Pharmaceutical-Grade Vitamins – Are They Worth It?

If you’re like many people, you might be interested in taking a daily multivitamin and/or other supplements to help ensure that you are getting adequate amounts of the vital micronutrients that your body needs. Of course, the best source of these nutrients is food that naturally contains vitamins. However, as you are probably aware, a wide variety of circumstances can affect your eating habits and leave gaps in your nutrition. Additionally, some researchers believe that certain vitamins, such as D and E, which provide important protection against various health conditions, can be difficult to obtain in sufficient amounts through diet alone. For these reasons, supplements can provide a good foundation for “nutritional insurance” to maintain your general health.

If you’ve decided to take vitamins to supplement your diet, you might be a little overwhelmed by all of the options available. Before taking any type of vitamin, you should consult with a doctor who is familiar with your overall health and wellness. Your doctor can provide personalized guidance and recommend a specific regimen and dosage to meet your individual needs.

In general, there are two main types of over-the-counter vitamins: general and pharmaceutical grade. Here are some of the key differences between them:

• Government regulation – The manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical-grade vitamins must adhere to stringent regulations and testing parameters set forth by the Food and Drug Administration. Conversely, while general vitamins are generally monitored to ensure their safety for public consumption, their ingredients and efficacy are unregulated.
• Purity – Because medical-grade vitamins usually consist of pure samples of active vitamins with no additives, a physician can recommend a precise dosage to meet a patient’s specific requirements. General vitamins, on the other hand, tend to be less pure and can contain additives, such as green tea extracts (which can be beneficial).
• Price – Pharmaceutical-grade vitamins tend to cost more than their general counterparts.

For some people, pharmaceutical-grade vitamins are a better choice than general vitamins. For instance, prescription-quality vitamins can be helpful for treating specific health conditions, such as high cholesterol. That’s because these supplements can provide a precise dosage of vitamins without additives, which can sometimes affect the function of a vitamin.

If you would like to speak with a doctor about the benefits of pharmaceutical-grade vitamins, as well as an appropriate regimen for you, please feel free to contact or visit South Tampa Immediate Care. No appointments are ever necessary at our walk-in clinic, where you will be seen by a qualified doctor who has years of experience in identifying and treating many common health conditions.