How to Identify the Best Multivitamin for You?
Are you searching for the very best multivitamin for you and your health goals? In this article, we are happy to guide you a little further. Choosing a good multivitamin, in our opinion, involves more than just going to your local pharmacy and picking the first one off the shelf. There can be a world of difference between the multivitamins you find in stores and online, not only in form but especially in quality.
But how do you recognise the best? With so many nutrients – and a label full of numbers – it can be quite a challenge to know what to look for when buying a multivitamin.
Try the free Multivitamin Selection Guide
A multivitamin contains all essential vitamins and minerals in one supplement. Curious which multivitamin suits you best? We are happy to help you on your way!
In our knowledge base All About Multivitamins, you can read everything about what a multivitamin is and what they might mean for you. In this article, we explain what to look for when purchasing a high-quality variant.
4 Points to Identify the Best Multivitamin
1. A Good Multivitamin is Suitable for Every Life Stage
When it comes to finding a good multivitamin, we often say; one size fits none. While there are quality multis that offer a good foundation, you can imagine that, for example, young children and teenagers have different needs than adults. And if you really want to support your body specifically, you also differentiate by gender and life stage in addition to age. Men, for example, may need something slightly different from women. And women who are pregnant or breastfeeding have different needs from women in other life stages.
2. A Good Multi Contains the Most Bioavailable Forms of Vitamins and Minerals
When it comes to nutrients (substances such as vitamins and minerals) in supplements, there can be a significant difference in quality and how well or efficiently these substances can be absorbed by our body. For instance, minerals like magnesium are often bound to an amino acid (protein) to improve absorption and effectiveness. There are also multiple forms and types of certain nutrients, some more bioavailable or functional than others.
To find out which forms and types are in your multivitamin, we refer you to the label. Manufacturers are required to state which ingredients are in your supplement. When a manufacturer uses a well-absorbed form or a certified nutrient, it will be mentioned on the label in brackets after the ingredient. If the label only states ‘vitamin D’, ‘vitamin B12’, ‘Iron’ or ‘magnesium’, you can assume that a cheap and poorly absorbed form has been used.
To help you on your way, we provide a few examples of well-absorbed forms of vitamins and minerals by which you can recognise a good multi or other supplement.
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Magnesium
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Well-absorbed forms
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Poorly absorbed form
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Magnesium (malate)
Magnesium (taurate)
Magnesium (bisglycinate) Magnesium (citrate)
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Magnesium oxide, ‘magnesium’ on the label.
Magnesium oxide is absorbed through the skin, for example via magnesium oil or a magnesium foot bath. |
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Folate (folic acid/vitamin B11)
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Well-absorbed form
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Poorly absorbed form
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Folate (5-MTHF or glucosamine salt)
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Folic acid
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Vitamin B6
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Well-absorbed form
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Poorly absorbed form
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P-5-P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate)
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Pyridoxine, or ‘vitamin B6’ on the label.
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Well-absorbed forms
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Poorly absorbed form
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Methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin
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Cyanocobalamin, or ‘vitamin B12’ on the label.
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Vitamin D
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Well-absorbed form
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Poorly absorbed form
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Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)
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Vitamin D2, or ‘vitamin D’ on the label.
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Vitamin K
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Well-absorbed form
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Poorly absorbed forms
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Vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7)
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Menaquinone-4, menaquinone-6, menaquinone-8, and menaquinone-9, or ‘vitamin K’ on the label.
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Well-absorbed form
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Poorly absorbed form
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Iron (bisglycinate)
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Iron oxide (or ‘iron’ on the label)
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Zinc
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Well-absorbed forms
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Poorly absorbed forms
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Zinc (methionine), zinc (picolinate), zinc (bisglycinate), zinc (histidine)
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Zinc (oxide), zinc (sulphate), zinc (gluconate) or ‘zinc’ on the label.
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3. The Best Multivitamin is Based on Scientific Research
For the effectiveness of a good multivitamin, the right dosage is crucial. A good multivitamin contains all essential nutrients in a dosage that is tailored to what scientific research shows as effective for your health goals. You can imagine that too low a dosage is ineffective and therefore a waste of money. Conversely, excessively high dosages are unnecessary and also increase the risk of consuming too much of something.
Good to know: for manufacturing a supplement, certain excipients are sometimes necessary to ensure quality or, for example, to help a tablet maintain its shape.
4. A Good Multivitamin is Pure and Contains Minimal Additives and Fillers
You should expect a good multivitamin to contain everything you need and nothing more or less. A good multivitamin is as pure as possible and free from unnecessary fillers or flavourings, or other additives such as sugar or allergens (think gluten or soy). Not only are these substances unnecessary, but they also take up valuable space or make the supplement unnecessarily large.
Do you still find it difficult to see the wood for the trees (we understand very well)? Then feel free to ask our health coaches your questions, they are ready to provide suitable advice. You can find our health coaches via the chat on this website or in your favourite Vitaminstore shop.
