What is the easiest and fastest way to dramatically improve your nutrient intake? Take a high-quality multivitamin.

But what is a high-quality multivitamin? Or put another way, how can you pick out low-quality multivitamins, so you don’t waste your money on them?

Article ShortcutsWhy You Need a Multivitamin1. Vegetables and Fruit Contain Fewer Nutrients2. Today’s Lifestyle Demands More Vitamins and Minerals3. The Average Meal is Calorie-Rich and Nutrient-PoorWhy Some People Believe Multivitamins Don’t WorkWho Needs A Multivitamin?How Can You Identify a High-Quality Multivitamin?Does the multivitamin contain natural folate, or folic acid?Does the multivitamin contain methylcobalamin, or cyanocobalamin?Does the multivitamin contain high-quality mineral chelates?Does the multivitamin contain vitamin K2?Does the multivitamin contain additional, unique, health-promoting ingredients?In This Story

I know what it takes to build a quality supplement, and I know how supplement companies cut corners too. I wish it weren't true, but most people get duped by low-quality supplements sold with flashy packaging or by salespeople who don't know much about the products they promote.

I have to tell you upfront; I am biased. I believe the Life Time supplements are among the best you'll find. We put an enormous amount of time and effort into ensuring they're not only pure, but that they work. That said, even if you choose not to use Life Time supplements, this article should help steer you away from the junk that's found on most stores' shelves.

In this article, I’ll share with you why (in my opinion) almost everyone needs to take a high-quality multivitamin. You'll also understand why a high-quality multivitamin is the first of the "Foundational Five," the five supplements we recommend for almost every body.

Why You Need a Multivitamin

When I refer to a “multivitamin,” I’m really talking about a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral supplement, or a supplement that includes most, if not all, of your essential micronutrients.

Micronutrient: essential vitamin or mineral that must be consumed through diet or supplementation to maintain normal cellular and molecular function.

If you don’t use a multivitamin today, here’s three reasons why I believe you need to start.

1. Vegetables and Fruit Contain Fewer Nutrients

Vegetables and fruit are not nearly as nutrient-dense as they once were. Farming today creates produce that grows bigger and faster, and is more resistant to pests and climate challenges.

Unfortunately, these super-sized vegetables and fruit lack the nutrient-density of their smaller, more fragile ancestors. On top of that, soil has been depleted of nutrients over the past several decades. Since the soil is less nutritious, the plants that grow in it get less nutrition, too.

Research shows that today’s produce has less protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and vitamin A than in the mid -1900s.

As one study put it, you’d need to eat eight oranges today to get the same amount of vitamin A that a single orange contained when our grandparents were young.

2. Today’s Lifestyle Demands More Vitamins and Minerals

We encounter more oxidative stress, emotional and physical stress, pollution and other toxins than ever. We also get less sleep, movement, and time outdoors, which hampers your ability to recover from those stresses.

Vitamins and minerals play important roles in helping us deal with these stressors,