Almost everyone takes vitamins of some description, whether it’s for a specific condition or deficiency, or for the general maintenance of health. Vitamin supplements can be tricky, though, as there are so many to pick from and things like price and quality range so greatly. The best vitamin brands sell a high quality product, without costing too much.
There are many cheap vitamins out there that are nothing but a waste of money, but there are also plenty of great-quality options from reputable companies – the key is finding the right ones.
The best vitamin brands are not only transparent about their process and ingredients but the ingredients are natural, good-quality, and well-researched. Some companies have good intentions but don’t include the right amount of the nutrients they’re trying to give you. Multivitamins are a great example of this – they may include a ton of different vitamins and minerals, but not enough of any of them!
Multivitamins in particular require lots of research on your part to not only find the right one for you, but also one that gets the dose right. The same can be said for any vitamin though. The most important thing is that you know what dose is right for you, even if this means you talk to your doctor beforehand. And then, find a vitamin that uses natural, healthy ingredients and little to no artificial preservatives or fillers. The brands listed here are a great place to start:
The Best Vitamin Brands
1. Garden of Life
Garden of Life is a fabulous plant-based brand that offers a great selection of vitamins and supplements for vegetarians, vegans, and several other specialty diets and lifestyles. Their selection of vitamins specifically is impressive, with things like vitamin C, zinc, and D3, all of which are raw. They also have a comprehensive multivitamin for both men and women.
If you’re looking for more than a single vitamin, they have a few supplement packs available that include several products to help you achieve certain goals like immune support, brain function, and more. They also have vitamins available in different forms, like capsules, gummies, and even liquid. This is great news for anyone with a sensory issue or aversion to pills.
If you’re looking to complete your daily health regime beyond just vitamins, they have plenty more to offer in the form of supplements and even snacks/meal replacements like protein bars. They even have supplement and vitamin options for kids if you’re looking to help the whole family!
2. Thorne
Thorne is a unique vitamin brand that focuses on the aging journey and helping you through it gracefully and in a healthy way. They have vitamins and supplements available for you to browse, or you can take their health tests to better understand your needs and to get personalized recommendations.
You can browse their product by specific health needs, such as mood, gut health, heart, sleep, etc. to help you better find what you’re looking for. If you’re not entirely sure what you may need, their free quizzes can give you a better idea. These quizzes are broken down by vitamin or supplement type to help you get specific recommendations and eventually the results you need.
Their formulas are top-notch and include only the essential ingredients, with no unnecessary fillers or additives. The formulas are backed by science and they’re transparent about both the benefits and the risks of any supplement they offer. They also have lots of information for you to sort through if you’re looking to learn more about the supplements that you’re considering.
3. Nordic Naturals
Nordic Naturals began when company founder Joar Opheim moved from Norway to California to complete his schooling. Growing up in Norway, he enjoyed an abundance of healthy and essential omega-rich fish oil. Upon arriving in California, he found good-quality fish oil to be scarce. This inspired him to bring healthy and premium-quality fish oil to America, which is how Nordic Naturals began.
Today, they offer some of the best Omega-3 on the market along with a wide variety of other vitamins, minerals, and supplements. They offer basic essentials like vitamin D3, vitamin B, magnesium, vitamin C, and more. They also have multi supplements with more than one nutrient put together.
Most of their vitamins also come in both capsule and gummy forms if you have a preference. If you’re unsure exactly what to get, you can also browse their selection by specific concern such as heart health, skin health, bones, joints, etc. to help better direct your choices.
4. Nature Made
Nature Made has been around since 1971 and they’ve maintained the same passion for and commitment to health, science, and quality ever since. They use only premium-quality ingredients that are powered by nature and formulas that are backed by years of research and science. The company was started by two men who believed there was a better way to achieve lasting health than by relying only on medication and drugs. This is the foundation the company has always stood on.
Their selection includes all the basic and essential vitamins as well as an array of minerals, supplements, and even herbs, and multivitamins. Their multivitamins come in several different forms so you can be sure they’re just right for you – men’s, women’s, kids, and even prenatal.
If you’re looking to learn more about any particular condition, vitamin, supplement, and more, they have a fantastic selection of education and resources, as well. Their health articles cover all kinds of topics including research and official clinical studies to help you even more on your journey of health.
5. Life Extension
Life Extension is quite aptly named as its ultimate goal is to help you “extend your life” by nourishing your body properly. This is done through a combination of proper diet, nutrition, lifestyle, and the right assortment of vitamins and supplements.
They also want to help you learn and know more about your body, what it needs, and how it works, so you can better help yourself. In addition to providing great-quality vitamins and supplements, they have experts on hand available for you to speak to such as doctors, nutritionists, and even nurses. They can help you decide what to buy or even just answer general health questions you might have.
Their vitamin selection includes everything from basic essentials to more specific options like probiotics and curcumin. They also have other diet, lifestyle, and fitness products available such as protein and creatine for working out, food and drink products for weight management, and more. They even have some things for your pets!
What to Look For In A Multivitamin
As previously mentioned, finding a good-quality vitamin of any kind can be tough and may require some research on your part. Multivitamins are particularly difficult because of how many different things they contain. One of the biggest concerns here is that while there is a little of everything, there isn’t enough of anything!
To avoid wasting your money on a multivitamin that won’t actually do much good, follow these guidelines when looking for your next multivitamin:
Verification
This isn’t something many people think of, especially when looking at bottles on a shelf. But, you can check for verification labels or even look online to see if the vitamin you’ve chosen has proper verification. The US Pharmacopeial Convention is an independent and non-profit organization that determines whether vitamins and supplements are actually pure and if they do indeed contain exactly what they say they do.
The Right Values
The best guideline for determining if your multivitamin has enough of everything is to look at the percentage. Your vitamin should have 100% or close to it of almost every nutrient. Some exceptions include larger things like calcium that would make the pill too big if they included 100%.
On the other hand, you don’t want to see much more than 100%, either. Too much of any nutrient can range from simply a waste to actually harmful. Things like vitamins A, D, E, and K can build up in the body if there is excess and this can eventually become toxic.
Micronutrients
Of course, you want the big things like iron, calcium, and vitamin C. But, you can’t ignore the micronutrients either. Your multivitamin should also include things like riboflavin, folate, B12, niacin, thiamin, and lesser-known vitamins like K, D2, D3, A, and E.
The Right Balance
While you want to ensure that your multivitamin has the right dosages of everything, you also want to ensure you’re getting one that’s right for you specifically. For example, a premenopausal woman needs more iron than most, and older adults start needing more calcium, vitamin D, and B6 specifically.
This can start feeling complicated pretty quickly so if you’re unsure or overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can help you figure out which nutrients to focus on based on your age, gender, etc.
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