Multivitamin Mineral Supplements

Vitamins and minerals are vital nutrients you need for growth and development, cell and tissue function and disease prevention. The USDA Dietary Guidelines emphasize that consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and avoiding processed foods, is the best way to obtain the nutrients you need, and nutritional supplements are best if you do not consume sufficient amounts of nutrients in your diet. Consult your doctor about taking multivitamin mineral supplements.

Benefits

Multivitamin mineral supplements can help you replenish nutrients that are low in your blood, deficient in your diet or are not absorbed from foods. People who smoke or drink alcohol may require a multivitamin mineral supplement. Smoking can inactivate the function of vitamins and alcohol can increases your risk of malabsorption of vitamins, according to research by scientists at the TNO Nutrition and Food Research Institute in Zeist, The Netherlands and published in the "International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research" in 2002. Multivitamin mineral supplements can also prevent or treat certain diseases. Vtamin D, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous are essential for bone growth and prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Risks

Taking multivitamin mineral supplements can incur health risks. More than 13 percent of adults in the United States who consume multivitamin mineral supplements experience adverse events, according to the Food and Drug Administration and published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" in 2006. Taking too much of a particular vitamin or mineral can cause liver or kidney toxicity and other side effects. Side effects from high doses of vitamin A can include headache, nausea, appetite loss, joint pain, dry skin and dizziness. Multivitamin mineral supplements can also contain contaminants, such as heavy metals and residues from pesticides, according to a report from Congress.

Drug Interactions

Multivitamin mineral supplements can interfere with certain medications that you may be taking. Multivitamin mineral supplements that contain vitamin A can enhance the potency and potential toxic effects of Accutane, a prescription medication that treats cystic acne and contains isotretinoin, a substance similar in chemical structure to vitamin A. Multivitamin mineral supplements containing vitamin C can interfere with numerous medications. Vitamin C can raise the blood levels of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cause them to stay in your body longer. Vitamin C can interfere with the effects of chemotherapy drugs. Vitamin C can increase estrogen levels when taken with oral contraceptives.

Considerations

Multivitamin mineral supplements are available in several forms, such as tablets, capsules, soft-gels, liquid and powders. Always read the label to determine the nutrients and quantities of each nutrient is contained in the product. It is also best that you use a reputable brand. Multivitamin mineral supplements are best taken with a meal, particularly because fat soluble vitamins require fat or oils for absorption into your body.