Runners regularly tax their bodies and take in every last bit of vitamins and minerals they can from their daily diet. Unless a runner’s diet is perfectly balanced though, there are going to be some minerals and vitamins that are missing. In this instance, a multivitamin for runners to add to their daily routine is a great filler to make up for gaps in diet. Taking a multivitamin for runners can help prevent many of the side effects and consequences that can occur when gaps in nutrition are present. There are so many multivitamins available though, so it is difficult to find a good place to start. Below, we have listed some key features to look for when choosing a multivitamin for runners.
- Look for multivitamins that are made from “real food” if possible. Having vitamins that are made with real food extracts helps the body break down and absorb the minerals and vitamins better. Unfortunately, when multivitamins are made from stripped-down, straight minerals, the body has a difficult time processing the minerals. This is because the body views these minerals as a foreign chemical entering the body. If it is not possible to find real food vitamins, try to at least look for vitamins that are present in the chelated form. Being processed in this form means that the vitamins and minerals have a protein attached to them. This helps the minerals mimic real food because in food each mineral will be naturally attached to a protein. The protein helps the body better absorb the nutrients to make the most of the multivitamin.
- Don’t even bother with multivitamins that are labeled specifically for men, women, children, older people, active people, etc. These are generally just a marketing hoax and don’t really benefit the people they are specifically targeted for. At the end of the day, all people need vitamins and minerals regardless of their age or sex.
- Try to find multivitamins that contain different enzymes. When vitamins contain certain enzymes, the minerals in the vitamins are easier for the body to absorb.
- There are two things to look for on the label of the multivitamin bottle. Look for “USP” and “CL Approved”. USP stands for “United States Pharmacopeia”. This means that they only allows the absolute highest quality minerals with the highest rate of absorbability. “CL Approved” is the seal for Consumerlabs.com. While this is an independent organization, they work to police the vitamin world. They watch the industry and ensure that only the absolute highest quality multivitamins with the best nutrients earn their seal. Having either one, or both of these labels, on the multivitamin will ensure the runner is getting a very high quality product.
A multivitamin is a great way to supplement any vitamins or minerals that might be lacking in a runner’s diet. The multivitamin will help fill the gaps and keep the runner healthy and their performance peaking. Like all supplements and medication, it is important to always take the multivitamin as recommended on the bottle and to do not overdose on the daily recommended amount.
