Multivitamins

Healthspan customer reviews

Multivitamin Guides

What are the benefits of multivitamins?

Although food should always come first, multivitamins are essential for many people to keep their vitamin and mineral levels topped up each day. Due to the wide range of vitamins and minerals in multivitamins, studies have uncovered evidence for a wide range of benefits, from supporting the immune system to maintaining normal heart function.

Furthermore, a review in the Journal of the American Medical Association – which looked at more than 150 clinical trials – found that vitamin deficiency was shown to be a risk factor for osteoporosis, bone fractures and more. The authors of the review concluded that 'it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements.'

Read more about why you need multivitamins.

What do multivitamins contain?

Multivitamins formulated for different ages and lifestyles will contain different vitamins and minerals. Formulations also vary between brands, but most multivitamin tablets will contain a range of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, D and E, B vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, selenium, iodine and zinc.

These vitamins and minerals help support all major aspects of your health, from the heart, brain and eyes, to bones, teeth, skin and blood.

• Vitamin A has benefits for the eyes and skin.
• B vitamins help contribute to healthy mental function and normal heart function, help release energy from food and support red blood cell production. They also have benefits for hair and nails. Find out more about the benefits of vitamin B.
• Vitamin C helps promote a healthy immune system, build collagen, and keep teeth, bones, and gums healthy. Find out more about vitamin C's benefits.
• Vitamin D3 helps maintain normal bones, muscle function and immunity. Learn more about vitamin D.
• Vitamin K helps maintain normal bones and supports normal blood clotting and coagulation.
• Calcium helps maintain normal bones and teeth, and helps to reduce the loss of bone in post-menopausal women. Find out more about how calcium supports your health.
• Iodine supports brain, thyroid and skin functions.
• Iron contributes to healthy mental function, is important for red blood cell production and carries oxygen around the body.
• Zinc helps to promote a healthy immune system, as well as normal wound healing. It is also vital for fertility. Find out more about the benefits of zinc and what it does.

Which multivitamin is best?

With all the options on offer, choosing a multivitamin can feel overwhelming. Your age, lifestyle and overall diet are the most important things to consider. Healthspan's range includes multivitamins for people over 50 and over 70, athletes, vegans, and vegetarians.

Multivitamins for women

Women and men need the same vitamins and minerals for optimal health – but some are particularly important for women.

For example, women may look for a multivitamin containing iron, particularly if they experience heavy or prolonged periods.

Iodine is another important nutrient. Research shows that most people – especially women – don't get enough from their diet. Since it plays an important role in hormonal support, thyroid function and metabolism, most women will benefit from supplementing their levels.

During menopause, women might also find supplements containing vitamin B6 (to regulate hormonal activity), calcium, magnesium, vitamin D (for healthy bones) and vitamin E (to protect cells from oxidative stress) particularly beneficial.

Biotin (a member of the B-vitamin family) is also particularly popular for its benefits for hair and skin.

To discover more beneficial supplements, explore our women’s health range.

Multivitamins for men

Some vitamins and minerals that play an important role in men's health. Selenium, for example, is a valuable addition to a men's multivitamin thanks to its role in normal sperm production and a healthy thyroid.

Zinc is another essential mineral, as it plays a significant role in normal protein synthesis and maintaining testosterone levels in the blood.

Discover more essential nutrients and explore our range of men's supplements and vitamins.

Multivitamins for kids

Most children's multivitamin formulations include vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K to ensure they're getting optimal amounts of vitamins and minerals to support their growth and the development of their organs and bones. They also include calcium, iron, iodine, and zinc.

Nutritional deficiencies in children can cause everything from subtle symptoms (including tiredness, a lack of concentration and pale skin from iron or vitamin B12 deficiency) to rickets and osteoporosis (from calcium and vitamin D deficiency).

For more information on childhood nutrition and in particular what teenagers need in their diet, see food scientist Audrey Deane's advice.

Multivitamins for the elderly

Older adults need several vitamins in higher amounts as the body becomes less efficient at absorbing vitamins and minerals with age. In addition, ageing can reduce appetite, meaning that nutritional shortfalls are both more likely to occur and harder to correct with diet.

As a result, older people tend to develop more vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Healthspan has supplements specially designed for those over 70.

Multivitamins for vegans

According to nutritionist Rob Hobson, "the vegan diet can be incredibly healthy" – but meals must be well thought out.

According to Hobson, the most common vegan nutrient deficiencies include iron, vitamin B12, calcium, zinc and omega 3. So, it's worth looking at both your meal plans and your supplements to make sure you're getting enough. Find out more about common vegan diet deficiencies.

Healthspan has an award-winning multivitamin specially designed for vegetarian and vegan diets. According to Louise Jane, CEO of The Vegan Choice Awards, "As a vegan, it is still a struggle to find a multivitamin that caters to all of my specific nutritional needs (and doesn't contain gelatin!). With [Healthspan's] all-in-one product, I no longer have to worry about piecing together different supplements to ensure I'm getting everything my body requires."

If you're concerned about omega 3 intake and don't eat fish, a vegan-friendly supplement can provide the fatty acids you need.

Are multivitamins good for you?

A healthy, balanced diet is always the best option for maintaining your health. However, whether due to dietary preferences or requirements, a busy lifestyle, cooking methods, food miles or farming methods, it can be difficult to ensure your body gets everything it needs from food alone.

For example, analyses suggest that the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables has fallen significantly. Most notably, copper and calcium content in food has decreased by as much as 76 percent since 1940, while magnesium has dropped by 25 percent. Research has found the iron levels in fruit to be 25 percent lower.

Multivitamin supplements are an easy way to ensure we meet all our nutritional needs and can be particularly beneficial for children, older adults, vegans, vegetarians and anyone with a restricted diet.

If you choose to take a supplement, always follow the dosage information on the back of the pack to ensure you're getting the right amount number of vitamins and minerals. If you order through Healthspan's call centre, our trained advisors will let you know if the combination of products you have ordered will put you over the safe upper limit of a particular vitamin or mineral.

If you need any help or advice, please do not hesitate to get in touch.