What Are Vitamins Personal, And Do You Need Them?


If you've been down with a vitamin and supplement aisle at a drug store and are confused - what supplements do I really need? What is the appropriate dose? Can I take this multivitamin and get rid of it? - know that you are not alone. Several companies have identified this consumer problem and are committed to solving it and transforming the vitamin industry along the way.


These new companies, which include Care / of, Ritual, among others, began appearing in online ads (and possibly on your Instagram server, too) from 2015. Most of them work in the same way: Try to get to know you and recommend the vitamins and ingredients that are right for your needs.


Are Multivitamins and Dietary Supplements Needed?

The most popular multivitamins - about half of Americans older than 50 take one, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But the question of whether they are necessary or helpful is still debated.


In one large study of more than 4,900 people, those who regularly took multivitamins reported almost 30 percent better health than those who did not use it, but researchers did not find strong evidence that this was true. The results of the study, published at the BMJ Open in 2020, did not show a corresponding decrease in the risk of multivitamin users for chronic diseases or the development of health markers. And a June 2018 review of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology analyzed 179 studies and found that many vitamins (and nutritional supplements such as vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin D) did not improve heart health or help people live longer. . .


Multivitamins have shown some benefits for certain groups of people, such as pregnant women, those with severe nutritional needs, and people who suffer from certain vitamin deficiencies, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.


"In general, we are better off getting the essentials of a complete diet, but most people don't eat this way," says Ian Smith, MD, a Chicago author of several dietary books. "It turns out that, especially with some of these limited and fashionable foods being pursued by most of us, most of us are very deficient in nutrition." He says taking high-quality vitamins and supplements can help close these gaps.


How Do Personalized Vitamin Services Work?

Another criticism of multivitamins is that not everyone needs the same nutrients at the same price, and even one person’s needs often change during their lifetime. People who follow a vegetarian diet, for example, may be more likely to take in vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D, according to the Mayo Clinic. On the other hand, smokers may need more calcium and vitamins C and D, according to Beth Israel Lahey Health Winchester Hospital.


Custom vitamin companies propose to provide a solution for how to balance everything. Many of these companies, including Care / of, Vous Vitamin, and Persona, start with short questions (usually completed in five minutes or less) that include your gender, age, health goals, lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, anxiety, and allergies. After that, you will receive additional recommendations or attachments, which will be delivered to you every month (or sometimes) when you purchase a subscription. It can be a single multivitamin supplement or a pack of a few pills.


Some custom vitamin companies, including Mytamin and the Swiss-based Baze, use a scientific approach - but also the most aggressive -, based on the composition of their common ingredients in blood tests. Some companies, including Rootine and VitaminLab are using DNA tests - the latter will even use test results from 23andMe and Ancestry that you may have taken earlier.


Benefits of Custom Vitamins

There are two major benefits of personal vitamins: comfort and personalization. Instead of remembering to go to the pharmacy to buy, vitamins and supplements are brought to your door every month. “Registration and a customer-specific model are wise for consumers who continue to seek luxury and service at your 'door'," said Drs. Smith. "Many people may stop taking vitamins because they do not have the opportunity to supplement their diet."


The second major benefit is that the vitamins you receive are tailored to your needs. These companies are trying to get enough information about you to determine what nutrients you may not have and what you need to stay healthy and meet your goals. That personalization helps make them different. "While the grocery store's multivitamin uses data from thousands of people, these personalized vitamin services try to use the data of people closest to your statistics to find the individual's [way]," said Caitlin Self, a licensed nutritionist based in Baltimore.


Your Person's Vitamin Deficiency

At first glance, these companies have a lot of metals and whistleblowers: soft websites with glamorous questions, the presence of organized social media, and good packaging. But the answers to your questions speak for themselves rather than for themselves, and worrying may not be enough.


When it comes to blood tests, it is reliable - if done correctly. "The story could be a personal mistake, considering that the testers are trained in drawing, handling, and storing blood," said Trista Best, RD, MPH, a natural health expert and coordinator of Balance One Supplements. supplements) eDalton, Georgia. Blood taken from a laboratory will likely be stored properly, while blood samples sent by mail are at risk of being damaged by temperature changes or other conditions.


Both Smith and Self say that buying these companies is probably better than buying from a shelf. "I believe these personalized methods are better than a grocery store multivitamin, but not nearly as a clinical symptom test by a dietitian," Self said. A registered health professional can identify nutritional gaps in your diet and give you tips on how to fix it with whole foods, which are often better than ingredients of any kind.


Also, although many of these types have a team of doctors or nutritionists in the staff who develop recommendations and research specific diets, there is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitoring of these products. "That means most of these companies have not been properly evaluated by third parties," Self said.