Being ready does not mean being immune to stress, tiredness, illness or disruption.

It means giving the body the nutritional foundations required to maintain normal function when demands increase.

Workload, training, poor sleep, low winter sunlight, irregular meals, restrictive diets and periods of stress can all make consistent micronutrient intake more difficult.

Defence is built around the systems that help you remain capable when life becomes demanding:

• energy metabolism
• immune function
• nervous-system and psychological function
• thyroid function
• muscle function
• protection from oxidative stress

The formula focuses on nutrients relevant to real-world dietary gaps and provides them at levels intended to make a meaningful contribution.

Real-world intake gaps are common

The latest UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) report covering 2019 to 2023 found that low vitamin D status was present in:

• 10% of children aged 4 to 10 years
• 23% of children aged 11 to 18 years
• 18% of adults aged 19 to 64 years
• 12% of adults aged 65 years and over

This matters because vitamin D contributes to normal immune system function, normal muscle function and maintenance of normal bones.

The same NDNS report also found evidence of insufficient iodine status in girls aged 11 to 18 years and women of childbearing age, with urinary iodine concentration below the population adequacy threshold. It also reported a significant year-on-year decrease in urinary iodine concentration between 2013 and 2023.

This is important because iodine contributes to normal thyroid hormone production and normal thyroid function.

The British Dietetic Association notes that milk and dairy products are the main sources of iodine for most people in the UK, and that people who avoid fish and/or dairy may be at greater risk of iodine deficiency. This makes iodine particularly relevant for people reducing dairy, following more plant-based diets, or using milk alternatives that are not fortified.

NDNS also found that only 17% of adults met the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable recommendation, while 96% of adults and children aged 11 to 18 years did not meet fibre recommendations. Dietary patterns are clearly not always as nutrient-dense or consistent as people assume.

Being ready starts with covering the gaps that are easiest to miss.

References:

• National Diet and Nutrition Survey: 2019 to 2023 report. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities / Food Standards Agency, 2025.
• British Dietetic Association. Iodine Food Fact Sheet.
• SACN. Vitamin D and Health, 2016.

Energy production depends on micronutrients, not just calories

Calories provide fuel, but micronutrients help the body turn that fuel into usable energy.

B vitamins are central to this. Kennedy (2016) describes the B vitamins as having closely interrelated roles in cellular functioning, including energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, methylation pathways and neurological function.

Magnesium is equally important. Gröber et al. (2015) describe magnesium as a cofactor for more than 300 enzymatic reactions, with a key role in ATP metabolism. ATP is usually described as the body’s energy currency, but biologically it functions largely as a magnesium-ATP complex.

This is why magnesium is so important in a daily multinutrient. It is not just a “muscle mineral” or a “sleep ingredient”. It contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, normal muscle function, normal nervous system function, normal psychological function and reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

• Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism
• Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue
• Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and biotin contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism
• Vitamin C contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and reduction of tiredness and fatigue
• Folate contributes to reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Being ready means having the micronutrient cofactors required to turn food into usable energy.

Useful references:

• Kennedy, D.O. (2016). B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy — A Review. Nutrients.
• Gröber, U., Schmidt, J. and Kisters, K. (2015). Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy. Nutrients.
• Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register / retained EU authorised claims.

Immune function relies on multiple micronutrients

Gombart, Pierre and Maggini (2020) reviewed the role of micronutrients in immune function and highlighted the importance of vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12, folate and the trace elements zinc, selenium, iron, copper and magnesium in maintaining immune defences.

Adequate and consistent intake of these key micronutrients supports normal immune function, and suboptimal intake may reduce the body’s ability to maintain normal immune processes.

Vitamin D is often discussed in relation to immune health. Earlier systematic reviews and meta-analyses, including Martineau et al. (2017) and Jolliffe et al. (2021), reported modest protective effects of vitamin D supplementation against acute respiratory infections, particularly with regular dosing patterns. 

Vitamin D contributes to normal immune system function, and maintaining adequate vitamin D status remains important, particularly given the prevalence of low vitamin D status in the UK.

• Vitamin D contributes to normal immune system function
• Vitamin C contributes to normal immune system function
• Zinc contributes to normal immune system function
• Selenium contributes to normal immune system function
• Vitamin A contributes to normal immune system function
• Vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folate contribute to normal immune system function

Being ready means supporting normal immune function consistently, not only reacting when you already feel run down.

References:

• Gombart, A.F., Pierre, A. and Maggini, S. (2020). A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System — Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection. Nutrients.
• Martineau, A.R. et al. (2017). Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. BMJ.
• Jolliffe, D.A. et al. (2021). Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of aggregate data from randomised controlled trials. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
• Jolliffe, D.A. et al. (2025). Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of stratified aggregate data. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

Stress, nervous system function and psychological function

Modern life can place increased demand on the nervous system through stress, training, workload, poor sleep and inconsistent routines.

Higher demand lifestyles increase reliance on systems involved in energy metabolism, nervous system function and psychological function. Magnesium and B vitamins are relevant because they contribute to normal function in those systems.

Kennedy (2016) provides a useful mechanistic basis for the role of B vitamins in neurological function, methylation, neurotransmitter synthesis and energy metabolism. Magnesium’s role in neuromuscular function, nervous system regulation and ATP metabolism is also well established.

• Magnesium contributes to normal nervous system function
• Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function
• Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, biotin and vitamin B12 contribute to normal functioning of the nervous system
• Vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological function
• Vitamin B6 contributes to regulation of hormonal activity
• Pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance

Being ready means supporting the systems involved in focus, psychological function and nervous-system regulation during demanding periods.

References:

• Kennedy, D.O. (2016). B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy — A Review. Nutrients.
• Gröber, U., Schmidt, J. and Kisters, K. (2015). Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy. Nutrients.
• Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register / retained EU authorised claims.

Thyroid function: iodine and selenium

Thyroid hormones influence energy, temperature regulation and metabolic rate.

Iodine contributes to normal production of thyroid hormones and normal thyroid function. Selenium contributes to normal thyroid function.

The BDA notes that milk and dairy products are the main sources of iodine for most people in the UK, while fish is also an important source. This makes iodine more likely to be missed by people who reduce dairy, avoid fish, use unfortified plant milks or follow poorly planned plant-based diets.

The NDNS 2019 to 2023 report found evidence of insufficient iodine status in girls aged 11 to 18 years and women of childbearing age, and a significant decline in urinary iodine concentration between 2013 and 2023.

Including iodine and selenium helps Awesome Defence support this important metabolic system.

Being ready means supporting the metabolic systems operating in the background every day.

References:

• National Diet and Nutrition Survey: 2019 to 2023 report. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities / Food Standards Agency, 2025.
• British Dietetic Association. Iodine Food Fact Sheet.
• EFSA Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for iodine, 2014.
• Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register / retained EU authorised claims.

Oxidative stress and recovery

Exercise, stress and normal metabolism all generate reactive oxygen species. That is not inherently bad. Reactive oxygen species are part of normal signalling and adaptation.

The issue is whether the body has enough antioxidant capacity to maintain normal cellular protection.

Vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper and manganese all contribute to protection of cells from oxidative stress.

These are particularly important for active people, or those with high demand jobs or busy lifestyles.

Being ready means supporting normal cellular protection when training, work and everyday metabolism increase demand.

references:

• Gombart, A.F., Pierre, A. and Maggini, S. (2020). A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System — Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection. Nutrients.
• Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register / retained EU authorised claims.

When we first developed Awesome Defence, our goal was to create a multivitamin that actually deserved to be called comprehensive.

Not just another formula filled with token doses designed simply to tick boxes on a label. But a product built around meaningful amounts of nutrients that support the systems your body relies on every single day.

Energy. Immunity. The nervous system. Thyroid function. Muscle function. Recovery. Everyday resilience.

That philosophy hasn't changed. But the science has.

Over the last few years our understanding of nutrition has continued to evolve. We've learnt more about who benefits most from certain nutrients. We've seen improvements in ingredient technology.

We've gained a better understanding of which nutrients are genuinely appropriate in a daily foundation, and which are better targeted according to individual need.

So when we revisited Awesome Defence, we didn't ask,

"What can we add?"

We asked something much more important.

If we were formulating Awesome Defence from scratch today, knowing everything we know now, what would we build?

That question applied to every part of the formula. Every ingredient. Every dose. Every assumption.

Some nutrients stayed exactly where they were because the science still supported them. Some ingredient forms improved as better options became available. Some doses were refined because more wasn't necessarily better.

And some ingredients were removed altogether. Not because they stopped being important, but because they no longer belonged in a universal daily multinutrient.

Iron remains an essential nutrient. So does calcium. But neither is required by everybody, every day.

Rather than making those decisions on behalf of every customer, we believe they're better supplemented when genuinely needed.

That change also allowed us to simplify Defence into a convenient two-capsule serving without compromising its core purpose.

The result isn't a bigger formula. It's a better one.

A formula built around purpose rather than tradition.

Because at Awesome, we believe every ingredient should earn its place.

And that philosophy doesn't just apply to Defence. It guides everything we formulate.

For best results take 2 capsules per day with food, alongside Awesome Omega. Do not exceed this daily dose.

WARNING: Product contains Vitamin A, do not take if you are pregnant or likely to become pregnant, except on the advice of a doctor or antenatal clinic. If you are taking anti-coagulants (blood thinners), do not take this product except on the advice of a doctor. This product contains Iron which, if taken in excess, may be harmful to very young children. Do not exceed the stated daily recommended dose. Breastfeeding women, those with a medical condition or who are taking any medication should consult with a doctor before using the product. Keep out of reach of children. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.