What Multivitamin Should I Take? A Guide for Adults

A multivitamin is a common place to start for those looking to add nutritional support to their daily routine. But with so many multivitamin products on the market, “what multivitamin should I take?” is a common question.

Dietary supplements, including multivitamins, can provide daily nutritional support by bridging possible nutrient gaps in your diet. The best way to get all the nutrients you need is through a balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods. However, that's not always easy, and a multivitamin can provide some peace of mind by covering multiple potential nutrient gaps in one convenient package.^†

It's best to take your time, do research, and pick your vitamin and mineral supplements thoughtfully, and it's always important to talk with your doctor or primary healthcare provider before adding a supplement to your routine. A medical professional can provide personalized advice to help you meet your health and wellness goals.

We will discuss how multivitamin benefits can support your daily wellness by filling common nutrient gaps, how to find a high-quality supplement, and factors to consider when choosing the multivitamin that best suits your needs and preferences.^†

Why Multivitamins Can Be Helpful for Adults

Multivitamins can serve as a convenient base for your supplement routine, providing several essential nutrients in a simple package. While we need all the necessary nutrients, our exact nutritional requirements can change based on factors such as diet and age. Common nutrient gaps in adults’ daily diets include vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, and zinc.^[1] A multivitamin that includes these nutrients and more can support your nutrition by helping you meet your nutrient needs.^†

While we all aim for a balanced diet, sometimes busy lifestyles, access to food, or specific dietary limitations can make that difficult. Nutritional supplements are a valuable option for supporting your overall wellness. Multivitamins are designed to bridge these possible nutrient gaps, but it's essential to understand that they supplement a balanced diet, they do not replace it. When looking for a multivitamin, how do you find one that is high-quality?

What to Look for in a Quality Multivitamin

What multivitamin should I take? The marketplace has no shortage of options, which is why it's important to choose brands and products that provide quality you can trust, and to look for specific nutrients included in a multivitamin. Discuss with your doctor the nutrients that you may consider in a multivitamin based on your age and lifestyle.

Vitamin D and calcium are both essential nutrients for bone health, and their importance only grows with age. B vitamins provide cellular energy support: many older adults don’t have enough hydrochloric acid in their stomachs to absorb non-fortified food sources of vitamin B12.^[2] Look for antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C as well; they both help neutralize free radicals to prevent oxidative damage. Nature Made’s Advanced Multivitamins include all of these nutrients, plus more essential vitamins and minerals to support your daily wellness.^†

When to Consider Supplementing a Multivitamin

Should you pick a multivitamin or a standalone vitamin supplement? Depending on your needs, you might benefit from one, the other, or both. If you are looking for a broad base of dietary support, a multivitamin supplement can provide a variety of essential nutrients in a single, convenient package. However, if you want to increase your intake of targeted nutrients like magnesium for muscle support, or you want a higher dose of calcium to support bone health than is included in a multivitamin, a standalone supplement may be a better choice.^†

If you support your daily nutrient intake with a multivitamin but also need more of a specific nutrient, consider taking a standalone product alongside your multivitamin. Always consult with your doctor before adding a supplement to your daily routine, they can help you find the right mix of multivitamins and targeted nutrients to best support your nutrient intake.

Factors That Can Help You Choose the Right Multivitamin

What multivitamin should I take? Let's break down some important factors to consider, and how to choose a multivitamin.

#1 Your Age and Gender

Nature Made offers multivitamins formulated for different genders and age ranges, like Nature Made Advanced Multivitamin Gummies for Her and for Him, and Advanced Multivitamin Gummies 50+ for Her and for Him to provide daily nutritional support.^†

Age and gender aren’t the only things that determine your nutrient needs. Women looking to support their changing nutrient needs while pregnant or lactating should explore Nature Made's Prenatal and Postnatal Multivitamins with nutrients to support the health of mom and the baby. If you're deciding between prenatal vs. multivitamins, talk with your OB/GYN, who can guide you to help your nutrient needs during pregnancy. Prenatal supplements include folic acid, the form of folate found in supplements, which is important for pregnant women. Despite this, 17% of women of childbearing age don’t consume enough folate in their diet.^[3]†

#2 Dietary Restrictions or Lifestyle

Some nutrients may be uncommon in your diet if you restrict certain foods. For example, for some low-dairy diets, calcium and vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial, as these nutrients are most commonly found in dairy, though some fortified foods may also include them. Vegetarians and vegans, or people who do not eat much meat, may be interested in vitamin B12, zinc, and iron, as most dietary sources of these nutrients come from meat products.^[4] Targeted supplements, like Vitamin B12 Tablets to support cellular energy metabolism, or a multi like our pectin-based Zero Sugar^‡ Multivitamin Gummies can help bridge nutrient gaps that can arise from certain diets.^†

#3 Preferred Form

Generally, multivitamins come in a variety of forms, including tablets, gummies, and softgels. Consider your personal preferences: do you prefer a supplement in a tasty gummy form, or is a traditional tablet more your speed? Consistency is vital with supplementation, so the best form is the one you are most likely to take consistently. Check out our Multivitamin + Omega-3 Gummies, Multivitamin with Iron Tablets, and explore our multivitamin collection to find the right form of daily nutritional support for you.^†

Reading the Label: Understanding Serving Sizes and Daily Values

It's always important to read the label before taking a supplement. Not only will it give you the Suggested Use instructions for taking the supplement safely, but it will also list all the nutrients included and the percentage of the daily value they make up.

When looking into nutrients, you may see the Daily Value (DV) and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) both used to discuss how much of a specific nutrient you should get per day. While they are similar in concept, they are distinct terms.

The RDA is the average daily intake of a nutrient that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of most healthy people. While RDAs are different depending on age, gender and life stage, all of those numbers are hard to fit on a small label. So, the Daily Value is chosen, usually similar to the RDA, to estimate the level of nutrients in a serving of food or a supplement in relation to the approximate daily requirement.^[5] For a more in-depth explanation, check out the blog "Why Do Supplements Have High Daily Values?"

Should I take a multivitamin every day? Consistency is important with supplementation, so taking a multivitamin at a consistent time every day is the best way to see multivitamin benefits.

Talk to Your Healthcare Provider

The person best suited to help you find out the right supplement routine is your primary care provider. Speak with your doctor or preferred practitioner about vitamin supplementation. They can help you pinpoint which supplements you may benefit from and help you determine whether or not a multivitamin is the right choice for you.

Ready to Find the Right Fit?

There are many multivitamins available, and finding the right one is unique for each person. With support and guidance from a medical professional, supplementation can help you achieve your health goals alongside good nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. Explore Nature Made's Multivitamin Collection to find options tailored to your age, gender, and life stage, with high-quality ingredients backed by science.

‡ Not a low calorie food

*Based on a survey of pharmacists who recommend branded vitamins and supplements.

† 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. 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 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32531972/
2. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin B12. NIH.gov. Published December 15, 2023. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
3. Devarshi, P., et al. "Nutrient Gaps in US Adults by Age and Gender: Vitamin A, D, E, K, C, Magnesium, Calcium, Choline and Dietary Fiber." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 120.9 (2020): A27.
4. Wang T, Masedunskas A, Willett WC, Fontana L. Vegetarian and vegan diets: benefits and drawbacks. Eur Heart J. 2023;44(36):3423-3439. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad436
5. National Institute of Health. Nutrient Recommendations and Databases. ods.od.nih.gov. Published 2021. https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/nutrientrecommendations.aspx