Comprehensive vitamins are among the most popular health supplements for those who dine out frequently and experience dietary imbalances. In developed or developing countries, food processing can lead to the loss of essential vitamins and minerals, contributing to long-term nutritional deficiencies, often referred to as “hidden hunger” [1]. Supplementing with comprehensive vitamins can help individuals acquire the essential nutrients required for maintaining good health. This article provides an overview of comprehensive vitamins, recommended intake, consumption methods, and a comparison of five best-selling comprehensive vitamin brands on the market, offering valuable recommendations for everyone.
What are Comprehensive Vitamins and What Do They Include?
Comprehensive vitamins can be categorized into two main groups: water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. The water-soluble vitamins include eight B vitamins and vitamin C. On the other hand, fat-soluble vitamins consist of vitamin A, D, E, and K. Water-soluble vitamins often act as coenzymes that assist in metabolic pathways, while fat-soluble vitamins directly regulate physiological functions.
Minerals can be classified based on their daily requirement and storage levels in the body. Macronutrients are needed in amounts greater than 100 milligrams per day and include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and potassium. Micronutrients are needed in amounts less than 100 milligrams per day and include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, iodine, fluorine, molybdenum, and cobalt. Some minerals are even considered trace minerals, such as arsenic, silicon, and vanadium. Comprehensive vitamins encompass all vitamins, and modern formulations often include a combination of vitamins and comprehensive minerals, making nutritional supplementation more balanced and convenient [2].
What are the Functions of the Components in Comprehensive Vitamins?
We will now introduce the individual nutrients and their functions found in comprehensive vitamins[2][3][4][5].
1. Water-Soluble Vitamins
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
Assists in normal energy metabolism, supports the functions of skin, heart, and nervous system, and helps maintain a healthy appetite. - Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Participates as a crucial coenzyme in energy metabolism and contributes to skin health. - Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Aids in energy metabolism, enhances skin, nervous system, mucous membranes, and digestive system health, and helps lower blood lipid levels. - Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
Participates in lipid synthesis and breakdown, cholesterol synthesis, and amino acid metabolism, and promotes skin and mucous membrane health. - Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Maintains normal amino acid metabolism, aids in the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells, helps convert tryptophan to niacin, and supports nervous system health. - Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
Contributes to energy and amino acid metabolism, participates in the synthesis of fatty acids, purines, and glycogens, and promotes skin and mucous membrane health. - Vitamin B9 (Folate)
Assists in the formation of nucleic acids and nucleoproteins, stabilizes red blood cell formation, and ensures proper fetal development and growth. - Vitamin B12 (Cobalamins)
Aids in red blood cell formation and maintains nervous system health. - Vitamin C
Participates in intracellular redox reactions, exhibits antioxidant activity, enhances iron absorption, promotes collagen formation, aids in wound healing, supports connective tissue, bone, and tooth growth, and maintains the normal functions of gums and skin.
2. Fat-Soluble Vitamins
- Vitamin A
Comprising retinol and retinyl esters, it aids in the development and growth of teeth and bones, promotes skin and mucous membrane health, and contributes to maintaining vision in dim light conditions. - Vitamin D
Also known as calciferol, it promotes the release of bone calcium to maintain blood calcium balance, enhances calcium absorption, supports the growth and development of bones and teeth, contributes to the normal physiological functions of nerves and muscles, and recent research has found significant associations between vitamin D and immune regulation and anti-inflammatory responses. - Vitamin E
Also called tocopherol, it exhibits antioxidant effects, helps reduce the generation of free radicals, decreases the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, maintains cell membrane integrity, and enhances skin and blood cell health. - Vitamin K
Activates clotting proteins in the liver and blood, contributes to proper blood coagulation functions, and promotes calcium deposition in bones.
3. Macronutrient Minerals
- Calcium (Ca)
Activates prothrombin to become thrombin, aids in blood clotting, regulates cell permeability, contributes to the normal contraction of muscles and heart, nerve sensitivity, and maintains the normal development and health of bones and teeth. - Phosphorus (P)
Forms the basic structure of bones and teeth, composes intracellular phosphoproteins and phospholipids, and is a primary component of high-energy phosphate compounds such as ATP or GTP. - Magnesium (Mg)
Supports the normal development of bones and teeth, maintains normal carbohydrate metabolism, and contributes to the normal functions of the heart, muscles, and nerves. - Chlorine (Cl)
Maintains acid-base balance, water balance, and osmotic pressure in the body, and is a basic component of gastric acid. - Potassium (K)
Maintains acid-base balance, normal cell osmotic pressure, participates in nerve conduction, and assists in the normal contraction of muscles.
4. Micronutrient Minerals
- Iron (Fe)
Essential component of hemoglobin and myoglobin, aids in the formation of normal red blood cells, assists in the transport and utilization of oxygen. - Zinc (Zn)
Contributes to maintaining normal metabolism of energy, carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids, is a component of insulin and various enzymes, supports the synthesis of skin tissue proteins, enhances skin health, maintains normal taste perception and appetite, aids in growth, development, and reproduction. - Copper (Cu)
Acts as a coenzyme for certain enzymes, participates in energy metabolism, and is necessary for the formation of hemoglobin. - Manganese (Mn)
Serves as a cofactor for numerous enzymes, is important for growth and development, and participates in antioxidant processes. - Selenium (Se)
When present with vitamin E, it enhances antioxidant effects and reduces oxidative damage to cells. - Chromium (Cr)
Assists insulin in promoting glucose entry into cells, maintains normal carbohydrate metabolism. - Iodine (I)
Primary component in synthesizing thyroid hormones, helps maintain the normal secretion of thyroxine and basal metabolism, supports normal growth, development, and nervous and muscle functions.
Who is suitable to take comprehensive vitamins?
1. Dining Out Group
People who frequently dine out or have a monotonous diet may be limited in their food choices, making it easy for them to have insufficient or lacking intake of certain nutrients.
2. High Stress Lifestyle
High levels of stress lead to the production of stress hormones in the body, which require various water-soluble vitamins as coenzymes during their synthesis, including B vitamins and vitamin C. Additionally, calcium and magnesium are involved in regulating nerve conduction, stabilizing emotions, and relaxing muscles. When the body experiences physical or mental stress, oxidative stress increases, leading to rapid depletion of antioxidants and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity. Vitamin C and various minerals are important cofactors in antioxidant processes, contributing to maintaining internal antioxidant capabilities [6].
3. Pregnant and Nursing Women
During pregnancy, in addition to an increased calorie requirement, a higher intake of various nutrients is needed. For example, folic acid is involved in red blood cell production and reduces the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. Vitamin B12 is closely related to hematopoiesis, cell division, and the nervous system. The basal metabolic rate increases during pregnancy, leading to an increased need for iodine. Iron supplementation not only meets the demands of blood production but also provides essential nutrients for fetal development.
4. Illness and Post-Recovery
During illness, the body activates certain metabolic pathways to resist external invaders such as bacteria or viruses, which also increases oxidative stress. Supplementing with comprehensive vitamins during the recovery period can quickly replenish lost vitamins and minerals, aiding in the restoration of normal bodily functions.
5. Weight Management
Weight loss processes involving reduced food intake or dietary changes can result in insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals. Supplementing with comprehensive vitamins provides a direct and effective method to replenish multiple essential nutrients without introducing excess calories.
💡For timing the supplementation of comprehensive vitamins, it is recommended to take them after meals, as B vitamins require metabolic pathways to be present for their role as coenzymes. Additionally, the fat-soluble vitamins in comprehensive vitamins are better absorbed when consumed alongside dietary fats.
3 Principles for Expertly Choosing Comprehensive Vitamins
When selecting comprehensive vitamins, you can follow these three principles:
1. Broad and Diverse Formulations
In addition to basic fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, you can choose formulations that include various sources of minerals, including both major and trace minerals. The broader the coverage, the more comprehensive the support for health regulation. Moreover, commercially available comprehensive vitamins often add nutrients that the body cannot synthesize, such as lutein and lycopene, further enhancing health benefits.
2. Adequate Dosages
When choosing, it is advisable to refer to the nutritional label to ensure that you meet the government’s daily recommended intake. However, it is still recommended not to exceed the upper tolerable intake level (UL).
3. Sustained-Release Formulations
Comprehensive vitamins are available in different formulations such as softgel capsules, hard capsules, regular tablets, and extended-release tablets. Softgel capsules, hard capsules, and regular tablets release all nutrients rapidly upon consumption. Therefore, extended-release formulations are recommended. They effectively prolong the action time of water-soluble nutrients in the body, allowing nutrients to be utilized steadily throughout the day. This approach maintains healthy bodily functions and avoids overwhelming the digestive system with a large intake of nutrients at once.
【2023】Comparison of 5 Comprehensive Vitamin Products
1. Daiken Multiple Vitamin Enteric-Coated Tablets
- Vitamin ADEK: ✓
- Vitamin C: ✓
- A total of 8 items in the complete Group B: ✓
- Minerals: 12 kinds
- Other Ingredients: Lutein, Lycopene
- Types of total nutrients: 27 kinds
- Dosage Form: Sustained Release Tablets
- Recommended daily dosage: 2 tablets per day
- Quantity: 60 tablets
- View Product >
2. Centrum Multivitamins for Adults
- Vitamin ADEK: ✓
- Vitamin C: ✓
- A total of 8 items in the complete Group B: ✓
- Minerals: 10 types
- Other Ingredients: Lutein, Lycopene
- Types of total nutrients: 25 kinds
- Dosage form: film-coated tablet
- Recommended daily dosage: 1 tablet per day
- Quantity: 100 tablets
- View Product >
3. Nature Made Multiple Vitamins with Minerals
- Vitamin ADEK: ✓
- Vitamin C: ✓
- A total of 8 items in the complete Group B: ✓
- Minerals: 10 types
- Other Ingredients: Lutein
- Types of total nutrients: 24 kinds
- Dosage form: film-coated tablet
- Recommended daily dosage: 1 tablet per day
- Quantity: 300 tablets
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4. HAC Multiple Vitamins Soft Capsule
- Vitamin ADEK: ✓
- Vitamin C: ✓
- A total of 8 items in the complete Group B: ✓
- Minerals: 9 types
- Other Ingredients: Taurine, Soy Lecithin, DHA Algae Oil
- Types of total nutrients: 25 kinds
- Dosage Form: Soft Capsule
- Daily recommended dosage: 2 times a day, 1 capsule each time
- Quantity: 100 capsules
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5. DHC Multiple Vitamins
- Vitamin ADEK: No added vitamin K
- Vitamin C: ✓
- A total of 8 items in the complete Group B: ✓
- Minerals: No added minerals
- Other Ingredients: Dunsa (beta-carotene)
- Types of total nutrients: 12 kinds
- Dosage Form: Soft Capsule
- Recommended daily dosage: 1 capsule per day
- Quantity: 30 capsules
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Comparison Table of 5 Multiple Vitamin
| Product | Daiken Multiple Vitamin Enteric-Coated Tablets | Centrum Multivitamins for Adults | Nature Made Multiple Vitamins with Minerals | HAC Multiple Vitamins Soft Capsule | DHC Multiple Vitamins |
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| Vitamin ADEK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | No added vitamin K |
| Vitamin C | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| A total of 8 items in the complete Group B | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Minerals | 12 kinds | 10 kinds | 10 kinds | 9 kinds | No added |
| Other Ingredients | Lutein, Lycopene | Lutein, Lycopene | Lutein | Taurine, Soy Lecithin, DHA Algae Oil | Dunsa (beta-carotene) |
| Types of total nutrients | 27 kinds | 25 kinds | 24 kinds | 25 kinds | 12 kinds |
| Dosage Form | Sustained Release Tablets | film-coated tablet | film-coated tablet | Soft Capsule | Soft Capsule |
| Recommended daily dosage | 2 tablets per day | 1 tablets per day | 1 tablets per day | 2 times a day, 1 capsule each time | 1 tablets per day |
| Quantity | 60 tablets | 100 tablets | 300 tablets | 100 tablets | 30 tablets |
Summary
In today’s world, food is easily accessible and convenient, but without proper attention to balanced intake, it’s easy to fall into the trap of hidden hunger. Therefore, when choosing multivitamins for a health boost, it’s essential to be selective. In addition to the aforementioned selection principles, seeking products that have been tested by reputable third-party organizations can ensure both effective supplementation and peace of mind, ultimately addressing the body’s nutritional needs.
