Over time, the minerals in the soil become depleted causing the foods we eat to loose some of their nutritional value. Over cooking of foods and canning foods also cause fruits and vegetables to loose nutrients. Supplementation is important for different types of people. As we age, our bodies are not able to assimilate and absorb nutrients in the foods we eat, giving a need for supplementation. Undue stress placed on our bodies is another reason for supplementation.
Undue stress can be anything from longer hours at work to strenuous physical activity.
Another factor to be aware of is prescription drugs. Prescription drugs can cause different vitamins to not be absorbed leading to a deficiency. Make sure when taking prescription drugs to check for side effects that can cause a vitamin deficiency. A good start would be a multi-vitamin. Make sure that you pick a multi vitamin that has 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of nutrients.