What multivitamin is best? Here's what you need to look out for

The nights are now drawing in and for many of us, our attention turns to our health and how to prevent coughs and colds (and the other unmentionable one…), as well as prevent the well documented SAD from not getting enough vitamin D.

Opting to take a multivitamin is usually a good choice at this juncture. But how do you go about choosing the best one? It should be quite a simple process right?

But believe us when we say it’s not. So, we’ve decided to delve a little deeper than the claims made in the marketing blurb and to look into what the body needs versus what it is given in an innocent (one a day) multivitamin pill.

We’re all aware that there are literally hundreds of different supplement brands out there. And we also know that it can be tempting to opt for the one with the lowest price tag, or maybe an Amazon’s Choice. So let’s take a closer look at what a cheap multi-vitamin gives you.

Sadly, we don’t have the time to research every single product on the market. But we’ll look at some of the better-selling ones, of which we’ve chosen Centrum and MyProtein.

We then hope that this insight will give you the tools to do your research next time you need to buy a multivitamin from this example.

What is the role of a multivitamin?

We should start by defining what a good multivitamin should be, and its role in our diet (or specifically, on top of our diet). A multivitamin is a way of getting vital vitamins and minerals into our bodies when we are unable to get them through our diet, this could be cause we move around alot with work and don’t always eat enough fruits and vegetables, or don’t like them and thus don’t eat many, or eat a specific diet and lack certain nutrients. When we are stressed and or exercise a lot, we also increase our need for certain nutrients - such as magnesium, and thus need more than our diet might often provide. We can also view it as an insurance policy for your body's micronutrient needs, so that regardless of what we do or eat, we are always covered. Even though our business is supplements, we still wholeheartedly believe that we should aim to get as many of our nutrients as possible through whole foods. A balanced and varied diet is without doubt the way we should all approach our nutrition. But we also live in the real world and get it. Time is precious, food is becoming more and more expensive, kids and partners are fussy-eaters, busy work schedules prevent us from taking a break…we could go on.

Add to this that a lack of sleep, coughs, colds and other viruses can suppress our immune system, and before we know it, we’re sick and have to put life on hold to get over it. And all this before we’vWhat is the role of a multivitamin?

We should start by defining what a good multivitamin should be, and its role in our diet (or specifically, on top of our diet). A multivitamin is a way of getting vital vitamins and minerals into our bodies when we are unable to get them through our diet, this could be cause we move around alot with work and don’t always eat enough fruits and vegetables, or don’t like them and thus don’t eat many, or eat a specific diet and lack certain nutrients. When we are stressed and or exercise a lot, we also increase our need for certain nutrients - such as magnesium, and thus need more than our diet might often provide. We can also view it as an insurance policy for your body's micronutrient needs, so that regardless of what we do or eat, we are always covered.

Even though our business is supplements, we still wholeheartedly believe that we should aim to get as many of our nutrients as possible through whole foods. A balanced and varied diet is without doubt the way we should all approach our nutrition. But we also live in the real world and get it. Time is precious, food is becoming more and more expensive, kids and partners are fussy-eaters, busy work schedules prevent us from taking a break…we could go on.

Add to this that a lack of sleep, coughs, colds and other viruses can suppress our immune system, and before we know it, we’re sick and have to put life on hold to get over it. And all this before we’ve even talked about training and the impact a poor diet and missing nutrients can have on our performance. When we push our bodies in the gym, on the sports field or through voluminous training, we put pressure on our immune system. And even though some minerals sound so obscure and small in relation to the bigger macronutrients our bodies require (like protein for example), failing to underestimate their importance can be a huge hindrance. At best, a lack of essential vitamins and minerals can lead to a drop in performance, and at worst, they can make us quite ill.

And this is why we are so passionate about producing a multivitamin that does more than just include a tiny amount of what our bodies need.

What does the evidence say on multivitamins?

Using quality, evidence-based research to design a solution is a good place to start. A good quality multivitamin should not only contain all the vitamins and minerals that your body requires, it should contain an amount that is going to have a positive effect on your wellbeing. And this is where problems can start. Let’s take Centrum for example and look at the amount of essential minerals it contains based on the NRV (Nutrient Reference Value), or recommended daily amount.

• Biotin - 125%
• Calcium - 20%
• Chromium - 100%
• Copper - 50%
• Folic Acid - 100%
• Iodine - 67%
• Iron - 36%
• Magnesium - 27%
• Manganese - 100%
• Molybdenum - 100%
• Niacin - 125%
• Pantothenic acid - 125%
• Phosphorus - 18%
• Riboflavin - 1.75mg
• Selenium - 55%
• Thiamin - 127%
• Vitamin A - 100%
• Vitamin B6 - 143%
• Vitamin B12 - 100%
• Vitamin D - 100%
• Vitamin C - 143%
• Vitamin K - 40%
• Zinc - 50%

Before we explain the importance of these minerals in the diet, let’s compare the above to Awesome Defence (just looking at the nutrients that are in Centrum - Awesome Defence has much more in it that just this).

• Biotin - 100%
• Calcium - 50%
• Copper - 100%
• Folic Acid - 100%
• Iodine - 80%
• Iron - 465%
• Magnesium - 80%
• Manganese - 125%
• Selenium - 100%
• Vitamin A (Retinol Acetate) - 75%
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Hcl) - 100%
• Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalmin) - 500%
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) - 100%
• Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) - 150%
• Vitamin B5 (Calcium Pantothenate) - 1667%
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hcl) - 100%
• Vitamin C - 100%
• Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) - 1250%
• Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl) - 200%
• Vitamin K1 (Phytonadione) - 667%
• Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7) - 667%
• Zinc (Citrate) - 150%

Spot the difference in quantity?

This is because our bodies actually need a lot of some nutrients due to the absorption efficiency of the gut, and because data shows some of these nutrients can be considerably low in some, and thus getting the full RDA or more (in the case of Iron the bodies efficiency to absorb it is really low, around 11-17%) can prove very beneficial.

Sufficiency vs Optimal, what do we mean by this

We’ve mentioned sufficiency vs optimal a few times now, and we thought it might be best to explain this so you are 100% sure what we mean here. When we look at an NRV we are looking at the value that is needed for sufficiency, so the amount of a nutrient the human body needs for there not to be problems. I.e. you need a certain amount of Vitamin C to not get scurvy or it negatively impacts the immune system, and enough Iron to not experience energy issues, etc. While this is good, and something we should aim for, that doesn’t equate to optimal, and seeing as we are in the business of making you perform at your peak so you can be as AWESOME as humanly possible, we build our multivitamin to ensure you get optimal levels and not just sufficient levels. Two very different things.

This is also why when making a multivitamin it can be beneficial to include the full range of vitamins - to ensure there are no risks of not getting sufficiency, but importantly hitting optimal levels for peak physical and mental performance.

Why are some of these nutrients important to have in a multivitamin? Lets start with Calcium

Calcium is essential for bone health but also heart health. It also helps regulate muscle contractions and transports nutrients around the body. If you’re an athlete who trains with a lot of volume (either endurance training or resistance training), this is a key nutrient. Anyone who does not consume much dairy will also tend to have lower levels of calcium, so supplementing with a decent amount is key. 20% is not a decent amount as people can often have a larger deficiency than 20%, so 50% leaves less risk of being deficient.

Magnesium

Magnesium plays an important part in energy production & storage, muscle function and is essential for good functioning of our bone health hormones. It also helps improve insulin sensitivity, can reduce fatigue and may help reduce the accumulation of lactic acid. Another huge benefit for everyone, particularly athletes or anyone who trains, especially if they are looking for more energy and less fatigue. It’s also involved in over 350 enzymatic processes in the body, so its a really important nutrient to get sufficient levels of. Yet Centrum’s product contains only 27% of the NRV. Awesome Defence has 80%, which on top of your diet, especially if you are highly active, its going to see you much closer to not just sufficiency - which the NRV aims to get you to, but to optimal.

Iron

Iron is another big one. It’s vital in the production of haemoglobin to carry oxygen around the body. Again, when training or exercising, this is key to making improvements. Anyone following a plant-based diet, high in iron does not guarantee meeting iron requirements as plant food containing iron generally has less iron than animal products but is also less bioavailable (i.e. it doesn’t get absorbed as well as heme iron). So taking a supplement will have a positive effect on well-being and energy levels - but the Centrum amount of 36% probably won’t do much as its has poor bioavailability, that’s if the type of Iron they are putting in is heme iron, if not, the absorption % will be even less. Thats why we put in a high amount, as absorption is around 11-17%.

Iodine

This mineral is essential for metabolic health. So, if you want to ensure you’re absorbing food efficiently, check the iodine dose as this can be an issue for the body if your levels are low.

Copper  

Copper is a mineral that’s hardly at the top of our list when we’re thinking of what’s important in our diet but again, it plays an essential role. It helps produce red and white blood cells and triggers iron to release haemoglobin to carry oxygen around the body. It’s also vital for immune health, so again its good to ensure levels are optimal, not just sufficient.

Selenium

Like copper, selenium isn’t one that springs to mind either. But it’s vital for an efficient, healthy functioning immune system and helps prevent damage to cells and tissues.

Zinc 

Finally, zinc. It’s one we tend to think of when trying to prevent a cold. It really is vital for good immunity, especially respiratory health, and that’s essential for good quality training sessions. Zinc also helps make new cells and enzymes, helps process carbohydrates, fats and protein. Finally, it also plays a vital role in wound healing. So if you get scrapes and scratches on the sports field or have shredded hands from Crossfit, think Zinc. And think about getting your full quota not just a negligible one (like Centrum’s 50%!). And, for men this is really important as it helps in the production of testosterone, which is why ZMA supplements have been hailed by so many gym goers over the years as hard trainers are often deficient in magnesium and zinc (both of which are in high amounts in Awesome Defence).

Vitamin A 

Vitamin A is essential for a healthy, functioning immune system, normal vision and growth and development. It’s worth noting that there is some evidence to show that an excess of Vitamin A can result in a weakening of the bones, particularly in old age. As it’s easy to get some vitamin A from food, a quality multivitamin (like Awesome Defence) will only contain 75% of your RDA of this vitamin to allow for some absorption from food. Centrum meanwhile, gives you the full allowance, putting your long-term health at risk.

The B Vitamins 

When looking for a multivitamin, ensure it contains the full range of the B Vitamin family. B1 helps release energy from food and is essential for the nervous system. B12 serves a similar function (and is a very common deficiency in people following plant based, vegan or vegetarian diets), as does B2, B5 and B3 (although this also contributes to good heart health). Vitamin B6 meanwhile helps us use and store energy from proteins and carbohydrates as well as helping carry oxygen around the body. It’s a key nutrient for anyone who trains at intensity. By the way, the B vitamins are known as water-soluble. If we consume them in excess, we can’t store them, we just urinate them out. So having too much won’t be an issue.

Vitamin C 

Vitamin C (another water-soluble vitamin) is one we all tend to know about. It protects cells, skin, blood vessels and helps with wound healing.

Vitamin D, E and K 

Vitamin D3 is a crucial component of any multivitamin, and is one that everyone in the UK needs to take during the winter months as we can only get it from sunlight and not from food (well, only very negligible amounts). The UK RDA is also not sufficient at 400iu and the research says that being closer to 2-3000iu is going to see you be optimal - so do look out for this in any multivitamin you buy. Vitamin E is key for good immune health (again) and lastly let’s not forget Vitamin K. It’s essential for wound healing and blood clotting. There is also some evidence to show that combined with Vitamin D, it can improve bone health. You’ll get more than enough Vitamin K if you take Awesome Defence, but only 40% of your RDA with Centrum.We should point out as well that many multivitamins may contain some random amounts of vitamins, but are completely lacking in minerals. Take My Protein for example. We scrutinised their label but only found a grand total of 7 vitamins. Compare that with the 21 found in Awesome Defence and we hope you can see why doing your research reading labels is key. Again just to show you, here is MyProteins nutritional info compared to Awesome Defence:

MyProtein:

• Vitamin A - 100%
• Vitamin B2 - 117%
• Vitamin D3 - 200%
• Vitamin E - 83%
• Vitamin C - 75%
• Niacin - 113%
• Vitamin B1 - 155%

Awesome Defence:

• Biotin - 100%
• Calcium - 50%
• Copper - 100%
• Folic Acid - 100%
• Iodine - 80%
• Iron - 465%
• Magnesium - 80%
• Manganese - 125%
• Selenium - 100%
• Vitamin A (Retinol Acetate) - 75%
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Hcl) - 100%
• Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalmin) - 500%
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) - 100%
• Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) - 150%
• Vitamin B5 (Calcium Pantothenate) - 1667%
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hcl) - 100%
• Vitamin C - 100%
• Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) - 1250%
• Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl) - 200%
• Vitamin K1 (Phytonadione) - 667%
• Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7) - 667%
• Zinc (Citrate) - 150%

Wrapping up: How to choose a multivitamin

We hope this blog has helped you see both how products can differ but also the value of each and every ingredient we put into our product. It has come from extensive research and investment of time and effort in to building the optimal multivitamin, with no corners or cost cutting in the process.

If you really are serious about maintaining health, optimising performance and investing in yourself, look for evidence-based products that contain amounts that are actually going to have an effect on your well-being. Anything else and you’re throwing your money away.

And on the topic of money, just to finish up. Consider how many vitamins and or minerals you might be taking individually, and how much likely it is Awesome Defence can consolidate many of these. People often take a multivitamin, ZMA and extra B vitamins, for example, Awesome Defence contains all this, so there might be some streamlining you can do so you take just Awesome Defence to cover ALL your vitamin and mineral needs.

Check out Awesome Defence HERE.