7 Supplements You
Should Be Taking Daily
Nutrient deficiencies are problems we all face - and they are becoming more and more common. Keep reading to find out the top 7 vitamins and minerals everyone should be taking, and if you want personalized supplements based on your unique needs, take the 2-Minute UMZU Supplement Quiz
1. Magnesium
46% are deficient
Magnesium is an essential nutrient, meaning we must get it from our diets or supplements. Magnesium is best known for bone health and energy, but this mineral can also:
Regulate muscle and nerve function
Balance blood sugar levels
Make protein, bone and even DNA
2. Vitamin D
74% are deficient
Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium, which is important for bone health. Not getting enough Vitamin D can increase:
Your likelihood of getting sick
Your chances of bone and back pain
Bone and hair loss
One can acquire an adequate amount of Vitamin D from diet and just 15 minutes of sunlight - but the reality remains that over 40% of Americans don't even get those 15 minutes, and its lack of prevalence in food exacerbates the issue.
3. Vitamin C
31% are deficient
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin, meaning your body cannot produce it and we must get Vitamin C from outside sources like diet or supplementation. The benefits of an adequate amount of Vitamin C may include:
4. Zinc
~16% are deficient
Zinc tends to be lower in people who are older or are under high stress. Zinc supports the immune system and helps you process carbs, proteins and fats for energy.
The American diet is not rich in Zinc and the body cannot store Zinc, so Zinc remains high on our list of supplements everyone should take daily.
5. B Vitamins
~5% are deficient
The B-vitamin complex is made up of eight vitamins who work together to create and sustain our body’s energy supply by breaking down the micronutrients we consume (fats, proteins, carbs).
Each has a specialized role, too. For example, Vitamin B-12 works to keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vegan or vegetarians are prone to vitamin B-12 deficiency because most food sources are animal-based like meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
6. Probiotics
Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when ingested, provide a health benefit.
The complex community of microorganisms in your gut is called the gut flora, gut microbiota, or gut microbiome.
Surprisingly, the metabolic activities of your gut flora resemble those of an organ. For this reason, some scientists refer to the gut flora as the “forgotten organ”.
Your gut flora performs many important health functions:
Your gut flora is highly sensitive to your diet, and studies show that an unbalanced gut flora is linked to numerous diseases.
These diseases are thought to include obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, colorectal cancer, Alzheimer’s, and depression.
7. Choline
92% are deficient
Choline is our final essential nutrient, meaning we also must get choline from outside sources like diet or supplementation. Choline plays important roles in the human body, including:
Cell structure: It is needed to make fats that support the structural integrity of cell membranes.
Cell messaging: It is involved in the production of compounds that act as cell messengers.
Fat transport and metabolism: It is essential for making a substance required for removing cholesterol from your liver. Inadequate choline may result in fat and cholesterol buildup in your liver.
DNA synthesis: Choline and other vitamins, such as B12 and folate, help with a process that’s important for DNA synthesis.
A healthy nervous system: This nutrient is required to make acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter. It’s involved in memory, muscle movement, regulating heartbeat and other basic functions.
