Not All Multivitamins Are Created Equal — How To Make Sure Yours Has Benefits*

Whether you haven't taken a multivitamin since choking down that chalky chewable dinosaur back in the day or never miss your one-daily, you've likely wondered at some point or another just how much good a multivitamin can really do for you. And given all of the hubbub out there about supplements (they're miracle cures, they don't do anything, they don't contain what they say they do! yadda, yadda, yadda), your uncertainty is certainly warranted.

While you're probably best off ignoring much of the chitchat across the internet and your social feeds anyway, all the noise out there does reflect an important truth: As with most things in the world of health and wellness, there's no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to supplements—even one as seemingly basic as a multivitamin.

The primary purpose of a multivitamin is to supply your body with the essential vitamins and minerals you require daily and that you may be missing out on in your diet. Whether or not you experience this very real benefit, though, depends on the multivitamin you take.*

Given that, many of the multivitamins out there may not actually offer the full spectrum of benefits you might expect. Often, this is because of corners cut by manufacturers, many of which "sprinkle their supplements with less-than-helpful amounts of vitamins, minerals, and botanicals," notes Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, mbg's director of scientific affairs. They also often disregard the bioavailability, gentleness, and sustainability of the nutrients they include, further affecting the totality of the formula and ultimate benefits within each bottle.*

The multi that will be most beneficial to you will contain a comprehensive list of ingredients that includes vitamins, macrominerals, and microminerals (and ideally even some extra bioactives from high-quality botanicals). You'd be surprised to know that some formulas leave out must-haves like vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, iron, and more.

In addition to containing the right ingredients, a multivitamin should offer them in their optimal, highest-quality forms. Look for methylated B vitamins, chelated or gentle-form minerals, and sustainable, plant-origin sources (like algal vitamin D3).

Ferira explains that "thoughtful multi formulas consider the bioavailability of the ingredient in the gut and the bioactivity of that ingredient in the body, to maximize its critical health functions and benefits."*

The right amounts (i.e., rooted in science) of key micronutrients and botanical bioactives can make the difference between wasting your money on a sub-potent or ineffective multivitamin and actually improving your nutritional status and supporting overall health.*

Take just one area of the body, your bones, for example. "A multi with science-backed levels of vitamin D3, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K2 directly supports healthy bones,"* says Ferira.

There are a few nutrients, in particular, that typically get shortchanged here: "Multivitamins typically come up short on calcium and potassium...and may not contain enough vitamin D," says dietitian Elizabeth Ward, M.S., RDN, author of Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy. 

Find a multivitamin that meets the above criteria from a brand you can trust, and you can feel confident that you'll truly benefit from your daily routine.* (FYI: mindbodygreen the ultimate multivitamin+ specifically to address the shortcomings of so many multis out there—and you can bet it goes above and beyond in delivering a comprehensive array of nutrients and phytonutrients in helpful amounts and premium formats.)

As long as you're consistent with your multivitamin routine, you'll help deliver nutritional benefits that can, according to Ward, affect everything from energy and immune function to bone and nerve health—and more.*

Vitamin and mineral inadequacy can contribute to suboptimal immune system function—and research2 indicates that regular multivitamin use can support immunity, specifically by improving levels of vitamin C and zinc, two essential nutrients that play important roles in immune cell development and function for our innate and adaptive immune responses.*

Epidemiologic evidence suggests a link between multivitamin use and increased telomere length in women3; in fact, daily multi takers had about 5% longer telomeres than non-multi-users.* FYI: Telomere length is associated with biological aging, and longer is better. 

Plus, an improved supply of micronutrients allows for a "metabolic tuneup4" as Bruce Ames, Ph.D., famous researcher and biochemistry and molecular biology professor at the University of California–Berkeley dubs it. This, he writes, allows us to "maximize human health and lifespan."*

Research suggests that taking a multivitamin also supports your cognitive function, with research5 specifically demonstrating a link between multi use and immediate free recall memory, or your short-term ability to remember lists of information (like the ingredients you need to grab from the pantry to make that new banana bread recipe you just peeped on Instagram).*

Healthy skin requires adequate amounts of a whole slew of nutrients10, including vitamins A, C, and E, biotin (vitamin B7), zinc, and antioxidants such as lycopene and lutein.*

Hair, meanwhile, in addition to plenty of amino acids from protein, needs ample biotin11, as well as the trace mineral silica12, according to Ferira.*

And, the health of (and visual changes in) our nails, finally, provide major insights13 into whether or not we're meeting our nutritional needs over time or facing micronutrient inadequacy (for example, vitamin C), Ferira adds.*

Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D, all of which play crucial roles in supporting bone and muscle health, are all considered nutrients of concern, meaning many of us don't get even close to enough of them. Unfortunately, these nutrients are often "fairy-dusted" into multivitamin formulas, if not left out completely (specifically referring to calcium and magnesium), according to Ferira.*

Of course, other micronutrients—including vitamin K214 and minerals15 zinc, iron, selenium, silica, copper, boron, and manganese—also support bone density, quality, and strength.* And as it turns out, "A comprehensive multivitamin that includes this diverse array of trace minerals and the K2 form of vitamin K is a rarity," Ferira adds.

Nutrient insufficiencies (specifically those in vitamin A, vitamin B12, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin E, as well as iron and zinc) have a significant impact on eye health16. So, taking a quality multivitamin to support nutritional deficiencies ultimately promotes healthy eyes and vision.*

Noticing a trend here? Getting ample amounts of all the different micronutrients has far-reaching effects throughout your body.*

Your heart (which, you know, is pretty important) relies on many different nutrients to function at its best, including vitamin K, multiple B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. That's why it's important to take a daily multivitamin that contains vitamin K (yep, both K1 and K2), and helpful amounts of these other nutrients, suggests Ferira.*

Multivitamins do have benefits—assuming, of course, you take one that provides a full spectrum of health-supporting vitamins, minerals, and bioactives, and does so in clinically effective amounts and bioavailable, quality forms.*