Does Taking Multivitamins Every Day Actually Do Anything?

If you find yourself popping multivitamins every day and loading up your medicine cabinet, you might be wondering, "Do these even work?" You're not alone, as Americans spent nearly 50 billion dollars in 2021 buying into the allure of multivitamins and dietary supplements (via ScienceDaily). With the health and wellness industry growing yearly, vitamin supplements are becoming increasingly trendy, with personalized and custom dietary pill plans augmenting health practices.

Health gurus and gym rats now find that they're not only counting their macronutrients as part of their dietary plan. They're also paying attention to all of the micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals they consume daily. Are they getting enough collagen? Should they take their vitamin B12 before or after breakfast? How much D3 have they had so far today? The vitamin and supplement world is full of questions. The most important question is, "Is the little bean-sized pill actually working?

Despite their quick-fix appeal, recent research concludes that multivitamins do not always reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, or cognitive diseases (via Johns Hopkins Medicine). In fact, one study showed zero health differences between a group of people who took multivitamins and a group who did not (via WebMD). The problem, however, may be that multivitamin pills have a low absorption rate. Scientists found that the average multivitamin capsule or tablet has an absorption rate of less than ten percent, meaning you're not receiving even half of the vitamins you aim to digest (via Nutrivitality). Our stomach has often already broken down the outer casing and destroyed the vitamin before the nutrients have had time to be absorbed in the body.

Despite many scientists calling multivitamins a waste of time and money, other researchers are still promoting dietary supplement use. Because a lack of micronutrients can lead to impaired immune function, it can also lead to chronic illnesses (via Forbes). Multivitamins are still not a shortcut to good health, however, especially with their low absorption rate. A well-rounded diet that includes a daily serving of fruit and vegetable should be prioritized if your goal is to get all your vitamins and nutrients.

With capsules and tablets to blame for the little to no bodily integration, scientists are encouraging health nuts to take their vitamins in liquid form. Liquid multivitamins have a much faster absorption rate, making them more effective in bioavailability (via List Wire). Unfortunately, this is not always the case with every vitamin, as rapid absorption does not always mean more effectiveness. So be sure to research the vitamin you are taking and see if liquid absorption is a good option. In most situations, however, liquid multivitamins and minerals are able to provide you with more bioavailability than a pill. There are many vitamins and supplements that you can use in powder form as well that will have a better absorption rate than a tablet or capsule. 

The truth is that there is no magic pill. No one vitamin or nutrient is going to cure an illness or help you lose weight. The key is to make sure you're living an abundantly healthy lifestyle. That means looking at every area of your world and seeing where you can make changes. Chances are, you can get more vitamins from your local produce aisle, not the medicine cabinet.