Is Taking a Multivitamin Every Day Necessary?
It is a small daily habit, something people do because it feels like a simple way to look after their health. But after years of research, the story behind that little bottle isn’t as straightforward as many people think. About one-third of U.S. adults take multivitamin or mineral supplements, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
The multivitamin story is really about the gap between what people hope a daily pill can do and what science has actually proven. That does not mean vitamins are unimportant. The body needs vitamins and minerals to function, and supplements can help when people need to meet certain nutritional needs.
The bigger question is what happens when someone who is already getting enough nutrients adds a multivitamin to their daily routine. Does it offer extra protection against major health problems, or is the benefit more limited? That question has kept researchers looking closely at multivitamins for years.
Excerpted from yahoo! health
