Let’s say you’re a vegetarian, eat a healthy diet, and have plenty of fresh produce in your diet. Should You Take Extra Vitamins? What do experts think about this?
If you are getting all the nutrients, then taking a multivitamin is not necessary. But it’s a handy way to make up for a deficiency when your diet isn’t perfect.
. Plant foods are essentially devoid of vitamin B12, which is essential for healthy blood and nerves. In addition, people over 50 years of age are advised to take B12 supplements due to problems with the absorption of this vitamin. The recommended dose is 2,4 micrograms per day for adults, slightly more for vegetarians and pregnant and lactating women. All multivitamins contain adequate amounts of vitamin B12.
The natural way to obtain vitamin D is through the skin through exposure to sunlight. This vitamin helps the body absorb calcium. For people who don’t get enough direct sun exposure, synthetic vitamin D is an alternative. The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 600 IU (15 mcg) for adults under 70 and 800 IU (20 mcg) if you are over 70. Because vitamin D also helps prevent cancer, some doctors recommend higher intake levels. Daily doses up to 3000 IU (75 mcg) are safe for healthy adults.
For vegans, keep in mind that vitamin D comes in two forms. First, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) comes from lanolin in wool. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is derived from yeast. Although some researchers have questioned the absorption of D2, recent evidence places it on par with D3.
Women of childbearing age may be deficient, and iron-fortified vitamins may be helpful. Post-menopausal women and adult men of any age often accumulate more iron than their bodies need, so choose an iron-free brand of multivitamin.
found in abundance in green leafy vegetables and some legumes. Vegetarians do not require calcium supplements. However, recommendations for women with osteopenia or osteoporosis may include calcium as part of a rehabilitation program.
Thus, a sensible strategy for a vegetarian is to take vitamin B12 and vitamin D (if there is a shortage of sunlight). Everything else you get from the food you eat.