The demands of our lives in the current times make it difficult to get all the vital nutrients we need for a whole fully functional body. Microwaved food, canned meals, take away food, junk food all contribute to the complexities in our quest to get the much-needed nutrition. 
Furthermore, as the body ages with it also comes a decrease in the system’s ability to absorb essential nutrients. That said there is a need to supplement the body’s requirement for nutrients by using supplements or multivitamins.
Supplements vary in complexities from a single nutrient to multi-nutrient in its composition and can be used for different uses. Based on age, gender, general health there are different options available to meet one’s needs. A good place to start when determining your supplemental needs is to review your medical history and state of health with your doctor. The most common recommendation is to take a multi-nutrient supplement. The pros of this approach are that it reduces the potential of taking more than the body needs.
There are
a number of multi-nutrient supplements available in the market that are of good quality and meets the body’s needs. In addition to these, there are other supplements specific to men, women, teenagers, those with an active lifestyle, of those above 50 years of age among others. Single-nutrient supplements such as calcium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, D, E, B complex, selenium among others. These are purposely formulated to address specific deficiencies in the body. However, one must exercise caution when taking these supplements as they have a higher content of a single nutrient and may trigger undesired health effects or interact with the routine medication. It is important to understand the desired/anticipated health benefits when taking supplements be it a single formulation or multi-nutrient/multivitamin formulations.
Overall there are well-documented health benefits attributed to the responsible use of supplements. Unfortunately, with this added benefit there is the risk of abuse and overdosing on supplements negating the benefit they offer in the first place. Always consult your health care provider to find out if your body needs any dietary supplements before making any purchase decision.
Verdure 