The best multivitamin has all the essential vitamins and minerals in the right dose the body needs to function properly. Brand, ingredient quality, composition, unique blend, absence of unwanted fillers or additives, dosage, and bioavailability are the main factors that make up the best multivitamin. Our body needs vitamins and minerals daily to maintain good health. A healthy diet is the best way to fulfil all your nutritional needs. However, due to increased nutritional needs (eg: pregnancy), ageing, restricted diets, lack of nutrients in the modern diet, unhealthy lifestyles, bone disorders, anaemia (iron deficiency), etc, we are at greater risk of nutrient deficiency. This nutritional gap can be best fulfilled with daily supplements, organic multivitamins, etc.
In this guide, we will explore the best multivitamins for daily wellness or specific health goals, how to choose a daily multivitamin, the best multivitamin for hair growth, and much more. Such information is important to get the right multivitamin that is most suitable for your health needs. Because EVERY MULTIVITAMIN IS UNIQUE AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
Understanding Multivitamins
What Are Multivitamins?
Multivitamins contain vitamins, minerals and other ingredients like phytonutrients, enzymes, etc. The main purpose of daily multivitamins is to get the daily nutrients properly, promote good health, fulfil specific nutrient needs of vegans, support healthy pregnancy, combat common nutrient deficiency in the elderly, etc.
Benefits of Multivitamins
There are many health benefits of taking multivitamins. They are:
- Daily wellness: A daily multivitamin provides vitamins (A, C, D, E, and B complex vitamins, biotin, choline, iodine, zinc, selenium, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, boron, inositol, coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid, zeaxanthin, lycopene, etc. The nutrients are provided in the right dosage with high-quality daily multivitamins. Every nutrient in these multivitamins has a vital role in maintaining good health.
- Combination formula: In addition to vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, multivitamins also contain citrus bioflavonoid combination, turmeric root extract, grape seed extract, lutein from marigold extract, etc. In this way, the best multivitamin provides general nutritional support.
- For vegans: Why vegans should take multivitamins? Vegans follow a strict plant-based diet and the fact is it is not possible to get all the nutrients from plants. Vegans are deficient in nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega, etc. There are vegan multivitamins available to fill nutrient gaps.
- Nutrient supply + Memory and focus: The composition makes the best multivitamin and it also provides multiple health benefits for example Zahler Multivitamin brainfood provides all the nutrients of a multivitamin but in addition to it, this advanced multivitamin has a whole-food fruit & veggie base with NeuroFactor and Lion’s Mane. These additional nutrients support memory and focus. The nutrient quality of such supplements is dense.
- With and without options: Women need iron (iron loss due to menstruation) while men may not need it (men are usually not deficient in iron) additionally. So there are multivitamins available that contain iron and do not contain iron. The conclusion is you have huge options available when choosing high-quality multivitamins, the only concern is to know what you need exactly and then choose.
- Best multivitamins for energy: B vitamins play a vital role in producing energy. You can get B vitamins from multivitamins or you may specifically choose B complex vitamins. Some options include Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Plus, Pure Encapsulations PureGenomics B-Complex, etc.
- Best multivitamins for hair growth: These have ingredients beneficial for hair health in many ways. For example, Douglas Laboratories HAIR GROWTH + contains zinc, green tea leaf extract, grape seed extract, taurine, and pea shoot extract. CogeAge Hair vitamins supplement contains nutrients (you find in multivitamins) along with different blends that support hair health. These blends provide probiotics, amla, ashwagandha, turmeric, keratin, black pepper, etc.
Choosing the Right Multivitamin
Factors to Consider
When selecting the best multivitamin, consider the following factors:
- Age: Every age demands different nutrients. Like women of reproductive age need iron support but menopausal women do not need extra iron support instead other nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, etc are required. This highlights the nutrients needed in different life stages. There are multivitamins available for different ages like teens, 40+, 50+, 55+, elderly, etc. You will find differences in composition depending on the age-specific requirement.
- Gender: The nutritional requirements of men and women are different. You can find the best multivitamins for men and women based on age and health issues. Daily multivitamins for men may address concerns like energy, digestion, immunity and bones.
- Health Goals: What is the driving force that is making you search for the best multivitamin for yourself? There can be many goals like planning pregnancy, fertility health, daily nutritional support, athlete supplements, etc. Even if you are choosing a high-quality multivitamin to fill nutrient gaps, their unique composition will help you gain the benefits of good general health, immunity, improved energy levels, etc.
Multivitamins for Specific Groups
Multivitamins for Men
Multivitamins for men fulfil the specific or increased nutrient needs of men like zinc, pantothenic acid, magnesium, etc.
Some of the best multivitamins for men include:
- Pure Encapsulations Men's Nutrients is for men over 40. It contains activated vitamins and mineral chelates. In addition, the most unique feature of this multivitamin is, it has macular synergy complex (lutein and zeaxanthin) for retinal and macula health, prostaprotect plus (saw palmetto, lycopene, green tea) for prostate health, cardio polyphenol complex (pomegranates, grape seed extract, etc) for blood vessel health and EnduraBoost blend (astralagus plus maca) for endurance and stamina.
- Innate Response Men Over 40 One Daily Iron Free: If you do not have iron deficiency, then the best option would be to choose a multivitamin that does not contain iron. For those looking for iron-free multivitamins for men, this supplement by Innate Response is an option to consider. It is formulated for men over the age of 40 years to support good health and overall well-being. There are many similar options you can choose from.
Multivitamins for Women
- Pure Encapsulations Women's Nutrients: This multivitamin for women provides all essential vitamins and minerals in addition to some complexes like BreastHealth Plus with HMRlignanm, green tea and turmeric, Stress calm blend with Rhodiola and lemon balm, etc. This multivitamin for women supports the good health and wellness of women over 40 years of age.
- Thorne Women's Multi 50+: This multivitamin for women does not contain iron and copper. It is best suitable for post-menopausal women and those who are at low risk of iron deficiency. Thorne Women's Multi 50+ is like a foundational supplement providing key nutrients for an active lifestyle and healthy ageing. Calcium and magnesium are present in the best nutrient and highly absorbable form to support bone health.
Prenatal Multivitamins
Prenatal multivitamins for women are formulated for women planning pregnancy. They contain all the essential nutrients a pregnant woman needs for healthy fetal development and maternal health.
Some of the options are:
- Theralogix TheraNatal Complete Prenatal Vitamin & Mineral Supplement Kit: This kit has all the essential nutrients with Choline, DHA, etc in the right dosage to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
- Another option is Theralogix TheraNatal One Prenatal Multivitamins with DHA. This prenatal has an optimal dose of nutrients like DHA, vitamin D, folate, iodine, and iron.
- Innate Response Baby & Me Multivitamin: This multivitamin for women is formulated to support the nutritional needs of women before and during pregnancy.
Senior Multivitamins
What is the difference between general multivitamins and senior multivitamins? The best multivitamins for seniors contain high doses of some nutrients like vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B12, probiotics/digestive enzymes, etc.
Vitanica Senior Symmetry is one such option. This multivitamin for seniors is a combination of nutrients and digestive enzymes. It has natural mixed carotenoids, Buffered Vitamin C is gentle on the stomach, citrate/malate forms of calcium, Botanical like Rhodiola, Ginkgo and Bilberry fruit, anti-oxidants like CoQ10 and Lutein and Plant-based digestive enzymes.
These nutrients are important for seniors and benefit them in fulfilling specific nutrient requirements like calcium, improving digestion, cognition, etc.
Sport-Specific Multivitamins
These multivitamins are formulated for athletes or for those who are involved in physical activities and require special nutrient support that improves performance, endurance, strength and recovery.
Options for the best multivitamin for sports enthusiasts are:
- Pure Encapsulations Athletic Nutrients is a nutritional complex for physical training and performance. It also contains Energize ATP factors like creatine monohydrate, coenzyme Q10, alpha-ketoglutarate, Muscle-Restore complex like free form of N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, alpha lipoic acid, L-Carnosine, Powerful anti-oxidants like grape extract, green tea, superfruit antioxidant blend from pomegranate, acerola, acai berry, etc.
- Douglas Laboratories Energy/Sports Formula in addition to many vitamins and minerals contains energy or sports proprietary blends like Ginseng, Sarsaparilla, Octacosanol complex, Royal jelly, L-Carnitine, Inosine, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, etc
Vegetarian or Vegan Multivitamins
These fill the nutritional gaps in a vegan diet. Some of the options of vegan multivitamins are:
- Vitanica Vegan Symmetry is a vegan multivitamin specifically formulated to address the nutritional needs and potential deficiencies commonly experienced by individuals following a vegan diet. These supplements provide targeted nutritional support.
- Deva Nutrition LLC Vegan B12 with folic acid and vitamin B6.
- Pure Encapsulations Vegan Vitamin D is a dietary supplement providing vitamin D3 derived from algae to support muscle, heart, immune and cellular health.
Multivitamins for Kids
Kids should get all essential vitamins and minerals to support growth and development. Some of the best multivitamins for kids are:
- Nordic Naturals Zero Sugar Kids Multi: These multivitamin gummies for kids are available in orange lemon flavour. These delicious gummies provide 18 nutrients to help support the growth and development of kids.
- SmartyPants Vitamins Kids Formula Organic: This supplement for kids provide vitamin K2 to keep bones healthy, vitamin D3 for strong immunity and vitamin B12 for energy.
- Drs Advantage Children's Super Multivitamins & Minerals: This liquid multivitamin for kids provides all essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The proprietary anti-oxidant berry blend contains grape juice concentrate, cherry juice concentrate, and wolfberry extract.
- Nordic Naturals Nordic Berries Cherry Berry: This chewable multivitamin for kids is for ages over 3. The gummies provide nutrients like vitamins, zinc, choline, calcium, iodine, magnesium, etc.
Conclusion
People choose multivitamins to get comprehensive nutritional support. They also prefer high-quality supplements to ensure safety, bioavailable nutrients, and to get good results. Choosing the right multivitamin based on age and need can provide you with health benefits like balancing nutrient intake, improving immunity and energy levels, bone health, reducing the risk of deficiencies, etc. In every stage of life, nutrient needs vary, so many targeted formulations are available. Make sure you choose the right one.
FAQ
1. Which multivitamin is best for my age?
There are many multivitamins for specific age groups like:
- Innate Response Men Over 40 One Daily Iron-Free
- Innate Response Men's 40+ Multivitamin
- Innate Response Men's 55+ Multivitamin
- Innate Response Women's 55+ Multivitamin
There are more options like this. You can visit the website to get more information on age-specific multivitamins.
2. Are there multivitamins for seniors?
Yes, there are multivitamins for seniors available formulated for their requirements. Here are some of the examples of multivitamins for seniors:
- Natural Factors Ultimate Prob Seniors for a healthy gut.
- Vitanica Senior Symmetry is a multivitamin for seniors aged over 65
- Buried Treasure Active 55 Plus provides vitamins, minerals, herbs and anti-oxidants for seniors.
3. How to choose the best multivitamin for kids?
You can choose liquid supplements, chewable multivitamins, powder supplements and gummies for kids. Some of the options for multivitamins for kids are:
- Douglas Laboratories Vita-Kids Immune Liquid
- Brain MD Kids' NeuroVite multivitamin- Orange Chewables
- SmartyPants Vitamins Kids Formula - 120 Gummies
- Garden of Life Kids Multivitamin Powder - 2.11 oz
- SmartyPants Vitamins Kids Mineral Formula - 60 Chews
4. Should I take a multivitamin daily?
Yes, you can take multivitamins daily. Check the multivitamin label for terms like men, women, over 40, daily, etc to make more precise decisions.