So you’re thinking about taking a multivitamin? With so much conflicting information on multivitamins out there, it can be tough to know where to start. To help, we’ve shared our guide to multivitamins – when you might wish to consider taking one, how they work, and what sorts of things to look out for in a multivitamin.
Do I need a multivitamin?
In an ideal world, we would get all our nutrients from the food we eat. However, we all know that this isn’t always possible. Whether it’s because of a hectic lifestyle, restricted diets (i.e. vegan, veggie, keto, calorie restricted etc), underlying health conditions and medications, or nutrient deficiencies in our soil, sometimes it’s just not possible to maintain a healthy balanced diet and get all the vitamins and minerals we need from our diet.
A study from 2022 compared the mineral content of fruit and veg from 1940 to 2019 and found that almost all minerals declined, with the most dramatic being sodium (52%), iron (50%), copper (49%) and magnesium (10%).
We all know that feeling when we’re not quite 100% – but feeling this way consistently over a prolonged period of time could be a sign that you’re nutrient deficient. Other warning signs of nutrient deficiency include:
- Tiredness and lethargy
- Sleep issues
- Poor skin condition
- Succumbing to infections more frequently
- Low mood
- Poor digestion
- Increased stress
- Slower brain function
- Reduced recovery from exercise
If this rings bells, it might be time to consider a multivitamin to supplement your diet.
What do they do?
Multivitamins are designed to provide the full spectrum of nutrients for optimum health. This will usually include vitamins like C, B (various types), D, E, K and A as well as minerals such as calcium, iodine, zinc, selenium, potassium, iron and magnesium.
Some people like to think of multivitamins as a kind of ‘insurance policy’ for your health, to make sure that you’re not missing any of the key nutrients required from food by the human body.
Several research trials have looked at the use of multivitamins and prevention of health conditions. For example, one trial found an improvement in chronic health diseases in nutrient deficient subjects when they took a multivitamin[1]. Another found that taking a daily multivitamin resulted in the normalising of elevated blood pressure for participants[2]. A long term study reported that in initially healthy men, long-term multivitamin use may reduce the risk of cardiovascular outcomes[3].
What should I look for in a multivitamin?
Not all multivitamins are created equal. When choosing a multivitamin, read the bottle closely to see what’s in there. Does it contain the full spectrum of required vitamins and minerals? How much of each nutrient is contained in a capsule? Usually it’s easy enough to compare this to the recommended daily dosage, to make sure that you’re getting enough (but not too much!) of each nutrient.
Also consider whether you want a more tailored multivitamin to suit you. For example, many supplement brands produce multivitamins for different age groups, health concerns and/or genders.
Our favourites
We love Viridian’s range of multivitamins, which includes a Multivitamin and Mineral, Vegan Multi, 65+ Multi, Cardio Multi, Woman 40+ and a Viridikid children’s multivitamin. All their products are made with 100% active ingredients and are free from binders, fillers, and other additives.
We also recommend Terranova’s multivitamins to customers looking for a high-quality multivitamin – their products contain only 100% active ingredients alongside their own blend of botanicals and phytonutrient rich food to enhance absorption of the nutrients. They make a general full-spectrum multivitamin, as well as a product specifically for women, men, sport and kids.
For those that can’t take tablets, we also have a spray from BetterYou, which contains 14 essential nutrients and comes in an easy to take spray bottle.
So in summary…
If you’re struggling to eat a healthy, balanced diet, or have omitted food groups from your diet, you might want to consider taking a good quality multivitamin to plug any nutritional gaps that you might have. And even if you do consider yourself to have a good diet, remember that the mineral content of food has declined significantly over the last 80 years [4]. Please remember that a multivitamin is not designed to take the place of a healthy balanced diet, but to supplement it. Try and aim for 30 portions of plant-based foods a week (this includes nuts, seeds, grains as well as fruit and veg), and keep it as colourful as possible!
We are here to help – if you have any questions about the above or other supplements that may help, please contact us. Please note, this blog should not be taken as medical advice – if you have any health concerns or are taking prescribed medication, please consult your GP.
[1] Huang HY, Caballero B, Chang S, et al. Multivitamin/mineral supplements and prevention of chronic disease. Evid Rep Technol Assess (Full Rep). 2006;(139):1-117.
[2] Li K, Liu C, Kuang X, Deng Q, Zhao F, Li D. Effects of Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplementation on Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of 12 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2018;10(8):1018. Published 2018 Aug 3. doi:10.3390/nu10081018
[3] Rautiainen S, Rist PM, Glynn RJ, Buring JE, Gaziano JM, Sesso HD. Multivitamin Use and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Men. J Nutr. 2016;146(6):1235-1240. doi:10.3945/jn.115.227884
[4] Berenice Mayer AM, Trenchard L, Rayns F. Historical changes in the mineral content of fruit and vegetables in the UK from 1940 to 2019: a concern for human nutrition and agriculture. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCES AND NUTRITION. 2022;73(3):315–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/09637486.2021.1981831