Did you know that Americans’ obsession with supplements has reached a whopping $30 billion yearly? And at the top of that list of supplements sold among stores like supplementfirst.com? It’s multivitamins.

Daily multivitamins have shown promise in providing a good foundation for health, especially in a world where we can’t always get our nutrients from a healthy diet. As much as we try to get our five a day, it’s tough with time constraints and food expenses. But with the numerous multivitamins and combinations of vitamins and minerals, it must have you wonder, “what ingredients should my multivitamins have?”

Whether you’re purchasing vitamins from your local health store or in online shops like Integrative Therapeutics in Supplement First, here are the ingredients all multivitamins should have.

1. Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, a crucial mineral for bone health. You can get vitamin B through sun exposure for 15 minutes but not everyone can do so. Moreover, not many people can take in vitamin D through their diet, so a supplement works excellently.

In general, people should get between 600-800 IU of vitamin D daily, depending on their age.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is an important nutrient that helps with bone health and energy production. There are even more benefits it offers, such as easing sleep problems, calming the nervous system, regulating muscle and nerve function, and more!

It’s best to go for multivitamins that contain about 300-320mg of magnesium, no more than 350 mg for adults. You’ll want magnesium supplements in forms like aspartate, chloride, citrate, and lactate, which our bodies absorb quicker.

3. Calcium

Did you know that over 40% of the USA population doesn’t get enough calcium in their diets? Meaning, that people don’t get enough of the essential mineral needed for strong bones and teeth. Women are more at risk of losing bone density at an earlier age, which is why getting enough calcium will help fight against the bone loss.

The recommended amount of calcium taken daily is 1,000 mg for most adults.

4. Zinc

Most older people and those under a lot of stress tend to have lower zinc levels. This is a bad thing, as zinc supports our immune system, helping our body use carbs, fat, and protein for energy. Zinc also helps with wound healing.

Since the average American diet isn’t filled with zinc-rich foods, you can take it via multivitamin. You’ll want to search for a multivitamin containing 5-10mg of zinc.

5. Iron

You must maintain adequate iron levels daily but not everyone will require the same amount. Iron helps increase your energy, improve brain function, and maintain healthy blood cells. You can find iron in red meats, though you may need more iron than what you eat in a day, especially if you are going through puberty, experiencing your menstrual cycle, or pregnant.

You’ll want a multivitamin with about 18mg of iron in the form of either ferric sulfate, ferric citrate, ferrous sulfate, or ferrous gluconate.

Wrapping It Up

It goes without saying that you must check with your doctor before buying multivitamins to ensure