Dr. Virginia Loewenstine, CEO and medical director of Tristate Preventive Health, answers your questions
Q: I am always striving to be as healthy as I can be. Should I be taking a multivitamin daily?
A: Before I say yes or no, let’s talk about vitamins and minerals. All vitamins (except for vitamin D) are NOT made or synthesized in the human body, so they must be added through the diet.
There are two types of vitamins: water soluble and fat soluble.
Water soluble means that if the body has enough of that vitamin, the excess is excreted in the urine – often making the urine color bright yellow. These vitamins include the eight B vitamins and vitamin C.
Fat soluble means that if the body has enough of the vitamin, the excess is stored in the liver and fat of the body. Over time, these fat-soluble vitamins can cause adverse effects, depending on the particular vitamin. Fat soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K. These are the ones to pay attention to because of the potential for overdose.
Minerals come from rocks, soil, or water and are brought into the body indirectly from what an animal has eaten, from the soil a plant is grown in, or through the environment. Just like vitamins, there are two categories: major and trace. Neither category is superior to the other, major just means there is more of that mineral found in the body.
If you eat a balanced diet, there is no need to take a multivitamin. If you are taking a multivitamin, watch your urine color – the brighter the yellow, the more the money you spent is being flushed down the toilet.
