Multivatamins: Strong Base for All Other Supplementation for Body How many of you thought that supplementation in bodybuilding or fitness only means whey protein, BCAA, creatine, nitric oxide, etc. only? The basic multivitamin misses the slot in most of the supplementation lists, especially, when it comes to bodybuilding and fitness sports. To complete all the tasks in a day, a human body needs a range of vital nutrients. In case of occurrence of any deficiency in any one of these essential vitamins and minerals, there can be an imbalance in metabolic system of the body. All this yields to low performance and efficiency. This becomes the major hindrance in achieving your fitness goals. You have to make sure that apart from other important supplementation, you take high-potency multivitamins or multi-mineral formula which form the base of a number of metabolic reactions in the body. Hence, bodybuilding athletes and people with very active lifestyles need even more nutrients that the average person who is not that active. Multivitamins are not usually advertised in a way that it projects that they increase your number of reps or weight-lifting capacity in specified number of days, so people generally don’t look out for them while shopping for other supplements, when it comes to building your body. You have to understand that before going for other supplements which are advertised heavily most of the times, you must form a good foundation for their effectiveness and this foundation comes from multivitamins and multi-minerals. Hence, having such a concrete foundation will increase your performance with a strong hold of immunity. Nowadays, when food is unable to supply the nutritional demands of the body, it becomes mandatory to have your dose of multivitamins as first thing in the morning. Multivitamins comprise of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins Vitamins are organic and are more complex than minerals. Human body needs all types of vitamins for survival. Vitamins control the chemical reactions inside the body, converting food into energy and producing living tissue. They are water soluble which must be taken daily since they are not stored in the body like Vitamin C and all Vitamin Bs, or they are fat soluble, which are stored in the body like Vitamins A, D, E and K. They are susceptible to heat, light and chemical agents so food preparation, processing and storing must be appropriate to preserve vitamins so you get the maximum nutritional value out of whatever you are eating. Minerals Minerals are inorganic and are simpler in chemical form than vitamins. They are much more stable in food preparation than vitamins also. Minerals are classified as major or macro like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium chloride, magnesium and sulfur; and trace or micro like iron, iodine, zinc, chromium, selenium, fluoride, molybdenum, copper and manganese. Dosage of major minerals should be greater than 100 mg a day. The trace minerals are sufficient in miniscule amount. Minerals also help us produce necessary hormones. Men and women need different nutrients for their bodies to carry out their respective day to day body functions. Therefore, multivitamins meant for men and women differ most of the times. Men’s multivitamins may support a healthy prostrate and testosterone levels. Women’s multivitamins have formulas which focus more one skin, nails and hair health apart from their overall health. There are special pre-natal multivitamins for expecting mothers too. Not only this multivitamins are essential for kids as well, it boosts their healthy growth every day – both mental and physical. The quantity and type of multivitamins differs as kids grow up and step in adolescence. Hence, multivitamins which you didn’t consider as a supplement at all, is actually the base for healthy functions of your body and forms a concrete foundation for effective assimilation of other supplements in your body. They play a major role in putting your immune system up and support growth and strength of your body at different stages of your life. If your body falls short of even one vitamin or mineral, whole of your organ system suffers in one way or the other and so does your performance and fitness goals. So next time you grab supplements from the shelf, make sure to put your hands on suitable multivitamins first!