Warning Signs That Your Liver Isn’t Functioning properly

Top 11 Warning Signs That Your Liver Isn’t Functioning Properly.

Beware! Those Toxins Are Accumulating In Your Fatty Tissues!

Liver – the heaviest and the second largest organ in the human body. It is probably one of the most hardworking organs of the body and performs a number of functions. It is a key player in our body’s digestive system as whatever you eat or drink passes through it.

Our liver sits exactly under the lower rib cage on the right side of our body and is about the size of a football (size may vary from person to person according to the body type). 

The most important function of the liver is cleaning the blood by getting rid of harmful chemicals present in the body. It also helps in the production of bile, which, in turn, helps in breaking down the fat in the body. It helps in the storing of sugar (glucose), which provides a quick energy boost whenever required by the body.

1. There is hormonal imbalance in the body.
2. Improper digestion of food.
3. You experience anxiety 
4. depression quite often.
5. Constant headache.
6. Joint pains.
7. You feel lethargic.
8. Chronic fatigue.
9. Facial acne.
10. Abdominal pain.
11. Diarrhea or constipation.

Now, the next question that arises is how can you take good care of your liver, and if your liver is not functioning well, what can you do to improve its functioning? The answer to these questions is very simple. Firstly, eat food that is beneficial for your health, and secondly, bring about some positive changes in your lifestyle. 

Here are some tips and tricks that can help you maintain a healthy liver:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat healthy fats.
3. Go for a balanced diet that includes everything from plant proteins and meat to seeds and nuts.
4. Avoid processed foods.
5. Try to eat more of organic foods that are low in sodium and other toxic substances.
6. Refined sugar is not good for our health. Thus, try to minimize its consumption.
7. Do not cook food in inflammatory vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, corn oil or safflower oil.
8. Reduce the consumption of fructose.
9. Spinach, cabbage, parsley, chicken, and eggs are rich in amino acids. Eat more of them.
10. You should also consume foods that are rich in sulfur, such as broccoli, eggs, sprouts, garlic, etc.
11. Reduce alcohol consumption.
12. Quit smoking.

Here are some foods that can help you take good care of your liver:

1. Apples

Apples are rich in pectin and other enzymes that are necessary to cleanse the system and release toxins from the digestive tract. Thus, they help the liver in handling the toxic overload during the cleansing process.

2. Avocados

Avocados are superfoods that are rich in nutrients. They help the body to produce a compound called glutathione that helps the liver in cleansing harmful toxins.

3. Green Tea

Green tea is rich in antioxidants. It contains catechins, which facilitate the proper functioning of the liver.

4. Carrots And Beetroots

Both carrots and beetroots are rich in flavonoids and beta-carotene. And thus, eating them can stimulate and improve the overall functioning of the liver.

5. Garlic

This pungent-smelling white bulb has the ability to activate the enzymes in the liver that flush out toxins from the body. They also contain selenium and allicin, and both these compounds help in cleansing the liver.

6. Green Leafy Vegetables

All green leafy vegetables, including spinach, bitter gourd, and dandelion greens (whether eaten raw or cooked) are rich in plant chlorophylls that suck up the environmental toxins from the bloodstream. They also have the ability to neutralize the effects of chemicals and pesticides in the body and thereby act as a protective mechanism for our liver.

7. Lemons

These citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, which helps the body to synthesize the toxic materials into substances that are easily absorbed by water. Thus, it is recommended to have a glass of lemon juice in the morning as it is very helpful in stimulating the liver.

8. Walnuts

Walnuts contain a high amount of the amino acid arginine that helps in detoxifying ammonia from the liver. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids that facilitate the normal cleansing process of the liver. When you eat walnuts, make sure you chew them properly and then swallow. 

9. Olive Oil

Olive oil and other cold-compressed organic oils, such as hemp oil, are really good for the liver. They help in providing a lipid base to the liver that can suck up all the toxins and wastes from the body. This takes some burden off the liver. 

10. Turmeric 

You can consider it as the favorite spice of the liver as it helps boost liver detoxification by assisting the enzymes to flush out toxins. 

11. Grapefruit 

Grapefruits are also rich in antioxidants and vitamin C that aid the natural cleansing process of the liver. A small glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice is enough to boost the production of the detoxification enzymes in the liver.

Now that you know how to take care of your liver, check for the symptoms mentioned above and start taking precautions from today. It is also suggested to consult a doctor if you feel that medication is required.

We hope you enjoyed reading the article. Share your views in the comments section below.

Daily Calorie Burn Breakdown

​Understanding Daily Calorie Expenditure: Why Exercise Is Only a Small Part of Fat Loss

By Coach Noel – HaveFunKeepFit 

When people start a fitness journey, the most common belief is that exercise is the main factor in losing weight. While training is important for health, strength, and performance, it actually represents only a small percentage of the calories your body burns each day. To understand fat loss correctly, we must first understand how Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) works.

Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the total number of calories your body uses in one day. It is divided into four main components: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), and Exercise Activity.

The largest part of daily calorie burn comes from Basal Metabolic Rate, which accounts for approximately 60–70% of total energy expenditure. BMR refers to the calories your body needs to maintain basic life functions such as breathing, blood circulation, brain activity, hormone regulation, and organ function. This means that even at complete rest, your body is constantly burning energy to stay alive. One of the most important factors affecting BMR is muscle mass. Individuals with more lean muscle tissue burn more calories at rest, which is why resistance training plays a critical role in long-term fat loss.

The second component is Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, commonly known as NEAT. This represents around 10–20% of daily calorie expenditure and includes all physical activity outside of structured exercise. Walking, standing, cleaning, working, coaching, and general movement throughout the day all contribute to NEAT. Research shows that people with higher daily movement levels burn significantly more calories even without additional workouts. Increasing NEAT is one of the most effective and sustainable ways to improve fat loss without excessive training.

The third component is the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), which accounts for approximately 10% of daily calorie burn. TEF refers to the energy required to digest, absorb, and process the food you eat. Different macronutrients require different amounts of energy to digest. Protein has the highest thermic effect, meaning the body burns more calories processing protein compared to carbohydrates and fats. This is one reason high-protein diets are recommended for fat loss, muscle preservation, and metabolic health.

The final component is Exercise Activity, which typically represents only about 5% of total daily calorie expenditure for most people. This includes gym workouts, cardio sessions, sports, and structured training programs. While exercise is essential for building muscle, improving cardiovascular health, and enhancing physical performance, it is not the primary driver of fat loss. Many individuals overestimate how many calories they burn during workouts and underestimate the importance of daily habits, nutrition, and muscle mass.

For effective and sustainable fat loss, the focus should not be only on exercise. A successful fitness program should aim to increase muscle mass to raise BMR, maintain high daily activity to improve NEAT, consume enough protein to maximize TEF, and use exercise as a tool for strength, conditioning, and long-term health.

This approach is the foundation of the HaveFunKeepFit Coaching System, where the goal is not only weight loss, but also strength, longevity, metabolic health, and consistency. Understanding how your body truly burns calories allows you to train smarter, eat better, and achieve results that last.

— Coach Noel / HaveFunKeepFit 

Fat Loss • Strength • Health • Longevity

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Four Days Cleanse Kidney And Gallbladder Stones

Kidney/Gallbladder Cleanse Expel Kidney Stones and Gallbladder Stones in just four days

 "You are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."

Matthew 23:27

Americans are probably the most squeaky clean people on earth with their daily showers and deodorants. But inside, they are full of all uncleanness from unhealthy diets. It is estimated that 16 million Americans are afflicted with gallstones. These stones are deposits of cholesterol or calcium combined with bile. Bile or gall is a secretion produced by the liver to emulsify fats so that they can be digested. One possible cause of gallstones is the body's lack of ability to digest certain fatty or processed foods. Sometimes these gallstones pass harmlessly into the intestine, but they can also block up the ducts of the gallbladder. When this happens, the duct contracts in an effort to dislodge the blockage and the result is excruciating pain. To make matters worse, the pain is frequently accompanied by vomiting.

Gallstones is the fifth cause of hospital admission and the third most common surgical procedure. But surgery is not the only answer. Imagine being able to remove these gallstones painlessly, without a knife and without a doctor. If you do the Gallbladder Cleanse, you won't bear the marks of surgery on your body, but you will have the proof that this cleanse works when you see the gallstones released into the toilet.

Common symptoms include chronic gas, belching, pain, bloating, jaundice, headache, bad temper, sluggishness, nerves, or severe pain in right abdomen under rib cage. You may have gallstones even though you have none of these symptoms.

Hydrogenated fats and oils are thought to cause gallstones because they are difficult to digest. Hydrogenated fats and oils are preferred by fast food restaurants and other processed food companies because they can be stored on the shelf for years without going rancid. This lack of spoilage on the shelf is a real advantage for food preparers, but is devastating for those who eat the food. While hydrogenated fats and oils don't easily spoil outside the body, once you ingest them, they turn rancid. And rancid fats are toxic to the body.

The following items also contribute toward gallstone formation:

 The gallbladder is a 3-inch long membranous sac attached to the liver. Excess gall, or bile, which comes from the liver, is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. The purpose of bile is to break fat into microscopic droplets when it comes into the digestive area. When foods cannot be broken down properly for digestion, gallstones may form.

Gallbladder Surgery

We know of a man who complained of severe indigestion. In desperation, he visited his local medical doctor. Upon examining the patient, the doctor found gallstones were causing the pain.

The doctor lost no time in taking care of the problem. He told the patient that his gallbladder must be removed immediately. He was sent directly to the hospital and scheduled for gallbladder surgery. The patient was so weakened by pain that he readily accepted the doctor's advice. Everything happened so quickly that he had no time to go back home and consider alternative solutions.

The patient is now at home recovering from major surgery. It will take many months of rehabilitation for his body to function normally again, if it ever does. He also has a large scar across his abdomen that will be tender for a long time. What are the results of his surgery? He now has no gallbladder and no appendix, which they also took out in the bargain. The operation cost thousands of dollars and weeks of lost work. And that is not the worst of it. Unless this man changes to a more natural diet, his body will continue forming gallstones. They will lodge in the small pocket left from the surgery. All of this pain, suffering and expense might have been avoided if this man had known about the Gallbladder Cleanse. Even when he was in his crisis situation just prior to the surgery, he could have still tried the cleanse.

Removal of the gallbladder is a common operation. If you elect to have this surgery, prices start at $10,000 for the surgery alone. Doctors can go in and remove just the gallstones, but the stones will return. Their solution is to take out the gallbladder. They have been taught that the gallbladder is an unnecessary organ, so why not remove it. Unfortunately, gallbladder surgery does not always solve the problem since stones can still form. Many people who no longer have a gallbladder do this cleanse and pass gallstones.

Incidentally, when doctors take out the gallbladder, which is major surgery, they usually take out the appendix as part of the package deal and you lose two vital organs. Some doctors know about this Gallbladder Cleanse and that it effectively removes gallstones, but doing surgery is just too profitable for them.

Doing the Cleanse

When you do the gallbladder cleanse, you will be performing a bloodless operation. There will be no pain and no scar tissue. The little bit of discomfort you will experience will be well worth it because of the increased health benefits.

The gallbladder cleanse takes 4 days to complete and is simple and inexpensive. Each day for 4 days you drink up to 1 gallon of apple juice and up to 1 gallon of distilled water. You will not feel hungry. The apple juice will give you energy. Take it easy during this time to allow the body to work on cleansing.

This is not the time to do hard physical work. Each morning or evening, do a saltwater flush or an enema to help remove toxins that are being released. It is important to take a daily saltwater flush or enema because poisons settle in the rectum and these poisons need to be expelled from the body before they cause problems.

Drinking the Oil

 On the evening of the third night when you are tired and ready for bed, drink 1/2 cup of virgin olive oil or cold pressed peanut oil. Don't buy the refined oils sold in supermarkets. Natural foods stores sell unrefined oil. Chill the oil - it tastes better cold and use a straw to sip it. It is better to not let it touch the lips to minimize the unpleasantness of the oil.

Right after taking the 1/2 cup of olive oil, drink 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Then go directly to bed and lie down on your right side with two pillows under the right hip. The pillows slant the body so that the oil will leave the stomach faster and go down into the duct area and into the gallbladder. As you rest, the oil will be saturating and cleansing the body tissues. It will feel awkward, but this is the most effective position for the oil to do its work in expelling the gallstones. You may change your position after 4 or 5 hours.

Reactions to Cleanse

After drinking the oil and lemon, you may feel like burping or vomiting. You might sip on a little tomato juice. The acid and the salt in the juice help cut the oil. Don't drink more than a tablespoon or so of the tomato juice. You might want to just hold it in your mouth and then spit it out. Sometime during the night, you may vomit or be nauseated. This is caused by the gallbladder ejecting the stones with such force that it shoots the oil back into the stomach. When the oil returns to the stomach, you get sick. You may be able to feel the expulsion of stones. It will not be a sharp pain, just a mild contraction. In all honesty, you may spend a miserable night. But it is only one night of discomfort. Recovery from conventional gallbladder surgery involves many months of pain and suffering as the scar tissue mends.

Rewards from the Cleanse

You will soon have the reward of seeing the gallstones out of your body. These stones will no longer be interfering with normal body functions. Put your mind on how much more dynamic you will feel after the cleanse. Many people report having increased stamina after this cleanse.

We have known about this cleanse for several years, but we did not think we had gallstones, so we saw no need to investigate further. We were surprised to learn that almost every adult who does this cleanse, passes gallstones. Even though we now eat a more natural diet, there were many years when we ate the Standard American Diet. Those gallstones that we passed during the cleanse had been sitting in our body, obstructing the body's natural functions, for many years. We are glad they are now out.

Fourth Day

On the morning after drinking the oil, you will probably want to lie in bed and take it easy. Use the time for prayer and quiet meditation. You might want to watch videos or listen to cassette tapes or read. You won't be in pain. Continue drinking apple juice and distilled water.

Passing the Stones

Sometime during the fourth day you will probably have a bowel movement. Check the toilet water carefully. When you pass gallstones, you should see them floating near the top of the toilet water. You won't feel pain when they are expelled. The oil makes them slick and the lemon juice takes the sharpness out. The stones are soft when they pass. The stones can be the size of tiny pebbles or as large as the end of your thumb. The stones come in different shades of green and may be bright colored and shiny like gemstones. The color comes from the bile. The light colored stones are the newest. Blackish stones are the oldest. Some people say that when they passed their stones, the toilet water looked like balls of bright green grass.

It is exciting to actually see gallstones that were once inside your body. It is rewarding to see them out of your body where they can do you no more harm. Because they are softened, they seem waxy, rather than stony. They may also be coated with fecal matter. You can get a colander or strainer and try fishing the stones out and washing them off. It is not unusual to expel 100 or more gallstones after doing this cleanse. Continue doing daily saltwater flushes or enemas for 2 or 3 more days after you expel the gallstones to help clean out the toxins that are coming into the colon from the cleanse.

After you have passed the gallstones, you will experience increased stamina. Don't pig out on the fifth day. The body has slowed down and it will take 3 or 4 days to rebuild to a normal diet. For 3 or 4 days following the fast, eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables and drink unsweetened juices to restart the digestive mechanisms. Eat small meals and watch to see if there is pain after eating. If so, go more slowly. Fruits are easiest to digest. On the second day after the cleanse, a simple vegetable soup with plenty of broth is good.

Shopping list for Gallbladder Cleanse
per individual

4 gallons of apple juice
4 gallons of steam distilled water
1/2 c virgin olive oil or cold-pressed peanut oil
3 lemons (or enough to make 1/4 cup lemon juice)
tomato juice - 1 tablespoon
1 straw (optional)

If you do this cleanse in the fall, look for freshly-pressed, raw apple juice in the supermarket. Or, if you have an apple press, you could use freshly made apple juice. Otherwise, bottled, unsweetened apple juice is fine.

Make sure the water is "steam distilled water." Bottled drinking water is not the same. You do not want water with minerals in it.

 

Sample from Surgery 

How to Clear the Throat of Mucus

Mucus is unpleasant, nasty, and sometimes stays with you for longer than expected. Luckily, there are lots of ways you can get rid of mucus and phlegm in your throat. Start by providing basic care for your throat and mucus. If this doesn't work, you can try herbal and natural remedies. For frequent trouble with mucus, change your diet to avoid foods that can increase mucus.

Getting Basic Care

1. Clear phlegm or mucus from your throat by coughing. If an excess of mucus has made its home in your throat, it's okay to evict it by coughing it up. Find a remote place, such as a bathroom, and try to loosen the mucus from your throat by coughing or hacking. Make sure not to cough too hard or too much, as it can do some damage.





2. Gargle with warm water and salt. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt into 8 ounces of lukewarm or warm water. Take the water into your mouth, tilt your head back, and without swallowing, gargle the salt water in the back of your throat.



3. Drink plenty of liquids during the day. The right liquids can help loosen the mucus from the lining of the throat as the liquids pass down the esophagus. Try the following for time-tested mucus relief:Warm tea with lemon and honey. This should be one of your mainstays. The acidity of the lemon is good at breaking up the mucus while the honey coats the throat with a pleasant protective layer afterward.
Tea with a sprig of fresh thyme in it.
Warm soup. Chicken soup is a favorite because the broth is light and cuts the mucus. Stick with lighter broths instead of thicker, creamier soups.
Cool water. Listen to your thirst and drink as much water as you need to stay satiated.



4. Try steam treatment. Give yourself a steam treatment and let warm steam travel down your sinus and throat, loosening up some of the mucus that's lodged there. Try the following for relief:Wrap a towel around your head and breathe in the steam issuing from warm water. Even better, steep some tea (chamomile works great) in a large pot, carefully lower your head over being and breathe in the steam.
Take warm showers. If you take a long shower, be sure to moisturize afterward as warm water robs your skin of essential oils and moisture.
Use a humidifier/vaporizer. Allow your humidifier to pump moist air into your room. Take care not to pump too much moisture into the air; a little bit goes a long way.





5. Use medicine that curbs mucus. Generic medicine, like guaifenesin (Mucinex), is available to thin out and loosen mucus. Look for medicines that are labeled "expectorants," which means to clear out phlegm or mucus.

6. Remove mucus on your tongue with a tongue scraper. Place the tongue scraper on the back of your tongue, then slowly bring it forward. Wipe off the tongue scraper, then repeat as many times as needed. This can remove mucus from the back of your mouth. You can find a tongue scraper at your local drugstore or online.

Administering Herbal and Natural Remedies



1. Use eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil has long been used as an herbal mucus relief product. The most effective way to use eucalyptus oil is to line the upper chest area with a carrier oil such as coconut oil and then rub in a few drops of the eucalyptus oil. This might make you cough a little more than expected, at first, but after a while it should help loosen mucus from your throat.Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to your vaporizer for another effective treatment option. Do not take eucalyptus oil orally.





2. Add turmeric powder to liquids to keep the digestive tract working. Turmeric also works as an antiseptic. Add one tablespoon of turmeric and one tablespoon of honey to 8 ounces of hot water, dissolving. Drink the liquid, and repeat for best results.





3. Eat spicy foods to get the mucus loose and runny. The list of spicy foods that can aid in mucus relief is long. A few foods you might eat include:Wasabi or horseradish
Peppers, such as jalapeno or Anaheim
Ginger and even garlic
 
Avoiding Mucus-Producing Foods and Irritants



1. Stay away from milk and dairy. Although many dispute the evidence that dairy makes mucus worse, it's best to avoid it if you think that mucus may get worse after you reach for the milk. That's because the fat content in milk may be high, making mucus thicker and more irritating.





2. Stay away from soy products. Soy products, such as soymilk, tofu, and tempeh, although rich in protein and otherwise healthy for you, may increase the viscosity of mucus and cause buildups of mucus in the chest. If you have a choice, it may be better to stay on the safe side and avoid soy.





3. Stop smoking. Just another reason — one of many — to quit smoking if you haven't already. Smoking irritates the throat, worsens respiratory function, and causes congestion.





4. Avoid other irritants such as strong chemicals or paints. Paints and household cleaners such as ammonia may be irritating to the nose and throat, causing further mucus production.
 
Diagnosing the Problem



1. Know if you have a cold. You probably know whether or not you have a cold. But do you know why colds are accompanied by persistent mucus? Mucus performs two functions:It coats organs, keeping them moisturized and preventing them from drying out.
It acts as a kind of first defense against pollutants and bacteria, which often get caught in the mucus before infiltrating the rest of the body.



2. Know if you may have post-nasal drip. Post-nasal drip is when your body produces excess mucus, and the mucus runs down your throat instead of out your nose. Post-nasal drip can be caused by colds and allergies, certain medications (including medicines for hypertension), deviated septa, and fumes from irritants. Call your doctor if your drainage is foul-smelling or lasts for longer than 10 days.

3. Know if the mucus is being caused by seasonal allergies or an allergic reaction.Allergies can stimulate the production of mucus. Mucus caused by allergies is usually clear, whereas mucus caused by a cold or flu is usually greenish yellow. If you're susceptible to allergies, avoid going outside on days when the pollen count is high, and stay away from:Mold
Animal dander
Dust mites





4. Know that being pregnant can exacerbate mucus production. If you recently found out you are pregnant, that could explain your problem with mucus. While there's not anything you can take, aside from decongestants like Claritin, it should be comforting to know that your ramped-up mucus production won't last forever.

5. Consider if mucus on your tongue could be thrush. If most of the excess mucus seems to be on the back of your tongue, then it could be a sign of oral thrush, which is caused by candida. You might also notice the following symptoms: White sores on your tongue, inner cheeks, gums, tonsils, and roof of your mouth
Redness
Burning
Soreness
Loss of taste
Feeling like you have cotton in your mouth

The Best Multivitamin for You

How to Choose the Best Multivitamin for You

Scientifically Reviewed by Dr. Brian Grant

Multivitamin supplements have taken a beating in the press over the last decade.

There are good reasons for this, too.

Many are stuffed with all kinds of vitamins and minerals, regardless of whether we need to supplement with them, and dosages are often too low to provide any benefits or so high they become harmful.

Thankfully, not all multivitamins are the same.

Some contain clinically effective doses of key nutrients, smaller amounts of those most people don’t need to supplement with, and other ingredients you can’t get from food that confer a long list of additional health benefits.

In this article, you’ll learn how to spot a good multivitamin (and what to avoid), my picks for the best multivitamin for men and women, and more.


Table of Contents
What Is a Multivitamin?
Multivitamin: Benefits
The Problem with Most Multivitamin Supplements
How to Choose a Multivitamin
Multivitamin: Side Effects
What Is the Best Multivitamin?
The Best Multivitamin for Men
The Best Multivitamin for Women
How and When to Take a Multivitamin
FAQ #1: Should I take a multivitamin?
FAQ #2: Do I need a multivitamin?
FAQ #3: Is it good to take a multivitamin every day?
FAQ #4: Can you take a multivitamin at night?
FAQ #5: What is a “complete multivitamin?”

What Is a Multivitamin?

A multivitamin is a dietary supplement containing various vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients designed to help you maintain an adequate intake of micronutrients.

There’s no standard definition of what constitutes a multivitamin, which means the content of each multivitamin supplement varies depending on the manufacturer.

Most multivitamins are sold as multivitamin tablets, multivitamin pills, or multivitamin capsules, though you can also buy multivitamin powder, which you mix with water and drink. In every case, you usually take at least one serving per day

Multivitamin: Benefits

According to a 2005 study conducted by scientists at Colorado State University, at least half of the US population doesn’t get enough vitamin B6, vitamin A, magnesium, calcium, and zinc, and 33% of the population doesn’t get enough folate.

A 2017 study conducted by scientists at Tufts University and published found that over 30% of the US population was deficient in calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, and E.

Other research shows that average vitamin K and D intake levels may be suboptimal, too, which is detrimental because these vitamins play an important role in bone growth and repair, blood vessel and immune function, cancer prevention, joint health, and more.

Thus, the main benefits of taking a multivitamin are:They can plug nutritional “holes” in your diet, which are common even among people who eat well.
They can boost your intake of vitamins and minerals that improve health and wellness at higher doses, like B vitamins, zinc, and chromium.
They can provide beneficial ingredients that are difficult or impossible to obtain from food, like grape-seed extract, ashwagandha, and alpha-lipoic acid.

The Problem with Most Multivitamin Supplements

It’s hard to know a good multivitamin from a bad one.

Many contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals most people don’t need to supplement with, such as manganese, molybdenum, and the B vitamins (apart from niacin), as well as potentially harmful “megadoses” of others like retinol (vitamin A) and vitamin E.

Cheap and less effective forms of ingredients are common too (to save money), and sometimes needlessly expensive ones are used only because they make for better marketing.

For example, people often assume that the natural forms of vitamins found in food are always better than synthetic forms. Some supplement sellers and authorities even claim that synthetic vitamins are outright harmful.

In truth, not all natural vitamins are better than artificial ones, and not all synthetics are bad. Certain natural forms have unique and desirable properties, such as vitamin E, and several synthetic vitamins outperform natural ones, such as folic acid, which is absorbed better than natural folate.

Another strike against multivitamins is the popularity of products that claim to provide 100% of everything you need in just one daily pill, often referred to as “complete multivitamins.”

The only way to get to one pill daily is by using too little of some key nutrients and none of others. Thus, most good multivitamins require taking at least a few pills per day because that allows for optimal dosing and absorption.

How to Choose a Multivitamin

Here are some tips to help you find a good multivitamin:Stay away from one-a-day products. A high-quality multivitamin will require taking at least 2 or 3 pills per day.

Stay away from multivitamin tablets because they’re not absorbed as well as multivitamin pills.
Stay away from products that contain exactly 100% of Reference Daily Intake (RDI) of many vitamins and minerals. This is a sign the formulators didn’t understand or consider actual dietary patterns and nutritional needs because proper dosing often ranges from a fraction of RDI in some cases to a multiple of it in others.

Stay away from products that contain retinol. You should never take this form of vitamin A orally because of the potential for liver damage at higher doses. Instead, look for products containing carotenoids (pigments found in plants), which the body converts into retinol as needed and otherwise uses as antioxidants or eliminates.

The inclusion of 5-MTHF is a green flag. This is short for 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, and it’s the “active” (usable by the body) form of folic acid (vitamin B9). When we eat foods with folate, our body converts it into 5-MTHF, which your body then uses for various physiological processes.

Research shows that many people have a genetic mutation that hinders the production of 5-MTHF. This can lead to a deficiency despite substantial folate or folic acid intake through healthy eating and supplementation. By supplementing with 5-MTHF directly, those with and without the genetic mutation can maintain sufficiency without any downsides.

Many multivitamin formulators don’t know this, though, and opt for folate or folic acid instead. What’s more, many who understand the significance of 5-MTHF don’t or can’t use it because it’s expensive.

Thus, when a multivitamin contains 5-MTHF, it suggests the formulators were better informed and willing to spend more than their competitors.

Multivitamin: Side Effects

The amount of each ingredient in multivitamin supplements varies by product, which means side effects can vary, too.

That said, side effects to well-dosed multivitamins are generally rare, though some people may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach, headache, and insomnia.

While megadoses of some vitamins and minerals (vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and biotin, for example) have no adverse effects on health, taking too much of other ingredients can have serious side effects. Here are some to look out for:Vitamin A: Taking more than 3,000 mcg daily may cause headaches, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, aching muscles, and coordination problems. In severe cases, you may also experience increased cerebral spinal fluid pressure, leading to drowsiness and, eventually, coma and death.

Vitamin D: Exceeding 100 mcg daily may cause vitamin D toxicity, resulting in nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, neuropsychiatric disturbances, pain, loss of appetite, dehydration, polyuria, excessive thirst, and kidney stones.

Vitamin E: Taking more than 1,000 mg daily for extended periods may interrupt blood coagulation and increase stroke risk.

Iodine: Doses exceeding 1,100 mcg daily may cause some of the same symptoms as iodine deficiency, including goiter (swelling of the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid gland), elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, and hypothyroidism.

Magnesium: Supplementing with more than 350 mg daily may result in diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping. Megadoses of 5,000 mg or more may cause more severe symptoms, including urine retention, ileus (a form of indigestion), difficulty breathing, extreme hypotension, irregular heartbeat, and cardiac arrest.

Selenium: Taking a daily dose of 400 mg or more may cause hair and nail loss or brittleness, nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, mottled teeth, fatigue, irritability, and nervous system abnormalities. In the past, some supplements have contained more than 200 times the labeled amount of selenium, causing selenium toxicity, which is associated with severe symptoms, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, myocardial infarction, kidney failure, cardiac failure, and, in rare cases, death.

Zinc: Short-term use of supplements containing more than 40 mg daily can cause nausea, dizziness, headaches, gastric distress, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Longer-term use can interfere with copper absorption, reduce immune function, and lower HDL cholesterol levels.

Multivitamin supplements may also be contaminated with chemicals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury that may cause side effects.

The best way to avoid supplements is to only buy products that a third-party lab has analyzed and verified as safe. This guarantees the supplement you’re using contains the labeled doses and no potentially harmful chemicals.

What Is the Best Multivitamin?

For a multivitamin to be effective, it must provide clinically effective doses of key nutrients, and smaller amounts of those most people don’t need to supplement with. It should also be in pill form, require at least two servings per day, and be lab tested by a third party to guarantee purity.

And if you want a multivitamin that does all that, here’s what I recommend . . .

The Best Multivitamin for Men

My favorite multivitamin for men is Legion’s 100% natural men’s sport multivitamin, Triumph.

Triumph for men contains clinically effective doses of 21 essential vitamins and minerals and 10 scientifically proven ingredients to boost health.

Three of these ingredients—nigella sativa, ashwagandha root extract, and pumpkin seed extract—are only included in the men’s version of Triumph because they’re particularly beneficial for men’s health. For instance, research shows they can improve testosterone levels, help restore male fertility, support prostate health, and more.

The Best Multivitamin for Women

My favorite multivitamin for women is Legion’s 100% natural women’s sport multivitamin, Triumph.

Triumph for women contains clinically effective doses of 22 essential vitamins and minerals as well as 10 scientifically proven ingredients for better health, performance, and mood, and less stress, fatigue, and anxiety.

Triumph for women also contains three ingredients not found in the men’s version—maca, tribulus terrestris, and vitex agnus-castus—because research shows they’re particularly beneficial for women. For example, studies show that they improve sexual function, libido, and sexual health (even for women experiencing menopause), and alleviate or eliminate side effects of menstruation including cramping, breast tenderness, headaches, anxiety, and irritability, and more.

Triumph for women also contains iron, which many women struggle to get enough of.
 
How and When to Take a Multivitamin

You should take multivitamins according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

When possible, it’s also a good idea to take multivitamins with meals containing some dietary fat to enhance the absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins and minerals.

Depending on the multivitamin you use, you may also have to split your dose into two servings (often one early in the day and another 3-to-6 hours later). Splitting doses helps with absorption, reducing the risk of excess vitamins not being absorbed.

FAQ #1: Should I take a multivitamin?

As I explain in my fitness books for men and women, Bigger Leaner Stronger and Thinner Leaner Stronger, you don’t need supplements to get fit and healthy.

However, taking a good multivitamin helps you optimize your health by boosting your intake of certain vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial ingredients that improve wellness.

FAQ #2: Do I need a multivitamin?

No, but taking a good multivitamin helps plug nutritional “holes” in your diet, boost your intake of certain vitamins and minerals that improve health and wellness, and can provide beneficial ingredients that are difficult or impossible to obtain from food.

FAQ #3: Is it good to take a multivitamin every day?

Yes (unless stated otherwise on the label).

Taking a multivitamin daily is the best way to ensure you get enough vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to optimize your health.

FAQ #4: Can you take a multivitamin at night?

Yes.

That said, your body absorbs some fat-soluble ingredients in multivitamins better when you take them with food. Thus, it’s probably best to take your multivitamin with your evening meal rather than immediately before bed.

FAQ #5: What is a “complete multivitamin?”

A complete multivitamin is a supplement that claims to provide 100% of every vitamin, mineral, and nutrient you need in a single daily pill.

While this sounds appealing, complete multivitamins rarely (if ever) deliver on their promise. That’s because the only way supplement companies can put everything you need into a single daily pill is if they use too little of some key nutrients and none of others.

And that’s why most good multivitamins require taking at least a few pills per day to allow for optimal dosing and absorption.

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