Benefits of a Good Multivitamin

What a Multivitamin Can Do

The main benefit of a multivitamin is straightforward. It helps you reach recommended nutrient intakes when food alone falls short.

Fill Nutrient Gaps

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health, taking a multivitamin increases nutrient intakes and helps people get recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals when they don’t meet those needs from food.* In one large study it describes, multivitamin use raised the share of people with adequate intakes from about 75% to 84%. The biggest gains were for vitamins A and E and zinc.

UT Southwestern dietitian Susan Rodder notes that American diets often fall short on calcium, vitamin D, potassium and fiber. Most multivitamins provide 100% of the Daily Value for vitamin D, but only limited calcium and potassium and no fiber. That means food still has to do much of the work.

Support Specific Groups

Some people are more likely to benefit than others. WebMD suggests talking to your doctor about a multivitamin if you:

• Are pregnant or could become pregnant
• Are a postmenopausal woman
• Are 50 or older, since absorbing vitamin B12 from food gets harder with age
• Take medication that can deplete certain minerals
• Follow a limited diet or have a poor appetite
• Have a digestive condition that affects nutrient absorption

OSF HealthCare adds people with food allergies and those who eat a plant-based diet. UT Southwestern also includes people who have had bariatric surgery.

Memory and Thinking in Older Adults

One of the more encouraging findings involves brain health. Harvard Health reports that in the COSMOS trial, a substudy of about 2,200 older adults linked a daily multivitamin to better thinking skills, equivalent to about three fewer years of cognitive aging.* A second substudy found a smaller benefit, and a third showed a positive trend that wasn’t conclusive.

Cancer and Cataracts

Harvard Health describes the Physicians’ Health Study II, which followed more than 14,000 male doctors for over a decade. Those taking a multivitamin had modest reductions in cancer and cataracts. The Office of Dietary Supplements puts those reductions at 8% for cancer and 9% for cataracts. The study included only men, so the results may not apply to everyone.

Choosing the Right Multivitamin

There’s no single best multivitamin. There’s a right one for you, and finding it starts with your own needs before you compare labels.

Match the Formula to Your Life Stage

Nutrient needs change with age and sex. UT Southwestern notes that premenopausal women need more iron, while older adults need more calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B6. The main differences to look for:

• Women who could become pregnant: The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that the CDC recommends 400 micrograms of folic acid daily to reduce the risk of certain birth defects. Pregnancy usually calls for a dedicated prenatal formula.
• Men and postmenopausal women: WebMD warns that iron can build up and cause organ damage in these groups, so formulas with little or no iron are the better choice.
• Adults over 50: The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that formulas for older adults often contain little or no iron and more calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12.
• Strict vegetarians and vegans: The Office of Dietary Supplements lists people who avoid certain foods among those who might benefit from a multivitamin.

Ask Your Provider

A healthcare provider can take the guesswork out of choosing. Dr. Ramanpreet Grewal of Riverside Healthcare explains that a provider can review your health, your medications and, if needed, blood test results to recommend a formula suited to your needs. They can also check that it won’t interfere with medications you already take.

Pick a Format You’ll Take

Multivitamins come as capsules, tablets, gummies, liquids and powders. Gummies can help if you struggle to swallow pills, but UT Southwestern cautions that their quality may be less consistent. They typically contain sugar or sugar alcohols and usually leave out iron because of its metallic taste.

The format you’ll take consistently is worth more than a slightly stronger formula you forget.

READ MORE: The Best Multivitamin Gummies for Kids: A Parent's Guide

How to Read a Multivitamin Label

The label is where a good multivitamin shows itself. UT Southwestern recommends checking five things before you buy.

Look for USP Verification

UT Southwestern recommends looking for the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) Verified seal, which confirms a supplement is pure and contains what its label lists. It cautions that labels simply printing the letters “USP” aren’t the same thing, and suggests checking the product on the USP website. ConsumerLab and NSF International also evaluate supplements.

Aim for About 100% of the Daily Value

Choose a multivitamin with roughly 100% of the Daily Value for most nutrients, according to UT Southwestern. Going over that isn’t helpful for some nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E and K can build up in the body and become toxic.

Expect Some Nutrients to Run Low

Some nutrients can’t fit at full strength. UT Southwestern explains that a full day’s calcium would make the pill too large to swallow, and magnesium and potassium are kept low to avoid drug interactions. WebMD notes a typical multivitamin contains 200 to 300 milligrams of calcium, well below most adults’ daily needs. If you eat little dairy or fortified food, ask your doctor whether you need more calcium from food or a separate supplement.

Check for Core Nutrients

According to UT Southwestern, a good multivitamin should include:

It suggests skipping formulas that add micronutrients with no recommended Daily Value, such as boron, nickel and tin.

Know What the Extras Are

Some multivitamins include herbal or specialty ingredients alongside vitamins and minerals. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that some specialty formulas contain nutrients well above recommended amounts. Make sure you know what each extra ingredient is, and check with your doctor if you take medication.

Check the Serving Size

Most multivitamins are one or two tablets a day, according to WebMD. Check whether the listed amounts come from one capsule or several, since that changes both your routine and the cost per day.

READ MORE: Can a Multivitamin Keep Your Brain Healthy?

How to Take a Multivitamin

Once you’ve chosen a formula, a few simple habits help you get the most from it.

Take It With Food

Timing usually doesn’t matter much. UT Southwestern notes that taking a multivitamin with food may reduce stomach discomfort and help absorption. WebMD adds that this matters most if you have a sensitive stomach.

Space It From Certain Supplements and Medications

Calcium and iron bind together in the gut. UT Southwestern recommends taking a separate calcium supplement at a different time from your multivitamin. If you take levothyroxine (Synthroid) for your thyroid, take it four hours before or after your multivitamin or calcium.

A Daily Option to Consider

As one example of a general daily formula, NutriMax Essentials is an advanced daily multivitamin from WOWMD designed to support daily energy, nutritional balance and overall wellness.* It combines vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc, with herbal ingredients. It’s taken as two capsules daily with a meal.

The formula is third-party lab tested, gluten free and non-GMO, and is made in the USA in a GMP facility. It costs $44.85 and is rated 4.7 out of 5 from 511 reviews. The product label advises against using it during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Whichever brand you consider, compare it against the label checklist above rather than relying on ratings alone. If you’re trying a new formula, check the return terms. WOWMD offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on a first-time, single-bottle, one-time purchase, with terms that apply.

Limitations of Multivitamins

A multivitamin is a safety net, not a substitute for a good diet or medical care. Expecting more from it leads to disappointment.

No Protection for Your Heart

The clearest limit concerns heart health. UT Southwestern reports that the Physicians’ Health Study II and the Women’s Health Study suggest long-term multivitamin use doesn’t reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack or cardiovascular death. A meta-analysis of 18 studies with more than 2 million participants found the same.

Harvard Health adds that the COSMOS trial found no protection against cardiovascular disease or cancer. An analysis of more than 390,000 people found that a daily multivitamin didn’t lower the risk of death.

Food Comes First

Experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine argue that money spent on supplements may be better spent on fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy. Dr. Larry Appel says pills are “not a shortcut to better health.” The exception he highlights is folic acid for women who could become pregnant.

The Office of Dietary Supplements agrees that multivitamins can’t replace a varied diet, because foods provide other nutrients and components that benefit health.

More Isn’t Better

Stacking supplements can push you past safe limits. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that excess intakes are more likely when people combine a multivitamin with single-nutrient supplements and fortified foods. Harvard Health advises against high doses of vitamins A and E in particular. WebMD adds that megadoses of vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage.

Specific Risks to Know

WebMD highlights several risks:

• Blood thinners: Vitamin K in many multivitamins can reduce the effectiveness of blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin.
• Smokers: Smokers and possibly former smokers should avoid high levels of beta-carotene or vitamin A, which two studies linked to a higher risk of lung cancer.
• Retinol: High levels of retinol, listed as acetate or palmitate on the label, can harm your bones and liver.
• Vitamin D: High doses might raise the risk of kidney stones, though studies suggest no increased risk at up to 1,000 IU a day.

Finding the Right Multivitamin for You

A good multivitamin fits your body, your diet and your stage of life. Work through it in order. Start with your needs, then read the label for nutrients close to 100% of the Daily Value, sensible handling of iron and calcium, and a third-party verification seal. Finally, choose a format you’ll take consistently with food.

Keep your expectations grounded. A multivitamin may help fill nutritional gaps and support everyday wellness,* but it won’t protect your heart, and it works best alongside a balanced diet. Above all, bring your shortlist to a doctor or registered dietitian. They can look at your diet, medications and lab results and tell you whether you need a multivitamin, a single nutrient or neither.