Nutrition Assessment: Analysis of a Multivitamin Supplement

This article analyzes a multivitamin supplement, including its ingredients, claims, and recommendations for use. It also discusses the effects of megadoses of vitamins and supplements. The supplement provides nearly all the daily required nutrient supplement needed by the body, but caution needs to be undertaken as it can lead to megadoses in the body and cause harmful effects. The article also discusses the importance of natural sources of vitamins and supplements.

Nutrition Assesment
UNIVERSITY:
ASSIGNMENT

Nutrition Analysis 2
1. Supplement description
a. Product description
This is a multivitamin tablet for nutritional supplement, which is taken in form of
chewing. The supplement information for the patient is attached below;
Content % of Daily value
provided by the
supplement
DRI
Vitamin A 1300U 26% 625mg/d
Vitamin C 60mg 100% 75 mg/d
Vitamin D 600IU 150% 10u/d
Vitamin E 15 IU 50% 12 mg/d
Thiamin B1 1.05 mg 70% 1.0 mg/d
Ribofalvin B2 71% 1.1 mg /d
Niacin 13.5 mg 68% 11 mg/d
Vitamin B 6 2mg 100% 1.4mg/d

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Folic Acid 200 mg 50% 320 ug/d
Iron 18 mg 100% 6,g/d
b. Vitamins/minerals equals to the DRI include;
- Vitamin C 60 mg
- Vitamin D 600IU
- Vitamin B 6iron 1 mg
c. Effect of megadoses of vitamins and supplements
Water soluble vitamins don’t cause any major problem to consumers when they are
taken in larger doses, due to their mechanism of being flushed out of the body easily through
the kidney system. Fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K often possess problems.
Too much intake of vitamin A is linked with increased of cancers and other health associated
health disease. The deficiency of vitamin D cause hyper calcemia however too much intake
can lead to increased calcium in the blood. Further nausea, vomiting and constipation have
been observed with vitamin D toxicity. When there is large intake of Vitamin E, it leads to
occurrence of stroke and premature death, (Said, 2015).
Water soluble vitamins on the other hand, may not be dangerous however; taking mega
doses has shown not to be beneficial. Taking the megadoses of minerals have harmful causes,
larger doses are often linked to organ damage and leads to hereditary disease referred to as
hemachromatosis and leads to compromise of the heart and the overall neurological health.
Higher megadozes for Zinc yields gastritis and affect the blood cholesterol, while too much
of potassium causes laxative effect, (Plaut, 2014).
Thus avoiding megadoses is effective in ensuring that nutritional balance is achieved.
Supplements that give more than 100% of the daily intake are often problematic, thus making
it too large to swallow.
Thus in consuming this supplement caution needs to be undertaken, as it seems the
supplements indicated provide nearly all the daily require med nutrient supplement needed by
the body can be obtained from the diet and other foods. Thus taking this supplement can lead
to megadoses in the body thus cause other harmful effects on the body, (Scartoni et al, 2015).
2. Ingredients in the list
a. Locating the list of all ingredients

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Vitamin A 1300U
- This is a vitamin A supplement which has powerful antioxidant effect. It plays crucial
role in maintaining vision, neurological function and promoting healthy skin. It is effective in
reducing and fighting free radical change in the body. It has various functions from
promoting eye health, cancer protective effects, immune system and supporting skin growth.
Vitamin C
- It is often found in abundance in vegetables and fruits. It helps in prevention of
cancers and combating free radicals and neutralizing effects of nitrites in the body. Vitamin c
supplements are key in ensuring that there is lessen duration and symptoms of common cold
which delay cataracts and help immune function.
Vitamin D
- Vitamin D is crucial in ensuing that there is prevention of rickets and bone repair.
Rich sources of vitamin D include oily fish, red meat, liver and other fortified foods. Vitamin
D supplements for adults is often advisable during winter times,
Vitamin E
- Vitamin E is effective in preventing heart diseases, chest pains and high blood
pressure. Benefits of Vitamin include balance of cholesterol in the body, fighting free radicals
in the body, repairing damaged skin, hormones balancing,
Vitamin B2
- It is an anti oxidant which is responsible in ensuring healthy blood cells and boosting
energy levels. It can be obtained through healthy diet.
Niacin
- It is essential for boosting levels of good HL and lowering the levels of triglycerides.
High doses could have significant impact on the liver and lead to gastro intestinal damage.
Hence precaution is required when sourcing for over the counter supplements.
Vitamin B6
- Vitamin b6 is water soluble vitamin which is present in foods. The generic name for
its compounds includes pyridoxine, an alcohol; pyridoxal, an aldehyde; and pyridoxamine,
having amino groups and their respective 5’-phosphate esters. Pyridoxal 5’ phosphate (PLP)
and pyridoxamine 5’ phosphate.
Folic acid
- It is essential in ensuring that there is synthesis of DNA/RNA in the body, with rapid
cell growth and enhancing brain health. Ii is essentially for women who are pregnant as it
enhances cell growth for children.

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Iron
- It is an important element in the body with key focus of ensuring that there prevention
of blood loss and oxygen is circulated on the body well. Too much intake or supplementation
causes iron poisoning which can cause conditions such as hemochromatosis.
(Sebrell & Harris, 2016)
b. Unnecessary nutrients
- In the supplementary pack shown above, all the above nutrients are geared to boost
the overall vitamin supplement of the individual. Hence depending on the status of the
person, it would be advisable to offer advice based on the health status of the person.
However Vit D content seems high than the DRI, thus can cause intoxification effects.
Further Iron can lead to hemochromatosis for the patient thus initial status needs to be
assessed.
d. Inclusion in the supplement
This supplement have been included in the supplement with the premise that the
individuals have low intake of vitamins and they are at risks of all vitamins and minerals,
thus the pack offers wide range of vitamins and minerals which offer a boost to the individual
micro nutrient status.
3. Supplement claims on the product
Terms listed include
- Natural flavors added
- Contains soy
These terms are meant to influence the consumers in thing that what they are buying or
consuming is mimicking the natural supplement found and can be used to replace natural
occurring vitamins and supplements.
The only way these claims can be verified is through lab testing of the product is to test
specific claimed product. Further conducting random test on the supplementation is key in
ensuring reliability of the stated compounds.
4. Recommendation of supplement use
- Supplement use is effective during pregnancy stage. Pregnant women exhibit various
micronutrient needs, which the normal diet may never achieve. Women who are pregnant
will always put much on prenatal supplements. Research done has stated that most of the
women who are pregnant are given multivitamin supplement in order to promote child health
status during pregnancy. Thus this supplement is effective on pregnant women who are

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facing food insecurity issues as this helps to boost the overall vitamin and mineral content in
their doses, (De-Regil et al, 2016).
5. Vitamin C supplementation visavis intake of oranges.
Intake of Vitamin C via food supplemenst is crucial in ensuring that best sources are
obtained. Further taking from the natural sources combines with other vitamins which the
body can require. Intake through foods ensures that Vitamin C is absorbed in its natural form
thus ensuring bio availability. The natural supplementation of Vitamin C limits usage on the
ascorbic acid intake, which may bring discomfort causing reactions on certain persons,
(Blumberg et al, 2017).
Further studies have shown that oranges possess antioxidants which assist in preventing
ageing process and help to fight cancer. This compound cannot be found on the supplements,
(Stone, 2017).

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References
Blumberg, J. B., Frei, B. B., Fulgoni, V. L., Weaver, C. M., & Zeisel, S. H. (2017). Impact of
frequency of multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement intake on nutritional adequacy
and nutrient deficiencies in US adults. Nutrients, 9(8), 849.
De-Regil, L. M., Palacios, C., Lombardo, L. K., & Peña-Rosas, J. P. (2016). Vitamin D
supplementation for women during pregnancy. Sao Paulo Medical Journal, 134(3),
274-275.
Dietary Reference Intake Report List. Accessed at
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/
dietary-reference-intakes/dietary-reference-intake-report-list.html viewed 14/04/2018
Plaut, G. W. E. (2014). Metabolism of water-soluble vitamins. Metabolism of Vitamins and
Trace Elements: Comprehensive Biochemistry, 21, 11.
Said, H. M. (2015). Water-soluble vitamins. In Nutrition for the Primary Care Provider (Vol.
111, pp. 30-37). Karger Publishers.
Scartoni, D., Desideri, I., Giacomelli, I., Di Cataldo, V., Di Brina, L., Mancuso, A., ... & Livi,
L. (2015). Nutritional supplement based on zinc, prebiotics, probiotics and vitamins to
prevent radiation-related gastrointestinal disorders. Anticancer research, 35(10),
5687-5692.
Sebrell, W. H., & Harris, R. S. (Eds.). (2016). The vitamins: chemistry, physiology,
pathology. Academic Press.
Stone, I. (2017). The Healing Factor-Vitamin C Against Disease: How to live longer and
better (Vol. 2357). BoD–Books on Demand.