity in the body.
Magnesium helps the body relax, both mentally and physically. It is also a well-established antioxidant. Continuing to take healthy levels of magnesium after a detox diet will further boost your mental and physical health.
Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant and may prevent certain types of cancer. Throughout a detox diet, you will be consuming large quantities of vitamin C in the form of juices and smoothies. A multivitamin that sustains these levels of vitamin C is a great way to sustain the antioxidant effects.
How to know if you need multivitamins after a detox diet
Most people tend to feel better and slightly rejuvenated after a detox diet. However, sometimes you can feel some lingering side effects from the highly restricted calorie intake that attends a detox diet. Although the juices and smoothies that make up a detox diet provide healthy amounts of vitamins and minerals, it’s possible you can come up short on some important nutrients. Here are some potential symptoms you may experience and how to treat them with a multivitamin.
Brain fog
You may feel a little foggy after a detox diet. This is likely due to the levels of B vitamins your body needs to do the work of the detox. If you feel a slight brain fog after a detox diet, try taking a multivitamin that contains the B-complex vitamins. These will also help heal any damage to tissue that may have come with high levels of toxicity.
Brittle nails
Brittle and chipped nails can be a sign of low calcium levels. Again, you will get plenty of calcium in a healthy detox diet plan, but your body may require extra calcium after a detox diet to get back up to healthy levels. Your nails will be one of the first things to demonstrate low calcium levels.
Odd food cravings
Most often you will begin to crave healthy foods after a detox diet. By effectively resetting your metabolism during a detox diet, it is common to begin to crave foods like fruits and vegetables. In some cases, however, people crave unhealthy things like junk food that contains high levels of salt and other additives. This is usually due to low iron levels. When your iron levels get too low, you can start to crave things that contain salts since these are essential minerals. A multivitamin that contains iron will get you back on track toward healthy eating and sustaining the benefits of a detox diet.
Difficulty sleeping
This is a common side effect of low vitamins and minerals. Your sleep cycle is partially regulated by the macronutrients you take in. Things like serotonin levels depend in part on proper nutrition. After a detox diet, it is not uncommon to experience sleep issues. A simple multivitamin will get your vitamin and mineral levels up to normal, and this will restore healthy natural sleep patterns.
Do multivitamins help remove toxins?
Multivitamins can remove toxins from the body. Several important vitamins and minerals actively work to remove toxins, and these vitamins and minerals are common ingredients in most multivitamins. Some of the most important vitamins and minerals include:
Iron and riboflavin
Riboflavin is also known as vitamin B-2. Both iron and riboflavin activate enzymes that help the liver break down toxic compounds.
Vitamins E and C
Both vitamins E and C actively detoxify the body. They are both powerful antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals that can damage cell walls and cellular DNA. This works as active protection against cancer and other deadly diseases.
Vitamins A and D
Perhaps the most important function of vitamins A and D is that they help prevent toxins from entering the body in the first place. Both vitamin A and D protect skin and bones from toxic damage before the toxins enter your system. By increasing the natural protection of your skin, you can decrease the levels of toxicity that enter your system.
Multivitamins side effects
The most common side effects of multivitamins include:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Nausea
These are often temporary and will abate as you become used to taking the multivitamin. If your doctor has recommended a multivitamin and these symptoms persist, be sure to let your doctor know.
Other side effects that are rare include:
- Headaches
- Nosebleeds
- Insomnia
- Gout
Keep in mind that individual nutrients in any given multivitamin may cause specific side effects. Be sure to pay close attention to what is in your multivitamin to guard against dangerous problems such as those that can come with taking too much vitamin A.
Any side effects in children and infants should be immediately reported to a doctor.
For older adults, some side effects may be more pronounced.
Multivitamins dosage
It is difficult to provide a dosage program that would apply to all multivitamins. Different multivitamins contain different concentrations of various vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
The National Institutes of Health states that you should follow the dosage prescribed by the manufacturer of any given multivitamins. Do not exceed the recommended dosage. Some vitamins and minerals can have toxic side effects when they are taken in excess.
You should always discuss multivitamins and all other health supplements with your doctor. Take extra care if you have any medical conditions. You should also take extra care if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Multivitamins FAQs
What is a multivitamin?
A multivitamin is a supplement that contains many different vitamins and minerals. Some multivitamins contain other things besides vitamins and minerals. Some several vitamins and minerals actively work
What role does a multivitamin play in your body?
Vitamins are natural organic compounds necessary to support life. As organic compounds, vitamins occur in nature and are found in dietary sources. Some vitamins are derived from other compounds which are found in dietary sources. There are 13 basic vitamins each of which is essential to certain physiological functions. All vitamins support multiple functions, but each works toward a specific area.
What are the benefits of multivitamins after a detox diet?
The benefits of a multivitamin after a detox largely work toward restoring specific areas of your physical health that can be damaged or otherwise impeded as a result of the toxicity you just worked to eliminate. Following your detox diet, you will want to increase certain vitamins and minerals to sustain the benefits of the detox diet.
Do multivitamins help remove toxins?
Multivitamins can remove toxins from the body. Several important vitamins and minerals actively work to remove toxins, and these vitamins and minerals are common ingredients in most multivitamins.
Conclusion
Multivitamins are the most popular nutrition and health supplement. More people take multivitamins than any other supplement for their health. Multivitamins can provide a general boost to your nutrition and wellness in a single tablet without you having to worry about a list of pills to take every day.
The added benefit of multivitamins is that they can help with detoxifying the body. After you go through a detox diet, it can be beneficial to take a multivitamin to boost the benefits of the detox. Some vitamins and minerals actively work to remove toxins and adding a multivitamin after a detox keeps the momentum going of the detox diet.
While you will get a wide range of vitamins and minerals from the juices and smoothies that make up a detox diet, the addition of a multivitamin after a detox diet will replenish any nutritional shortcomings and sustain the benefits of a detox diet.
