Many people every day power up their computers in search for a list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement. However – before we delve into the reasons, let’s provide you with a few good examples on just how complex & complicated nutritional bio-chemistry is so that you can make an informed decision about the list of reasons to take a multivitamin.

Do you know that zinc will not function without vitamin B6, nor can some enzymes be made without it?

Here are a couple more examples to show you how complicated nutritional bio-chemistry is, both selenium & magnesium need vitamin B6 in order to function correctly & selenium is the synergist for vitamin E, meaning if you are taking a vitamin E supplement but you are selenium-deficient, you will not reap the full benefits from vitamin E.

Bottom Line

No nutrient is an island unto itself and, as such, every nutrient requires other nutrients as cofactors, either for activation or function from each of the nutrient categories vitamins, minerals, & amino acids. For activation, vitamins, minerals, & amino acids require enzymes, & for function, essential fatty acid also required.

Now that we have explained just how complex & complicated nutritional bio-chemistry is, the list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement will make more sense to you.

One of the most powerful arguments among experts is whether or not supplements are really necessary if you eat a healthy diet. While the arguments continue in the 21st century chronic illness & disease are sky-rocketing even among the youngest of children. Indeed, we are all aware that diets that mainly consist of junk foods are main contributors to ill health. However – there’re other challenges we are faced with in regards to good nutrition & obtaining best health.

So, can you get all the nutrients you need simply by eating a healthy diet? Quite honestly many experts say no & their reasons are multifaceted, but put simply we live in the modern civilized world.

In the good old days, our ancestors lived in pristine conditions & were given all the needed components needed to maintain good health. Water came from natural sources & it was clean & pure. It also contained certain minerals, & those minerals served an essential purpose in promoting good health. Back then the air was fresh & clean, the skies were bright & clear, & food was rich in nutrients.

In fact, if we step back to just 100 years ago we would discover that most foods were grown & raised on small farms. Farmers rotated their crops regularly to avoid soil exhaustion & to maintain rich & healthy soil. Healthy rotated soil meant the best harvest. Livestock were allowed the freedom roam & graze at will on nutrient rich foods and, as such, food prepared from this livestock was hardy & nutritious. Indeed, back then, they did not need a list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement because they did not need to supplement their diets.

So, what happened? Here’s the list of reasons to take a multivitamin.

First, let’s now take a look at our soil since then. According to the 1992 Earth Summit Soil Mineral Depletion Analysis, the United States has the worst soil in the world ? 85% mineral depleted. Minerals are naturally occurring elements found in earth. Minerals are also present in plants & animals, but they are imported. Plants get minerals from soil & animals get minerals by eating plants. There is more. This means that our foods have declined in nutritional value to help us to sustain optimum health.

Second, we now live in a highly toxic environment. Our research shows that there is an estimated seven billion pounds of toxins & chemical agents added to our water, air & food each year. In actual fact, our bodies now contain between 300-500 known toxins in our tissues that were not found in humans prior to 1940. Toxins in our homes are said to be 5 times higher than those outdoors & 3-5 times more dangerous. There is more. There inescapable?there everywhere even in places as remote as the North Pole where Santa lives. There is more. This is due to the nature of wind, rain, & weather.

But wait, there’s more on the list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement.

Third, our modern day diet is depriving us of even more essential nutrients. In the ‘good old days’ there weren’t any additives, preservatives, processed, refined, or prepackaged foods. Man had to hunt & gather food since there weren’t any grocery stores. There is more. There weren’t any white bread bushes or donut trees. There is more. There weren’t any drive-through windows or canned, cooked, dried or packed in heavy sugar syrup fruits & veggies. Man did not have the option to pull French fries out of the ground & kick back with a soft drink. Back then man consumed food that was natural, fresh & highly nutritious.

Fourth, commercial farming which consist of pesticides, insecticides, & chemical fertilizers comes with a price. The cost is the loss of nutritional value of our crops. Moreover, mass production of fruits & vegetables has robbed us of even more essential nutrients because premature harvesting does not allow them to reach their natural peak of nutrition. Foods are often picked before they are ripe & allowed to ripen in transit.

Here’s food for thought on just how much our fruits & veggies have declined in nutritional value. In actual fact, the below example will give you a clearer picture in regards to the list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement.

Two peaches back in 1951 would have provided the current RDA requirements of vitamin A for adult women. Today, a woman would have to consume almost 53 peaches to meet her daily requirements of vitamin A.

Sad, is not it!

But wait, there’s even more on the list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement.

Fifth, trace levels of pharmaceutical drugs are now present in our surface water, groundwater, drinking water & sewage. Studies have revealed some 50 to 90 percent of ingested pharmaceutical drugs are not metabolized, & leave the body in urine & feces & enter the sewage system. Moreover, hospitals & nursing homes routinely dispose of “vast quantities” of unused pharmaceuticals. According to our research the ultimate effects of these numerous pharmaceutical drugs that we drink in minute amounts daily are yet unknown.

Yet, even more on the list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement.

Sixth, stress, whether psychological or physical or due to injury or illness, depletes the body of vital nutrients. Indeed, another important factor in regards to the list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement.

Seventh, many prescription & even non-prescription drugs can interact with nutrients and, over time, can cause nutrient depletion.

Eighth, heat destroys many valuable nutrients in foods. There is more. This is why many experts recommend eating a diet high in raw foods whenever appropriate.

Lastly, we are all aware of the health effects air pollutants have on the human body as it too contributes to ill health. In actual fact, medical research has established that environmental chemicals contribute to degenerative diseases.

While we have not exhausted the list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement, the aforementioned list gives you excellent clues on supplemental necessity.

It’s important to remember that human body was actually designed to defend, heal, & protect itself from harmful threats when given the proper tools, which is good nutrition.

Indeed, when given these harsh challenges many experts feel that you can notdepend on food alone to provide you with all of the nutrition you need for best health. This is why health conscious enthusiast advises virtually everyone to take nutritional supplements.

In fact, most physicians today recommend, at the very least, a high quality multi-vitamin & mineral supplement. However – figuring out what supplement to take for best health is a lot like purchasing major health insurance or trying to make sense of all the medical charges after a major surgery — confusing & complicated. It does help if you familiarize yourself with the functions of nutrients.

While nutritional supplements can fill in the gaps it is not an adequate substitute for a good diet. In other words, supplements can enhance a healthy diet & are not a substitute for it.

Keep in mind that not all multi-vitamins are created completely equal & nowadays there’re nutraceutical companies that produce multi nutrient supplements that go far & beyond the basic multi-vitamin & mineral product. By example, the product may include special antioxidant nutrients such as green tea extract that are much more powerful than vitamins C & E, & it may also include many other natural nutrients that promote a host of healthful benefits that simply won’t be ever found in a low end basic multi-vitamin & mineral supplement.

We hope this list of reasons to take a multi-vitamin supplement was useful to you.

Cindy Amorin is the chief editor of Nutritional-Supplement-Educational-Centre.com, an information-rich site that discusses nutritional, dietary, & herbal supplements & their potential therapeutic value. She is the editor of vitamin & mineral supplements a section of Nutritional-Supplement-Educational-Centre discussing recommendations as to what to look for in an ideal multi-vitamin & mineral supplement.

For those of you interested in learning how to buy a quality multi-vitamin supplement, visit us on the web at our best multivitamin web page.