Coalition of College Students and Vitamins

By: Stephanie Angela Lane
Posted In: News

Centrum A to Zinc, Oscal, or Futurebiotics Skin and Nails? Are any of these vitamins a necessity for college students?

John Wood, manager of Harvest Natural Foods in Newport, believes it is extremely important for college students to get the proper nutrients. Wood views college as a time filled with stress and a lack of proper health. Therefore, college students should look into consuming vitamins, not only to compensate for what they are currently lacking, but also to begin a healthy lifestyle that will last into their older years.

“The steps college students take today are life insurance and they are going to be able to grow that annuity and draw from that later in life,” Wood said.

The insurance gained from vitamins is extremely important; however college students do not always know what to look for when searching for proper vitamins. Three local experts offer these tips for college students seeking vitamins:

 Save Money, Use Generics – College students are constantly bombarded

with expenses and bills. Mary Kay Connell, director of health services at Salve Regina, said college students would be much more likely to put money towards vitamins if the vitamins would not be a major out of pocket expense.

Danette Walsh, pharmacist at CVS in Middletown, believes college students should purchase generic brand vitamins. Walsh said generic brands contain the exact same ingredients as the higher priced name brands. College students may also consider purchasing generic CVS Spectravite for $9.99 over the 180-count bottle of name brand Centrum A to Zinc for $17.49 – the frugal shopper can pay almost half the price!

Walsh recommended college students purchase a generic brand of a multivitamin. Walsh said, “Especially with college students, it is great to get the best bang for your buck!”

 Use the Vitamins Correctly – The first step for the college student is to

purchase the vitamins. The second step for the college student is to make sure they use the vitamins correctly.

Walsh suggests either speaking with a doctor or pharmacist to inquire proper usage of the vitamins. “Even though you are all college students, every person is an individual,” Walsh said.

Walsh also warns against the mentality that “more is better.” Instead, she emphasizes the importance of following the prescribed directions.

Connell also said be sure not to take too many vitamins. If a college student overindulges in vitamins, the results are worse than if the student did not take vitamins at all.

Connell also suggested college students stick with a multivitamin. She believes a multivitamin would be a good option because it has all the necessary nutrients college students need – in one simple dosage.

The only time a multivitamin would not be sufficient, Connell warned, is if the student has a medical problem, such as anemia or an eating disorder. It would then be necessary for the student to speak with a health professional to ensure they are getting proper nutrients for their specific medical issues.

 Make a Strong Commitment – Wood said it is essential for college students to make a strong commitment to the vitamins they choose to take.

Wood emphasized the importance of deciding what type of vitamin a college students can commit to. He suggested college students figure out both what amount of vitamins they are most likely to devotedly take, and also what form of vitamin the student would prefer to take.

Wood said perhaps a one-a-day vitamin would be a good idea because the student would only have to worry about taking the vitamin once daily. He also suggests figuring out what form of vitamin would be preferred. He said some people prefer liquid, others prefer chewables, while others prefer a pill form.

“If you spend $12 or $80 it’s not going to matter if it’s not taken on a regular basis,” Wood said. “The first thing you should look at is ‘can I commit to this’.be sure you can make a commitment to the one that you’re going to purchase.”

 Live a Healthy Lifestyle – Wood, Connell, and Walsh all agree there

is absolutely no “quick fix” when it comes to vitamins.

All three experts are advocates of a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, daily exercise, appropriate amounts of sleep, avoidance of excessive drinking, and completely abstaining from smoking. It is also recommended students wash hands and don’t share food and drinks with others.

Connell even suggests meeting with a nutritionist who could assist college students with how to live a healthy lifestyle. Connell advised meeting with a nutritionist either through the school or someone in the community. She admits it is difficult to eat healthy and live healthy while in college, but said it is worth the effort to ensure the student is living a healthy lifestyle.

Living a healthy lifestyle is a common suggestion college students most likely heard before departing from home for college. Connell’s best tip is to listen to an intelligent source back home, “Usually what mom has told them is right – it is amazing how brilliant moms are!”