Should I Take a Multivitamin Every Day?

Multivitamins are very common supplements that help support your overall wellbeing. Many people use them as a regular part of their health routine, but you may be wondering, should I take a multivitamin every day too?^†

Multivitamins are a convenient way to supplement our bodies with essential vitamins and minerals. After all, most Western diet patterns lack key vitamins and minerals.[1] Rather than taking several individual supplements, a daily multivitamin is a quick and easy one-stop shop to complement your healthy diet.

Start With Healthy Habits

While multivitamins are not intended to provide all of your nutrient needs, they are designed to help bridge nutritional gaps that may be present in your diet. Adding a multivitamin to complement your overall healthy lifestyle can help support your long-term health. Consider the other habits below as you examine how you currently care for your health.^†

The majority of your nutrition should come from healthy whole and minimally-processed foods. For example, eating fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins is the best way to get protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to thrive.

Most of your body is made up of water that needs to regularly be replenished. The best fluid for hydration is plain water. If you get bored of that, try naturally flavoring your water with cucumber or lemon slices, berries, or fresh herbs. Unsweetened seltzer water and teas are other options. Keep a filled water bottle with you to sip throughout the day.

Your health depends on getting enough sleep. Sleep experts recommend that most adults aim for between 7-9 hours of high-quality, restful sleep each night.[2] Create a sleep-promoting environment in your bedroom with a mix of cozy blankets, comfortable pajamas, soft lighting, blackout curtains, or a noise machine. Try to go to sleep and wake up around the same time each day to honor your body’s natural rhythm.

Learn More: How To Support Your Sleep Schedule: A Guide

Finally, enjoy regular physical activity, which fuels your body and mind. Movement is medicine. A combination of activities you enjoy can help you stay encouraged. For instance, a mix of yoga and stretching, dancing, bicycling, rowing, jogging, and strength training. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider to ensure there are no health concerns before you take on new physical activities.

Adding a multivitamin to these foundational habits is a great way to supplement your lifestyle.

Benefits of Multivitamin

Still wondering, should I take a multivitamin every day? While a multivitamin cannot replace a healthy diet on its own, it can be a great tool to supplement an existing healthy routine. A multivitamin, combined with other healthy lifestyle habits, may offer several benefits. Here are some of what vitamins can do for the body.

1. May Help Support Balanced Nutrition

Data show that US adults ages 19 and over lack numerous micronutrients. For example, 45% don’t consume enough Vitamin A, 46% don’t consume enough Vitamin C, 95% don’t consume enough Vitamin D, 84% don’t consume enough Vitamin E, 43% don’t consume enough Calcium, and 53% don’t consume enough Magnesium.[3]

But even a presumably healthy diet can have nutritional gaps sometimes. Adding a basic multivitamin can help fill in the blanks to help ensure that you meet your daily needs.

For example, Multi For Him Gummies are specially formulated with 12 key nutrients to help support men’s health. Multivitamin For Her Gummies contain 13 vitamins and minerals women need most, including Folic Acid and 130 mg (10% of the Daily Value) of Calcium per serving.^†

2. Helps Support Normal Growth and Development^†

Multivitamins are a simple way to help support the normal growth and development of children aged 4 all the way through their teen years. Vitamins and minerals all play key roles in these fast-growth stages. NatureMade Kids First® Multivitamin + Omega-3 Gummies  are packed with 9 essential nutrients and 30 mg EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids per serving.^†

3. Helps Support a Healthy Pregnancy^†

Pregnant mothers have higher nutrition demands in order to support their health and the health of their developing baby. Adequate micronutrients are critical for proper fetal growth and development.[4]

For example, Folate plays a critical role in the proper development of the baby’s nervous system, Iron is vital for red blood cell formation, and Iodine is essential for thyroid health and function.[5][6][7] Note that pregnancy requires a prenatal multivitamin versus a standard multivitamin, as this will help meet the higher nutrient requirements of this period of your life. Nature Made Prenatal Multivitamin Tablets meets your Folate needs during pregnancy.^†

Learn More: Top 10 Best Foods To Eat For Pregnancy

4. Can Help Support Healthy Bones^†

Healthy bones require a balance of nutrients like Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Calcium, and Magnesium.[8][9] Peak bone density is generally reached in the second decade of life.[10] Therefore the above nutrients are important to include in your diet.

This also makes it even more important to include weight-bearing exercise with your nutrient-rich diet, and possibly a multivitamin supplement. Furthermore, Vitamin D helps improve Calcium absorption.^†[11]

5. Complements a Plant-Based Diet

A fully plant-based diet can provide most of the vitamins and minerals an individual needs, but there are some that are best supplemented. For example, someone who doesn’t consume animal products requires an adequate regular supplemental form of Vitamin B12. They may also be interested in finding a multivitamin that contains Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids.

6. Helps Support Healthy Vision^†

Vitamin A is essential for eye function and healthy vision.^† [12] Studies have found that antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements may even help support healthy vision as you age.[13]

7. It’s Convenient

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of all is how simple it is to add a daily multivitamin to your health regimen. In just one serving you can easily provide your body with an array of vitamins and minerals that complement your diet. Depending on your schedule, this can be as easy as taking a multivitamin with your breakfast in the morning or alongside your dinner in the evening.

Which Multivitamin Should I Choose?

If the answer to whether should I take a multivitamin is yes, it’s time to consider your options. The best multivitamin for you depends on several factors and may not be the same one for someone else. Below are a few things to consider when scouting out the shelves of multivitamin options.

Stage of Life

First, it’s important to choose one that aligns the best with your age, sex, and stage of life. For example, a 60-year-old postmenopausal woman is unlikely to need a multivitamin with iron. The multivitamin designed for teenage boys is not the same as one designed for senior men.

Lifestyle

Next, consider your diet pattern and what nutrients you may need to include for better nutrition and consider taking a supplement. For instance, someone who doesn’t consume fish and seafood would likely benefit from a supplement containing Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids. Other types of lifestyles, like those of elite athletes, may require higher amounts of nutrients (such as Iron) than the average person.[14]

Third-Party Testing

There are countless multivitamin options. Seek brands that have gone above and beyond to achieve independent testing certifications for quality, safety, and purity. Many Nature Made products carry a logo from USP, a well-known and reputable independent testing organization.

Learn More About Multivitamins:

• When Is The Best Time To Take Multivitamins?
• Do Multivitamins Expire?
• Supporting Men’s Health: The Best Vitamins For Men

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. Micronutrient Inadequacies in the US Population: an Overview. Oregon State University. Reviewed March 2018. Retrieved 2 Feb 2023. Available from: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrient-inadequacies/overview
2. Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al. National Sleep Foundation's sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
3. Reider CA, Chung RY, Devarshi PP, Grant RW, Hazels Mitmesser S. Inadequacy of Immune Health Nutrients: Intakes in US Adults, the 2005-2016 NHANES. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1735. Published 2020 Jun 10. doi:10.3390/nu12061735
4. Khan KM, Jialal I. Folic Acid Deficiency. [Updated 2022 Jun 27]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535377/
5. Czeizel AE, Dudás I, Vereczkey A, Bánhidy F. Folate deficiency and folic acid supplementation: the prevention of neural-tube defects and congenital heart defects. Nutrients. 2013;5(11):4760-4775. Published 2013 Nov 21. doi:10.3390/nu5114760
6. Iron Fact Sheet for Consumers. Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated 5 April 2022. Retrieved 2 Feb 2023. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron-healthprofessional/
7. Iodine Fact Sheet for Consumers. Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated 28 July 2022. Retrieved 2 Feb 2023. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iodine-Consumer/
8. Tsugawa N, Shiraki M. Vitamin K Nutrition and Bone Health. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):1909. Published 2020 Jun 27. doi:10.3390/nu12071909
9. Rondanelli M, Faliva MA, Tartara A, et al. An update on magnesium and bone health. Biometals. 2021;34(4):715-736. doi:10.1007/s10534-021-00305-0
10. Lu J, Shin Y, Yen MS, Sun SS. Peak Bone Mass and Patterns of Change in Total Bone Mineral Density and Bone Mineral Contents From Childhood Into Young Adulthood. J Clin Densitom. 2016;19(2):180-191. doi:10.1016/j.jocd.2014.08.001
11. Liu C , Kuang X , Li K , Guo X , Deng Q , Li D . Effects of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation on osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Funct. 2020;11(12):10817-10827. doi:10.1039/d0fo00787k
12. Serhan HA, Alma'aitah HW, Irshaidat S, Ameer MA, Asghar MS, Tahir MJ. Ophthalmic manifestations of nutritional deficiencies: A mini review. J Family Med Prim Care. 2022;11(10):5899-5901. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_790_22
13. Evans JR, Lawrenson JG. Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements for preventing age-related macular degeneration. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;(6):CD000253. Published 2012 Jun 13. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000253.pub3
14. Desbrow B, Burd NA, Tarnopolsky M, Moore DR, Elliott-Sale KJ. Nutrition for Special Populations: Young, Female, and Masters Athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2019;29(2):220-227. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0269