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A high-quality multivitamin should act as a safety net for your immune system, plugging any nutritional gaps in your diet to keep you in fine fettle year-round. Typically, they come in the form of a pill taken once a day, but with an alphabet of vitamins, a multitude of minerals and a sliding scale of nutrient reference values (NRV) to consider, locating the best multivitamin for your needs can be a bewildering experience.
The shelves – both in your local supermarket and in virtual health stores – are overflowing with options, each promising to be a silver bullet for your health and fitness. So, where should you start? And what resembles good value for money?
To cut through the noise, we’ve assembled an all-star lineup of industry insiders, clinical dietitians and registered nutritionists for this definitive manual on all things multivitamins. Drawing on their expert insight, we’ve selected the best value-for-money multivitamins on the market today, highlighting each of their pros and cons to ensure you’re taking good care of your health without compromising your bank balance.
Alex Glover is a Senior Nutritionist and part of the product development team at the UK’s leading health and wellbeing store Holland & Barrett.
Lily Chapman is a Sport and Exercise Nutritionist for the online coaching platform P3RFORM. Her clients include the Swansea City FC Academy and England Athletics.
Dr Carrie Ruxton is a dietitian at the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (www.hsis.org) and founder of Nutrition Communications.
Rhiannon Lambert is a registered nutritionist and author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Science of Nutrition. Find her on Instagram @rhitrition.
“A good multivitamin should provide adequate levels of all the essential vitamins and minerals needed to support overall health,” explains Alex Glover, Senior Nutritionist at the UK’s leading health and wellbeing store Holland & Barrett. While it’s possible to get all the nutrients you need from your diet alone, a multivitamin can, he says, “support in bridging any gaps”.
The exact nutritional content varies significantly between individual products and brands. “Some lower-quality multivitamin and mineral supplements often contain lower levels of minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus,” says Alex. “Always check the NRV percentage on the product packaging. Levels between 50-100% is a good gauge.”
When choosing a supplement, Lily Chapman, Performance Coach and Sport and Exercise Nutritionist for digital fitness coaching platform P3RFORM, says that price should not be a determining factor. Instead, she encourages you to follow this checklist:
Dr Carrie Ruxton, a dietitian at the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (www.hsis.org) believes an A-Z multivitamin and multimineral supplement is the most efficient option. “It will supply your recommended daily intake of the most important micronutrients and you don’t need to overthink it,” she says.
However, men’s diets can often be lacking in certain nutrients. “A quarter of men are deficient in vitamin D, yet only one in ten takes a vitamin D supplement as recommended in many countries,” says Dr Ruxton. As an alternative to a comprehensive multivitamin, she says it’s worth targeting these specific vitamins and minerals:
Registered nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, the author of The Science of Nutrition, insists a balanced and varied diet should negate the need for a dietary supplement. However, she says, for adults living in the UK, a daily 10-microgram vitamin D supplement taken between September and April when sun exposure is low can help avoid deficiency.
“Alongside vitamin D, women who are pregnant or trying to conceive are advised to take folic acid,” she adds. “If you are a vegan you should also ensure you are taking adequate vitamins, such as a vegan multivitamin, to cover deficiencies.” In particular, look for a supplement that includes vitamin B12 which is primarily found in meat, fish and dairy.
Along with reinforcing the immune system, Vitamin D helps keep bones, muscles and teeth healthy by regulating levels of calcium and phosphate. When it comes to supplements, it’s typically available as either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 – but what are the key differences?
Vitamin D2 is known as ergocalciferol and is found in plants and fungi, making it suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Vitamin D3 is known as cholecalciferol and is found in animal products, including oily fish like salmon and mackerel. Vitamin D3 is generally thought to be more effective at improving overall vitamin D levels.
“While vitamin D2 is always derived from a vegan source, vitamin D3 is often sourced from lanolin, which comes from sheep's wool,” explains Alex. “Vegan-suitable versions of vitamin D3 do exist, including those derived from lichen, which is a type of algae.” If you see D3 in a formulation listed as vegan or vegetarian it will likely be in this vegan-safe form.
As mentioned above, the NHS recommends 10 micrograms per day between September and April in the UK. It’s worth noting that the word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g (μg). It can also be expressed as International Units (IU). One microgram is equal to 40 IU. So 10 micrograms of vitamin D is equal to 400 IU.
Most vitamins and minerals are safe to take together – so long as you follow the correct advice on dosage. “Some combinations can even boost absorption,” says Dr Ruxton, “such as taking vitamin C or drinking a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with iron, taking fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) with a fat-containing meal, or zinc with a protein-rich meal.”
That said, combining multivitamins that contain the same nutrients could lead to a toxic build-up. “If your partner is expecting, Vitamin A, in particular, can be harmful when consumed in excess during pregnancy,” says Rhiannon. “Generally, water-soluble vitamins (B vitamins, including folate, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C) are less likely to cause harm than fat-soluble vitamins as they are easily excreted.”
There is growing evidence that the below vitamin and mineral combinations should also be avoided where possible:
This will depend on your individual circumstances.
“If you’re taking a regular A-Z multivitamin or multimineral supplement to bridge dietary gaps, then it can be taken long term,” says Dr Ruxton. “If you’re trying to knock out a cold or respiratory infection with a high dose of vitamin C and zinc, around 10-15 days should be enough.”
However, if it’s to fix a known deficiency, you should ask your doctor to perform a blood test to check your nutrient status and reduce the dose when you get back to the normal range.
Knowing when to dial down your dose will not only reduce the risk of a toxic build up in your body, it could also save you from pouring your hard-earned cash down the toilet in the form of “expensive urine”, says Rhiannon. “It’s one of the most common mistakes I see,” she continues. “If you’re already getting all your micronutrients from a healthy, balanced, and varied diet, any surplus vitamins and minerals will simply be excreted as waste.”
Drawing on our expert panel’s guidance, here we’ve selected the best multivitamins on the market today, including their pros, cons and key features. Remember, it’s always worth consulting your doctor first to get a clear picture of your individual dietary needs and fixing your diet before looking to plug the gaps with supplements.
Pros: Value for money | Includes 100% NRV for most B vitamins | Suitable for vegetarians Cons: Low dose for some vitamins | Only half the NHS’s recommended dose for vitamin D Key ingredients: Vitamins A, D, E, K, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin and Pantothenic Acid Pack size: 30 (one month supply) Dosage: One tablet per day Suitable for vegetarians: Yes Recyclable packaging: Yes
H&B’s new value multivit provides impressive value for money, delivering 100% NRV for vitamins A and D3, and the roster of B vitamins, including B12, making it especially suitable for vegetarians. It doesn’t contain magnesium, potassium or selenium, which can often be lacking in men’s diets, and H&B’s Alex concedes that it includes a lower dose of some vitamins than comparable options. For example, vitamin D3, which at 5 micrograms is half the NHS’s recommended 10 micrograms. Yet at just 5p per day for a month’s supply, Alex says “it’s an efficacious option for those on a budget”.
Pros: Includes magnesium and selenium | Optimal combination of zinc and vitamin C to ward off seasonal bugs Cons: Low dose of vitamin D3 | Expensive Key ingredients: Magnesium, selenium, reishi mushroom, pantothenic acid, zinc, iron, vitamin C and vitamin E Pack size: 60 capsules (30 days’ supply) Dosage: Two capsules taken together at any time of the day Suitable for vegetarians: Yes Recyclable packaging: Yes
Wild Nutrition’s Daily Multi Nutrient has been specifically formulated to meet the nutritional demands of men. Its combination of naturally-grown ingredients is designed to promote healthy testosterone levels, support muscle recovery, boost energy and bolster immunity, and the company swears to never add fillers, artificial preservatives or synthetic nutrients. The inclusion of vitamin C, zinc and selenium makes it especially practical during the winter months, helping protect against seasonal bugs. However, each dose includes just 1.5 μg of vitamin D3, so an additional supplement would need to be taken to avoid deficiency between September and April. With sustainability in mind, the capsules come in a refillable glass jar on first purchase and eco refill pouches thereafter.
Price: £33.50 £25.12/84p per dose Available at: wildnutrition.com
Pros: High potency of B vitamins to support energy production | Optimal combination of zinc and vitamin C to ward off seasonal bugs Cons: Modest dose of vitamin D3 | Expensive Key ingredients: 31 vitamins, minerals and botanicals, including green tea extract, coenzyme Q10, iodine, zinc, selenium, vitamin C, E, D and high levels of B12 Pack size: 60 capsules (30 days’ supply) Dosage: Two capsules taken daily with food Suitable for vegetarians: Yes Recyclable packaging: Yes
The theory goes that increased sweating from exercise causes water to be lost from the body faster, and as B vitamins are water soluble and cannot be stored by the body, they will need to be replenished more regularly. Thus, Viridian has packed this multivitamin with an abundance of B vitamins and in particular 3,333% NRV of vitamin B5 to promote normal energy-yielding metabolism for especially active individuals. Its formula has also been tweaked to complement and boost the activity of protein powders and sports drinks, while the inclusion of antioxidants vitamin C and E helps protect cells from oxidative stress caused by exercise. Its sky high quota of vitamin B12 (4,000% NRV) makes it a solid choice for sportsmen and women adhering to a strict vegan or vegetarian diet too.
Pros: Optimal dose of vitamin D3 | Includes heart healthy dose of omega 3-6-9 Cons: Requires three tablets to be taken daily | Expensive Key ingredients: 28 micronutrients including high purity fish oil, thiamine, vitamin B6, B12, D3, calcium, zinc, iron, pantothenic acid, L-Tyrosine and Siberian ginseng extract Pack size: 84 (28-day supply) Dosage: Three tablets taken daily with food Suitable for vegetarians: No Recyclable packaging: No
Vitabiotics, the UK’s best-selling vitamin brand, include a concoction of unusual ingredients in this potent multivitamin that’s tailor-made to support the nutritional needs of men. Fish oils, blackcurrant seed oil, pumpkin seed oil and olive oil deliver high-purity omega 3-6-9 for a heart-protecting dose of healthy fats. Siberian ginseng extract – widely used in Russia as an adaptogen to help the body better cope with mental and physical stress – is included to help ward off colds and flu while boosting energy. Its formula also lists the full gamut of B vitamins, zinc, iron, calcium, pantothenic acid and 15 μg of vitamin D3 among its ingredients – perhaps explaining why this multivitamin requires three tablets to deliver one single daily dose. That’s quite the mouthful.
Pros: Suitable for the whole family 12+ years | Easier to take than pills or capsules Cons: Low dose of vitamin D3 | Excludes vitamin A, magnesium, potassium and selenium Key ingredients: Nine key nutrients including vitamin B1, B12, D3, C, E, folic acid, niacin and iodine Pack size: 60 (30 days’ supply – based on one person taking them) Dosage: Two gummies per day Suitable for vegetarians: Yes Recyclable packaging: No
Made from vegan-safe pectin, this multivitamin in gummy form is ideal if you struggle to swallow large tablets or capsules. It includes nine key vitamins and minerals, including iodine to support the normal development of children, making it especially suited for families with kids of 12+ years. On the other hand, each dose includes just 1.5 μg of vitamin D3 so an additional supplement would need to be taken to avoid deficiency between September and April — and it’s also lacking in nutrients that are typically low in men’s diets, including vitamin A, magnesium, potassium and selenium.
Pros: Optimal dose of vitamin D3 | Includes lesser-seen supplements lutein and molybdenum Cons: Large tablet size | Excludes potassium Key ingredients: 23 active ingredients including B vitamins, vitamins A, C, D and E, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, selenium, lutein and trace mineral molybdenum Pack size: 60 tablets (30 days’ supply) Dosage: Two tablets taken daily with food Suitable for vegetarians: Yes Recyclable packaging: Yes
25% and 45% Fatty Acid H&B’s premium tier of multivitamin boasts higher strengths, more complexes and additional ingredients to boost its efficacy. Each multivitamin contains 23 active ingredients, cherry-picked for their varied health benefits and advanced bioavailability to ensure that every last mg of this supplement is put to good use. In addition to the standard nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamins A, E and C, iron and calcium, this multivitamin contains lutein, a carotenoid that accumulates in the eye, and trace mineral molybdenum, which is essential to help our bodies metabolise sulphur-based amino acids that we extract from our normal diets. It also includes a generous 25 μg of vitamin D3 – 500% NRV – to keep levels topped up through winter.