Multivitamins are great tools to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs. If you are considering taking a multivitamin with calcium, you need to know how much you need and what should be included. It is also important to understand how you get vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat, so that you do not consume too much.
Significance
Most multivitamins contain some or all of the essential vitamins. These include vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B complex. They might also contain minerals such as calcium, which is added because it supports the health of your teeth and bones to help prevent osteoporosis. It is also important in other functions, such as the clotting of your blood, hormone physiology, and the proper functioning of nerves, muscles and heartbeat.
RDA
When selecting a multivitamin, remember that it is designed to supply your body with the nutrients in which you are deficient, so if you eat healthy foods, you do not need mega-doses. Instead, choose a multivitamin that supplies the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of each vitamin. Calcium is also required in certain amounts and depending on your gender, you need between 1,000 mg and 1,300 mg if you are an adult. If you get a lot of calcium in your diet, do not take a supplement that has large amounts of calcium. Excess calcium supplementation can lead to loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dry mouth, thirst and frequent urination. To avoid this, most adults need to limit their supplement intake to 2,500 mg or less of calcium per day.
Vitamins, Minerals and Food
Calcium is naturally found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, salmon, sardines, almonds, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and dried beans. The best sources of calcium are milk and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese. Dairy products, vegetables, fish, nuts, beans and seeds are all examples of foods found in a healthy balanced diet. If you consume a variety of these foods each day, your body will get ample amounts of calcium and the essential vitamins.
Considerations
If you take medications, you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any interactions that could occur between your medications and your multivitamin. Vitamins and minerals are natural and safe, but some medications do not mix well with high doses of these nutrients. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to avoid any complications especially if you are on anticoagulant medications. High intake of vitamins C, E and K can affect how these medications work.
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