What are the benefits of taking a multivitamin every day?

• Vitamin A: Important for vision, growth, reproduction, and immunity 
• Vitamin C: Antioxidant nutrient involved in protein metabolism, skin health, and healthy immune function
• Vitamin D3: Promotes bone health and immunity
• Folate: Essential in the formation of red blood cells, as well as cell growth and function
• B Vitamins: Supports our energy levels, brain function and psychological wellbeing
• Chromium: Supports balanced blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity
• Iron: Especially important for children and women of menstrual age, it supports the formation of red blood cells and energy metabolism
• Iodine: Important for supporting thyroid health
• Magnesium: Key for muscle/nerve function, bone health and supporting positive mental health
• Selenium: Antioxidant nutrient essential for immune and thyroid function,  and male reproductive health
• Zinc: Supports the immune system, skin health, digestive health and DNA synthesis. 

Should everyone take a multivitamin?  

There is evidence of a “nutrition gap” in many people’s diet – particularly the typical Western diet, and while we always advocate that a healthy diet is key, a multivitamin offers a practical and effective way to bridge this gap. You can read more about the nutrition gap in our recent ask the expert. 

OK – I think a multivitamin might be for me.... so how do I choose the right one?  

There are so many multivitamins on the market, it can be daunting to know where to start. It’s important that you choose a multivitamin that is going to suit your individual needs, and there are a few considerations to keep in mind. 

Form

Multivitamins come in a range of different forms – usually capsules, tablets, gummies, liquids or powders. These all have their own benefits and possible drawbacks – for example powders tend to have fewer excipients, but can be less convenient, whereas capsules are easy to take but might not be suitable if you have any issues swallowing. Always find the form that will suit your lifestyle the most.

Levels

 Something I regularly get asked is: “why are the levels of nutrients in our multivitamins typically much higher than the NRVs?”. The Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) were intended merely as a “safety net” to prevent deficiency in most of the population, as opposed to promoting optimal health or taking individual needs into account. There is a big difference between “adequate” and “optimal” levels when it comes to nutrients. A well formulated multivitamin will have levels of nutrients higher than the NRV but below the upper safe limit.

Nutrient forms

It is important to look for nutrients in their most bio-effective form. By “bio-effective” we mean nutrient forms that are optimally absorbed and recognised by your body, so they can be used exactly where they’re needed most. This may be wholefood nutrients, extracted directly from food in their natural form, or pre-metabolised nutrients for gentle and effective utilisation.

Excipients

Most supplements will contain some level of excipients, which are non-active ingredients that facilitate the making of ingredients into a finished supplement. Many people nowadays will try to avoid excipients altogether, but a well-formulated supplement may use small levels of essential, safe excipients to ensure the quality of the finished product. Problems can arise if a supplement contains a long list of harmful or unnecessary excipients – always check the labels and ask the company if you aren’t sure. 

I’ve chosen my multivitamin – what is the best way to take it?  

Will I feel a difference if I take a multivitamin every day?