Are MultiVitamins essential?

Im just curious how important multi-vitamins are if im Stength training / Cardio / and other Various exercises..? I've been reading about Jak's Animal Pak but dont wanna waste $ on a lost cause... Will the difference be noticeable?

you know vitamins are a hard sell, if you eat a complete diet you really shouldn't need them. and even when you take them you don't see or feel anything. Most people that exercise should get extra vitamin c for there immune system recovery. I always push a multi because most diets are incomplete. If you do get one just go to the store and get a regular one. the multi's that are designed for bodybuilders suck, they have way too much stuff in it and you end up peeing most of it out.

Not if you eat a healthy diet.

Lots of different points on this - but I take a mutli daily. My trainer said its a supplement to proper nutrition...  you don't eat all the vitamins you need every day so the vitamin ensures you get it... I know I certainly don't have a table trying to figure out if I have enough intake of B12 today (LOL) ... so I'd certainly recommend go the pharmacy and buying a Vitamin in a capsule (not a hard one). No need to invest a ton of money just a one-a-day brand is fine. My trainer said the capsules are more easily digested and absorbed. In addition, don't take on empty tummy or u can get upset tummy-  always take in morning with breakfast :)

Hope that helps :)

I say YES! And I think liquid (while a little more spendy) have a higher absorbtion rate. I LOVE my vits!

Would Centrum be a good enough Multi-Vit?

Centrum is better than nothing :)   try to see if it comes in a soft capsule if not its not the end of the world! Just get them and start losing the weight :)   I actually find my weight lose increases when i take a multi-vitman and antioxidant (just more specialized vitamins)! So happy health :)

lol im not really tryin to lose weight im just tryna maintain where im at , get more toned , defined, while strength training.. so im just gonna take the Multi-vits to stay healthy =)

Just don't rely on supplements to get you everything you need; you should still be eating plenty of fresh fruit and veggies daily.  Multis are essentially created in a chem lab, and while those chemists are pretty talented, they cannot duplicate the myriad intricacies of a living plant. 

I have a pretty healthy diet and i do get enough fruits n veggies the Multi-vits is just incase i lack some "nutrients" or w.e bt ya other then that im good.

I take multi-vits daily because regardless how dilligent I eat my fruits & vegies, the amount won't be sufficient enough. Plus realistically, I don't think you can get ALL of the nutrients your body needs or should have daily. 

I suppose it's mostly personal. I do take multivitamins, not because the diet is lacking nutrients, but to let my body recover faster from excercises I'm doing (high conditioning)

When one is excercising slightly above their comfort level (say fat burning level), a healthy diet should be sufficient to maintain this.

However, I do think that if one is excercising on a higher level (conditioning and peaks), one is pushing the body hard. A healthy diet can maintain this as well, but it will simply take longer for the body to recover.

Anyways, my 2 cts.

yes, always better safe than sorry -- they are cheap anywho.  

Everyday I take a multiV, calcium (I use Tums-- so much cheaper than other pills), and glucosamine (joint health)

Every other day I take Vitamin E (antiOxidant), and Omega3 (good fats)

And for all those women of childbearing age, please, please, please take your multiV b/c by the time you find out you are preggers (planned or not) the lack of folic acid may have already had serious consequences on your baby.

well i take one-a-day weight smart and i also take flaxseed oil twice a day. I obviously don't feel anything different. But i do notice my muscles healing quicker. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Also, the one-a-day i take has green tea...i personally hate green tea, so by taking the vitamin i have an easier time using the bathroom =X

I feel that no diet is complete and you are better safe then sorry. It's not like a vitamin is going to get you sick =]. I say get it and help your body get the nutrients it deserves.

Good luck

i am a vegetarian and tho i eat a pretty good diet, i take a multi vitamin probably every other day, just to be on the safe side.

like agape said, better safe then sorry. so as long as they are wicked expensive, i say go for it.

Do you NEED it? maybe not.
Will it hurt you? nah.... lol

Vitamin C is very important for strength training, but it's also important to ask a doctor for the right dosage because it seems to facilitate kidney stones.

Most Americans do not get the required vitamins and minerals they need in their diets.

I think you should DEFINATELY start taking a multivitamin. It couldn't hurt anything. I take Centrum and calcium supplements daily.

I also load up on my vitamins whenever I am starting to get sick. (Vitamin C, Echinacea, Multi) I swear that this helps me get well sooner.