Multivitamins are common supplements used today to help people meet their daily vitamin and nutrient needs. Multivitamins are often pretty convenient as they allow you to meet these vitamin requirements through one supplement, which is beneficial in terms of saving money as well. Multivitamins often contain essential ingredients like iron, B vitamins, Vitamins A, D, E, and K, amino acids, and fatty acids. Many multivitamins contain unique formulas but adhere to the 13 essential vitamins and 16 minerals that are proven to be instrumental in our health.
The efficacy of multivitamins is a topic that is pretty heavily debated today. Many researchers do not believe multivitamins are effective as many supplemental vitamins and minerals are not readily absorbed by our bodies, or bioavailable. It really comes down to the unique multivitamin product, though.
So, let’s take a closer look at multivitamins. We’ll discuss what they are, the benefits they can provide, and give you our picks for the best multivitamins worth adding to your routine.
Best Multivitamins
Here are our top picks. Keep reading to learn how we chose them.
- Best Overall: Nutrigenesis
- Best Liquid Multivitamin: Manna
- Best Personalized Multivitamin: Care/Of Vitamins
- Best Specialized Formulas: Ritual Vitamins
- Best Multivitamin Subscription: Feel Multivitamin
Benefits of Multivitamins
Since the ingredients of different multivitamins can vary greatly, so can the benefits they provide. However, almost all multivitamins usually contain some sort of blend of essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals which can provide some solid benefits. These benefits include reducing the risk of heart disease, boosting the immune system, enhancing brain function, promoting eye health, supporting bone and joint health, and more.
The primary benefits of each multivitamin can differ based on the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients used within the formula. Whatever the blend, though, multivitamins can provide an array of solid health benefits.
How to Choose the Right Supplement
Multivitamins are everywhere in the health and fitness world. There are options aplenty, no doubt. But, with so many choices comes the possibility (and probability) that some will work, while others will fall flat. As with any supplement, it’s important to take a thorough look at each option’s ingredient label, as well as company trustworthiness and efficacy.
Multivitamin supplements can contain various ingredients, but they usually will include a blend of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, and K are common, as well as ingredients such as L-glutamine and alpha lipoic acid.
What to Look For
- High-quality, science-backed ingredients
- Professionally formulated and researched blends
- The RIGHT combination of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients
- Healthy, energizing formulas
- Trustworthy companies and manufacturers
- Third-party quality testing
What to Avoid
- Low-quality ingredients
- Ineffective blends or dosages
- Hyped-up marketing
- Fillers
- Sketchy manufacturers or unreliable companies
- Lack of research or quality oversight
Top Rated Multivitamins
Our goal at Fitness Clone is to provide you with supplements you can trust that are worth purchasing and adding to your daily routine. We thoroughly investigate each supplement’s ingredients, dosages, and efficacy as well as their company’s practices and trustworthiness. Below are our top-rated Multivitamin options that can provide the health benefits you’re in search of.
Nutrigenesis
by Performance Lab
Nutrigensis is a multivitamin supplement from Performance Lab that comes in both a men’s and women’s formula. Both of these daily multivitamins contain more than 17 essential vitamins and minerals including vitamins B1 and B12, vitamin K, Zinc, Magnesium, and more.
Performance Lab Nutrigenesis multi for men and multi for women both support overall health, whole-body performance, and daily vitality.
Pros
- Formula contains more than 17 essential vitamins and minerals
- Designed to promote overall health and performance
- Available in a Men’s Multi and Women’s Multi
- Free of GMOs, gluten, soy, and preservatives
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Includes smaller dosages than other options
- Can be a bit expensive without discounts
Liposomal Multivitamin
by Manna
Manna Liposomal Multivitamin is our top rated liquid multivitamin for three reasons.
First, it is effective. Manna uses a liposomal delivery method that helps the vitamins absorb 10x better than other multivitamins.
Second, Manna is convenient to take. Simply take a tablespoon daily instead of taking pills.
Lastly, Manna comes in a wild berry flavor that tastes great.
Pros
- Absorbs 10x better than competing supplements
- Contains 20+ vitamins and minerals in proper doses
- Easy and convenient
- Tastes great
- Fairly Priced
- Backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Contains 55 calories
Care/Of Vitamins
by Care/Of
Care/Of is a personalized vitamin producer that uses a lifestyle quiz to determine the right multivitamin selections for your needs. Care/Of’s detailed quiz includes questions about your health goals, current lifestyle, supplement usage, workout routines, and more. The results are then used to form a multivitamin packet designed for your health.
Vitamin packs are then mailed and delivered to your home. Each personalized vitamin pack from Care/Of is taken daily and includes the correct dosages of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals designed for your health needs.
Pros
- Detailed quiz used to customize vitamins and minerals to specific needs
- Supplement routine is tailored to your specific needs
- Easy-to-take daily packets with correct dosages delivered to your door
- Each product is quality tested three times
Cons
- Subscription model may not be favorable to some
- Can be a bit expensive without discounts
Ritual Vitamins
by Ritual
Ritual is a vitamin company that specializes in formulas made specifically for different groups of individuals to better meet health needs. Ritual features multivitamins designed for men, women, expectant mothers, seniors, and young adults.
Each multivitamin ingredient is GMO-free, major allergen-free, free from artificial colors and fillers, and consciously sourced. Ritual’s multivitamins make use of a wide variety of ingredients including Vitamin D, Omega-3 DHA, Folate, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, and many more.
Pros
- Variety of formulas designed for different health needs
- Provides antioxidant support and promotes brain health
- Products are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO
- Each product is third-party tested for quality
Cons
- Subscription model may not be for everyone
Feel Multivitamin
by Feel
Feel is a monthly subscription multivitamin that offers an in-house formula designed to benefit overall health. Its formula includes 32 ingredients in their highest bioavailable and purity forms.
Of these 32 ingredients, Feel Multivitamin contains coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, 10 minerals, 13 vitamins, and 7 phytonutrients. It also includes reishi mushrooms and L-glutamine as well. Feel Multivitamin is designed to benefit digestion, heart health, eyes, sleep, energy, overall health, and more
Pros
- Ingredients include vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients
- Benefits digestion, energy, heart health, and immunity
- Products are vegan, bio-available, and lab-tested
Cons
- Subscription model may not be right for some
Multivitamin FAQ
What are the different forms of multivitamins?
Multivitamin supplements are often catered to fit a certain population. For instance, there are men and women’s multivitamins, kids’ multivitamins, and multivitamins for pregnant women. They differ based on essential ingredients and vitamins included in the multivitamin. For instance, pregnant women may take a multivitamin that contains folic acid.
Common forms of multivitamins include tablets, soft-gel capsules, liquid forms, and gummy/ chewable forms. The form of multivitamin can be more important than you think as some products contain special capsules that are better designed to enhance bioavailability within the body. Additionally, many chewable vitamins/ gummy vitamins contain additives and added sugars like high fructose corn syrup, which should be avoided.
Why do I need a multivitamin?
Multivitamins are not required for good health by any means. In fact, many people are able to meet their daily needs for essential vitamins and minerals from dietary sources alone. However, a lot of people need a multivitamin to help fill nutritional gaps. Your vitamin and mineral needs depend on your individual health concerns and conditions, and you should consult with a doctor before you take a multivitamin.
Once you determine your nutrient needs, you can select a specific product. For instance, maybe you’re vegan/ vegetarian and need a plant-based formula. Maybe you are iron deficient and need an iron-rich multivitamin. It really depends on your own health and nutrient needs.
Do multivitamins really boost health?
The efficacy of multivitamins is hotly debated by researchers today. Many believe they are not effective as they are not bioavailable. Other researchers believe that manufacturers do not include enough of individual vitamins in the formula to meet the vitamin/mineral RDAs. For instance, researchers found that taking a multivitamin supplement was not associated with a reduction in cases of strokes or heart attacks. On the other hand, some researchers have found that daily multivitamin use for a long-term period of time reduced the risk of cancer in males with no former history of cancer.
As one can tell, the research is pretty mixed. However, that doesn’t mean you should rule out multivitamins altogether. They can offer vitamins and nutrients that you may not be getting enough of in your diet. However, always research the multivitamin product you are looking to take. For example, taking too much Vitamin D and Vitamin A can be toxic to our health, so always make sure the amounts of each vitamin in the multivitamin are approved and informed by FDA guidelines.
How else can I get more vitamins in my diet?
Although multivitamins may seem like a great option to boost your health, they are in no way, shape, or form a means to avoid consuming a healthy diet. The nutrients and vitamins in a multivitamin are not the same as those you get from dietary sources. In fact, dietary sources of these essential vitamins and minerals are always the better option, and your body absorbs these nutrients far more readily than those from a pill.
Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fatty acids, legumes, and whole grains is a great way to get a wide array of these essential vitamins and minerals. It’s also important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables as these foods often provide many different essential vitamins and nutrients. You can also consult with a doctor or nutritionist to determine the foods you should consume for your own health concerns. For instance, if you are looking to get more iron in your diet, eating meat is a good option. However, people who do not eat meat should consume foods rich in iron like leafy greens and always consume them with a Vitamin C source to increase their absorption.
You can also consult with a nutritionist to find foods to help with eyesight, inflammation, bone/joint disorders, and many other conditions. The good news about dietary sources of vitamins is that there are often no adverse side effects, and they can often replace the hundreds of dollars many people spend on supplements each month.
Should you try a multivitamin?
Multivitamins can be very beneficial for your health as they can help fill nutritional gaps you may be missing. Although the efficacy of multivitamins is very conflicting, that doesn’t mean they should be ruled out. In fact, they can complement your daily routine quite nicely, especially as many of these supplement subscription services offer unique formulas that include herbs and adaptogens that may prove beneficial for your health with no adverse side effects. As always, consult with your doctor first to determine your nutritional needs, or use one of the subscription services listed above to make your multivitamin formula more unique to your individual needs.