Multivitamins

The primer

The multivitamin debate is real: for a well-fed adult, a multivitamin is unlikely to deliver dramatic benefits, but for people with restrictive diets, high stress, or absorption issues, it is sensible insurance. What separates a great multi from a generic one is the form of each ingredient. Look for methylated B vitamins (methylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin, 5-MTHF instead of folic acid), chelated minerals (bisglycinate, picolinate, citrate) instead of cheap oxides and sulphates, mixed tocopherols instead of dl-alpha tocopherol acetate, and vitamin D as D3. A once-daily multi is convenient but must cram everything into one tablet — a 2-per-day or 3-per-day formula lets the manufacturer include better forms and clinical doses. Age- and sex-specific formulations matter: pre-menopausal women need iron, most men do not; older adults benefit from more B12 and vitamin D. Do not treat a multi as a licence to skip vegetables — no capsule replicates whole-food nutrition.