According to the CDC, over half of Americans take either a multivitamin or some sort of dietary supplement. Whether you have limited variety in your diet, avoid certain food groups, or just want to ensure you get all the necessary nutrients, a multivitamin or vitamin supplement may benefit you.
Contrary to what many people think, though, supplements are not meant to replace a well-balanced diet. Instead, they should be used to complement or enhance your diet. It’s always best to get your nutrients from whole foods first, then supplement with a multivitamin.
You may be familiar with multivitamins or even individual vitamin supplements, but have you ever heard of a personalized supplement? When it comes to vitamins, it can be overwhelming when there are so many different options. For starters, there are hundreds of different brands and types of multivitamins to choose from. On top of that, you may not even know what vitamins your body needs. Take comfort in knowing you’re not alone.
And while a women’s or men’s daily multivitamin might seem to suffice, your individual needs vary depending on your age, sex, diet, and even genetics. Because of this, there are options other than a generic multivitamin that are more personalized to an individual's needs.
Supplements that take your individual needs into account are able to better tailor your supplement formula to your body’s requirements. This personalization is typically done through a questionnaire, DNA tests, or blood tests, with DNA tests being the most expansive and questionnaires being the least comprehensive.
Customized Supplements vs. Personalized Supplements: What’s the Difference?
There are varying degrees of personalization that can be found in a multivitamin. The generic multivitamins found in grocery stores are based on the average needs of the population. While this option might be the most cost-effective, it may not address each individual’s specific needs.
Companies that allow you to create a custom pack of supplements are another step closer to personalization. This option will enable you to take a short quiz or select the specific vitamins you want to include in your pack based on your lifestyle, habits, and health goals. While this is a great customized option, some components that are not completely personalized still need to be addressed.
A bespoke personalized supplement with a truly custom formula will rely on your DNA, as well as your age, sex, dietary preferences, and eating habits, to determine what nutrients your body may need more or less of. Personalized supplements use your DNA results and tweak those vitamin amounts based on your body's ability to absorb certain nutrients.
Nutrigenetics is the term used to describe how your body responds to nutrients based on your genetic variation. The use of nutrigenetics can help determine which nutrients your genotype absorbs efficiently and where you may need to take action steps to avoid nutrient deficiencies. DNA-based personalized supplements use the science behind your genotype and nutrigenetics to create your custom multivitamin formula.
How Do I Get a Personalized Supplement?
Most personalized supplement brands (like us!) offer their products directly on their website, where you can order a DNA test that will arrive in the mail.
For GenoVit, our line of genetic-based personalized supplements, you’ll submit your DNA sample to our lab via a pre-paid shipping label. Once the lab receives and processes your DNA sample, you’ll be able to view your personalized supplement formula online in your account. And don’t worry—the DNA test is a simple cheek swab to gather saliva, so it’s quick and painless!
From there, you can order your personalized supplements to be delivered straight to your door. While traditionally, you might go to your local grocery store or drugstore each month to pick up your multivitamins, GenoVit is a personalized supplement subscription service, meaning your multivitamins will be delivered to you on a recurring basis so you never miss a beat.
If you’re ready to ditch your one-size-fits-all drugstore multivitamin, order our at-home DNA test or upload your existing DNA data to begin your personalized nutrition journey. In just a few weeks, you’ll have access to your unique personalized supplement formula.
Already have a GenoPalate nutrition analysis? View your personalized supplement formula directly in your account.
