The gastrointestinal system has two main functions: to ensure you absorb nutrients (and calories for energy) and as an important part of the immune system, since everything you eat is a potential source of pathogens.
When stomach trouble comes up—even in a minor way—one or both of these jobs becomes compromised.
A multivitamin is essential to plug gaps caused by stomach problems. Whether it’s something mild like acid reflux or more severe like an inflammatory disease, a multivitamin can smooth out the days where symptoms crop up.
It’s not just things like inflammation (IBD or IBS) that interfere with nutrient absorption, it’s the over the counter medicine used to treat them. Heartburn tablets, for example, can interfere with certain key nutrients, like iron, from getting absorbed.
Even minor food poisoning can mess up your carefully planned lunch. If you have an abnormal bowel movement, you’ve probably skipped absorbing some nutrients. Probiotics can help regulate them by supporting the immune system of the gut (meaning your nutritious lunch won’t just get flushed out by the body), and a multivitamin helps ensure you get all your nutrition the day you eat something your body isn’t excited about!
Even if you aren’t noticing symptoms of stomach trouble (heartburn, aches, cramping…) you probably aren’t getting a perfectly balanced diet on a daily basis, either. A multivitamin is a great safety net.
Do you prefer a general multivitamin or one targeted for a specific need? Did you know common medications block nutrient absorption? Share below!
