You are at the gym three times a week, and you eat a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, dairy and oils. You've been to Yoga, tried CrossFit, and have a membership at a Kickboxing studio. Living an active lifestyle is something you thrive on.

The question of whether or not to take a multivitamin is confusing for most people. After all, shouldn't eating a healthy, well-balanced diet be all the nutrients our body needs?

The issue is further muddled by media reports coming out ''disproving'' a multivitamins effectiveness one week, and the next promoting how essential certain vitamins are for improving certain conditions.

Even with a good diet and exercise routine, a multivitamin can still help you meet your unique nutritional requirements. Whether you're an athlete training for a triathlon or looking to build on your fitness goals.

Here is how Progressive's Multivitamins will give you what you need to maintain your active lifestyle

• Get Your Electrolytes Back:  Potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sea salt help replace and balance the minerals and electrolytes you've depleted with intense exercise.

• Boost Antioxidant Support:   Supplementing your antioxidants ensures your body is always ready to quench free radicals created by exercise. Complete with vitamins A, C, and E, coenzyme Q10, selenium, alpha lipoic acid, and grape seed extract.

• Supercharge Your Oxygen Intake:   Taking malic acid, coenzyme Q10, and ginkgo < biloba will help facilitate oxygen uptake, boosting energy production and enhancing your performance, stamina, and endurance.

• Knock Out Stress & Fatigue:   Getting additional B vitamins and higher potencies of the vitamin C family will help combat the increased stress an active lifestyle inflicts on your body. In addition to these supplemental vitamins, glutathione, calcium, and magnesium help reduce fatigue by supporting adrenal function.

• Recuperate Faster:   Reduce post-exercise recovery times - and help repair and maintain your muscle tissue - with L-glutamine and phosphatidylserine.

Your body stands to benefit from taking an active multivitamin formula. Progressive Multivitamins for Active Men and Active Women have been designed to meet the heightened needs of active, healthy people. Additional nutrients contribute to a comprehensive offensive and defensive strategy which includes electrolyte replacement, antioxidant support, increased oxygen uptake, combating stress and supporting greater recuperation, on top of providing all of your daily essential nutrients.

Here are some of the vitamins and minerals Progressive Multivitamins provide

• Vitamin B12:   Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble nutrient that is quickly depleted by stress, like what you experience during a strenuous workout. B12 plays a crucial role in energy production, red blood cell formation, and a healthy metabolism. Want to recover from exercise? You will need vitamin B12.

• Calcium:   Besides being vital for building and maintaining bone, calcium is essential for muscle contraction, which is necessary for producing strength and force. 

• Iron:   Iron is an integral part of the red blood cell, ensuring you can transfer enough oxygen to your cells. When you are working out, your cells demand oxygen. Without enough iron, athletes can experience fatigue, poor protein metabolism, and a lowered immune system.

• Magnesium:   Magnesium is necessary for nerve and muscle function, muscle recovery, and converting blood sugar into energy. Not only is it suitable for your muscle tissue, but it's also essential for your muscles' movement.

• Potassium:   Potassium is an electrolyte required for muscle contractions - remember what we said about producing strength and force earlier? Potassium helps maintain your body's water balance. Anyone who's seen a sports drink < ad knows how essential electrolytes are to an athlete.

• Selenium:   Selenium is a mineral with powerful antioxidant properties to help protect your body from the additional free radicals produced as a result of physical activity and stress. Working out vigorously? You're going to need some selenium during your recovery.

• Zinc:   Zinc is one of the most highly used minerals in your body. It's vital for immune health, energy production, and recovery from exercise. If you've worked out extra hard, you'll need some extra zinc.

• Vitamin E:   Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps fight the damaging effects of those pesky free radicals. It's also been clinically shown to reduce exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage. Don't let that exercise-induced damage linger. Heal yourself up with vitamin E.

The benefit to Progressive Multivitamins is they are designed in different formulas to address the needs of different ages, genders, and activity levels. There is no ''one size fits all'' answer here. The various formulas are designed to help you recover, and gain from your workout. Progressive's Multivitamin feature a divided dose in a vegetable capsule for easy absorption and all-day protection.

It's important to remember that multivitamin supplements can't take the place of a well-balanced diet. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the benefits and potential risks of vitamin and mineral supplements.