Best Multivitamins for 2024
Check out the best multivitamins for filling nutrient deficiencies in your diet, chosen by our experts.
Our Experts
- Certified Sleep Science Coach, Certified Stress Management Coach
- Registered Dietitian
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
- New York University, BS in Nutrition & Dietetics
- Russell Sage College, MS in Applied Nutrition
Things to consider
Ingredients
Dosage
Serving size
Form
Third-party certifications
Health concerns
Our Picks
Most people could benefit from a great multivitamin in their diet, but it can be tricky to decide which option is right for you. Our team has spent years researching and assessing supplements based on their nutritional content, ingredients and third-party certifications. Here's our curated list of the best multivitamins for 2024.
What is the best multivitamin?
Before making a decision, it's important to recognize that everyone's supplement requirements are different. For those who are looking for a basic yet encompassing supplement, the multivitamin that will serve the most people at a good price is Nature Made Multi. With one tablet a day, you get 23 key nutrients, like Iron and Vitamins A, C, E and K. While you only have to take one tablet daily, the Nature Made Multivitamin does have a large tablet size.
Vitamins are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which gives rise to cure-all vitamin trends that might not be worth your money. The best multivitamins include vitamins A through E, with minerals and minerals such as calcium and iron. The exact composition and ingredients of a multivitamin will vary by product.
Best multivitamins of 2024
Nature Made is one of the most well-known vitamin brands out there, namely for the affordability of their supplements. Unlike other options, the Nature Made multivitamin is just one tablet that contains 23 essential nutrients. Including a solid dose of vitamin D, which many people don't get enough of -- especially in the winter.
It also includes vitamins A, C, E, K and various B vitamins, as well as minerals like calcium, iodine, magnesium and iron. The iron included in the supplement provides 100% of the recommended daily dose. A significant excess of iron may cause gastrointestinal troubles in people who get enough iron. Before starting a supplement -- especially one so high in iron -- you should speak with your healthcare provider to ensure you need it.
This multivitamin has a third-party certification through United States Pharmacopeia, one of the best-known and most reputable certification organizations. Overall, Nature Made might lack exciting flavors or trendy packaging, but I like it for its reliability and solid nutritional content.
Best multivitamin for women
Ritual Essential
Ritual is a popular direct-to-consumer subscription-based brand that offers multivitamin supplements for every stage of a woman's life. The multivitamins are clinically backed by a 12-week trial funded by Ritual and in partnership with Auburn University. The trial found that vitamin D levels in healthy women increased by 43% and omega 3 levels increased by 41%.
Ritual Essential is the best multivitamin for women. With Ritual Essential multivitamin, you get nine vitamins and minerals that women often lack in their diet -- including vitamin D, E, B12 and iron and folate. Ritual doesn't have all the nutrients and vitamins found in other products, but that's OK for the average person. It's not the best pick for someone who needs a more comprehensive multivitamin.
Ritual Essential multivitamins are gel capsules with a patented beadlet in oil design, which allows oily and dry vitamins to coexist in one capsule. It also features a delayed-release design for better absorption and a mint flavor intended to reduce nausea.
Where Ritual shines is its certifications. The manufacturing facilities are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation, which ensures that the products made meet FDA quality standards and Good Manufacturing Practices. It's also third-party tested by Eurofins and IEH laboratories.
Best multivitamin for men
One A Day Men's Multivitamin
One A Day is my pick for the best multivitamin for men. It's a complete multivitamin with over 20 key nutrients designed to support your heart health and immune system. It doesn't have the proprietary blends that many other options have, which means it's cheaper and you know what's in it. There are no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors, and it's free of major allergens.
The nutrient content of the One A Day multivitamin gets you close (and a little over for certain nutrients) to the recommended daily dose. Other vitamin supplements are packed with over 3,000% of your daily recommendation for some nutrients, but keep in mind, that it's possible to have too much of a good thing. Still, One A Day might not be the best option if you're particularly deficient in certain vitamins.
Bottom line: One A Day multivitamins get straight to the point. You take one pill each day and get exactly how many vitamins and minerals you need. And it's one of the most affordable options on the market. One A Day has lines for men, women and older adults.
Best gummy multivitamin
SmartyPants Daily Gummy
If you're like me and like the chalky, candy-like taste of Flintstone kid's vitamins, you might lean more toward looking for a high-quality gummy vitamin. SmartyPants is the best gummy multivitamin on this list because of its reliability and quality. Each batch is third-party tested to confirm quality, and it's NSF-certified. SmartyPants multivitamins are made in a cGMP-compliant factory.
SmartyPants gummies contain 15 essential nutrients, including vitamin D, B12, E, K and omega 3, to support immunity, energy and bone health. There are no synthetic dyes in SmartyPants gummy multivitamins, and they are made from non-GMO ingredients. It's also free of the top eight allergens: peanuts, shellfish, fish, milk, egg, tree nut, wheat and synthetic colors. SmartyPants daily gummies are not an option for vegans since they contain gelatin.
Customer reviews suggest they taste great, and although they have fish oils in them, you don't get any taste of that when eating them. There is a significant amount of sugar in the gummies; you'll find added sugar in nearly all gummy vitamins, but SmartyPants is on the higher side of average. The serving size is six gummies and 8 grams of added sugar. Keep this in mind when shopping for your multivitamin match.
Best vegan multivitamin
Garden of Life Mykind Women's Multivitamin
Garden of Life Mykind takes the spot for the best-certified vegan multivitamin. It's gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher. Garden of Life multivitamins are made with all organic ingredients and contain 16 vitamins and minerals. It's a certified USDA organic supplement and made from only plant-based ingredients -- over 30 powdered organic fruits, herbs and vegetables. You won't find any artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. Garden of Life Multivitamins are also Carbonfree Certified, meaning it's environmentally responsible and carbon neutral.
Garden of Life vegan multivitamins include probiotics and amino acids that aid absorption, as well as vegan D3 and 10 milligrams of iron. You'll get 500% of your daily amount of vitamin B12, which is huge as those who follow the vegan diet are at a greater risk for a vitamin B12 deficiency. This multivitamin also doesn't include iodine or calcium.
Garden of Life makes non-vegan products, including "raw" and vegetarian products that aren't certified vegan. So if you're shopping specifically for a vegan multivitamin, you should stick with the Mykind line. One drawback of this vitamin is how expensive it is. There's no sugar coating it; it's double the price of some other options on the list.
How we evaluated the best multivitamins
There are lots of vitamins on the market, so it may be overwhelming when you're searching for the best of the best. To help your search, I've curated a list of the best multivitamins available based on a few key factors. Bear in mind, I haven't tested these products in-house; the selections are based on product research for certifications and vitamin and mineral ingredients.
Since the FDA doesn't regulate multivitamins, fewer requirements are available. When I chose the multivitamins that ended up on this list, I looked for third-party certifications that prove the product contains what it claims.
Vitamin certifications to be aware of
- ConsumerLab: This certification is one of the highest testing standards and evaluations available. ConsumerLab certifications indicate that the product is high quality.
- NSF International: One of the most respected independent product testing organizations, an NSF International certification ensures the product meets public health and safety standards.
- Underwriter Laboratories: UL is one of the oldest third-party certification companies around. A UL certification shows that the manufacturer meets standards and the products are safe to use.
- U.S. Pharmacopeia: The USP is a nonprofit organization that creates standards for the quality and purity of dietary supplements.
Things to consider when shopping for a daily multivitamin
Before taking a multivitamin, consider what you want from your multivitamins. I don't just mean the nutritional content, although that plays a part. It's important to consider other key factors like form, size and additional ingredients.
Ingredients
As with anything you consume, check the ingredient labels first. All daily multivitamins will have nutrients, but they may also contain ingredients you'd rather avoid, like gelatin. Another ingredient to watch for is sugar. Many of the best gummy vitamins taste good, but it takes a lot of sugar to get there. Some daily multivitamins may include more sugar than you expect.
Another important reason to check the ingredient label is to manage medication interactions. For example, vitamin K can interfere with the metabolism of the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin). It's good to check with your doctor before trying any new supplements.
If you're not deficient in certain vitamins, a multivitamin can give you more than you need. Various macronutrients, like vitamins A, D, E and calcium, can negatively affect the body and contribute to toxicity if taken in high doses.
Form and size
The first thing you should consider when you've decided to start taking a daily multivitamin is the form you prefer. Among the best multivitamins are forms such as capsules, tablets and gummies. Although the liquid form is also available, it is harder to accurately measure how much you're getting. Each form has pros and cons associated with them. For instance, gummy vitamins often have a decent amount of sugar content, whereas tablet multivitamins can be really large and hard to swallow but may have significantly fewer additives.
Daily dose
The last thing you should pay close attention to is the daily serving size of your multivitamin. Some of the best multivitamins on the list have serving sizes of three or more capsules daily. If you're busy and forget to take things consistently, you may be better off with a one-tablet option like Nature Made.
What is a multivitamin?
A multivitamin is a supplement that contains a mix of different vitamins and minerals that the average person needs. Some include other ingredients such as amino acids, herbs and fatty acids. Instead of juggling multiple pills for each type of vitamin, you just take a multivitamin. The goal of a multivitamin is to act as a safety net behind your diet, filling in any vitamin and mineral gaps you have.
Multivitamins come in different forms, although tablets, capsules and gummies are the most popular. Liquid and powder multivitamins are also available. Generally, you take a multivitamin once or twice a day, but some products have you take more.
Research on multivitamin benefits is divided. Some studies have found that they can help prevent heart disease; others do not support this finding. Taking vitamins has also been linked to lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but some studies counter this.
Research shows that for the average person, the effect multivitamins have is minimal. If you eliminate full food groups or have certain medical conditions, you should consider a multivitamin to supplement your diet.