MANY times our diets are less than ideal and need to be supplemented with vitamins to supply all the nutrients needed for optimal health and wellness.

But choosing the right vitamins can be difficult, especially when the problem is singular and we don’t want to treat a single problem with a dose of multivitamins.

The pharmacy’s vitamin aisle can be intimidating, but this week we’ll share what you really should be buying for your particular condition.

General, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, Dr Alfred Dawes, said choosing the right supplementation of vitamins and minerals is highly dependent on age, sex and medical conditions.

Below Dr Dawes advises on how best to select vitamins based on specific conditions.

1. Heavy periods and anaemia

“Women who have heavy menses may require iron supplements along with vitamin C,” Dr Dawes said. “The iron helps to build blood cells to replace those lost in the menses and the vitamin C aids the absorption of the iron from the digestive tract.”

2. Weak bones

According to Dr Dawes, older people, especially postmenopausal women, may benefit from calcium supplements as there is an increased risk of osteoporosis and hip fractures in this population.

3. Recovering from surgery

“Patients who have had gastric bypass surgery, for example, need multivitamins as the capacity of their stomach is reduced and they may not be able to get all the required vitamins from their decreased food portions,” Dr Dawes said.

4. Fighting a cold

“Although vitamin C is heavily touted to fight the flu, many studies have shown that this is not so. It may, however, be useful in the overall functioning of the immune system and is good for healing and maintenance of healthy tissue,” Dr Dawes said.

5. Too-little exposure to sunlight

Working inside may not be too beneficial to your health. “Some research has shown that even in the tropics where exposure to sunlight allows us to make vitamin D, some persons who work mainly indoors and rarely venture outdoors may need supplementation,” Dr Dawes said.

6. Pregnant women

Vitamins help to maintain a healthy foetus. “Women planning on becoming pregnant or who are pregnant should take folic acid as it decreases the chance of certain malformations in the foetus,” Dr Dawes said.

7. No-meat diet

While being a vegetarian keeps you healthy, Dr Dawes said certain vitamins are lacking when such a lifestyle, which is good, is practised. “Vegetarians may not get sufficient vitamin B12, zinc, iron and calcium,” he said.

8. Tiredness

There are no vitamins to deal with tiredness. According to Dr Dawes, rest, exercise, and a balanced diet are best. “There is no way around it. Exercise may leave you drained at first, but then it boosts your metabolism and you end up feeling more energised in the long run.”

— Kimberley Hibbert