Summary
Should I take a multivitamin every day?
While not essential for everyone, a daily multivitamin acts as a smart “insurance policy” to fill common dietary gaps and ensure your body gets the baseline nutrients it needs to function well.
Who benefits most from taking a multivitamin?
Multivitamins offer clear, science-backed benefits for pregnant women, older adults, vegans and vegetarians, and highly active people. These groups have increased nutritional needs that a multivitamin can help meet.
What are the main benefits of taking a multivitamin?
The key benefits are filling nutritional gaps to support overall health. This includes boosting energy with B vitamins, strengthening immunity with vitamins C and D, and supporting bone health with calcium.
Are multivitamins a waste of money?
No, for many they are a smart investment. They are a cost-effective way to cover your nutritional bases, especially if you’re in a high-need group, helping to improve energy and vitality when diet alone falls short.
Ever stare at your kale salad and wonder if it’s really got your back, nutritionally speaking? In a perfect world, we’d all be frolicking through organic farms, plucking nutrient-dense superfoods from the vine. But let’s be honest, modern life often serves up a reality of desk lunches, stress, and the occasional “beige food” binge.
A balanced diet is, without a doubt, the gold standard for health. The problem? The nutritional quality of our food has been on a bit of a downhill slide for decades. Due to modern agricultural practices focused on yield over quality, the fruits and vegetables we eat today may be significantly less packed with vitamins and minerals than those our grandparents ate [1].
This has led many to the supplement aisle, seeking a multivitamin as a convenient “insurance policy.” While a multivitamin isn’t a hall pass to skip your veggies, it can be a crucial buffer for certain people. Here’s a look at who the science says could benefit most.
The Golden Years Crew
As we age, our bodies don’t just get wiser; they also get a bit fussier. Older adults often have smaller appetites and become less efficient at absorbing certain nutrients from food, like vitamin B12. This makes getting enough of key players like calcium and vitamin D for bone health a taller order. On the bright side, some compelling research has shown that daily multivitamin use may support memory and cognitive health in older adults [2].
The Plant-Powered People (Vegans and Vegetarians)
Living that plant-based life is fantastic, but it requires some nutritional savvy. Nutrients that are abundant in animal products can be tricky to get from plants alone. The main nutrients of concern are vitamin B12 (which is virtually non-existent in plant foods), iron, vitamin D, calcium and iodine. For this reason, supplementation is often recommended to avoid deficiencies in those following a strict vegan or vegetarian diet [3].
The Chronically Stressed-Out (So… Everyone?)
That “fight or flight” response your body triggers during stressful times doesn’t just make your heart race – it burns through your nutrient reserves. Chronic stress increases your body’s demand for a host of nutrients, particularly magnesium and the B vitamins, which are vital for energy production and nervous system function. If you’re constantly running on fumes, your body may be using up these key nutrients faster than you can replenish them.
Sports Enthusiasts and the Go-Go-Go Crowd
If you lead a highly active lifestyle, your body’s engine is always running hot. Athletes and active individuals have increased needs for nutrients that support energy metabolism, like B vitamins and magnesium, as well as vitamin D and calcium for bone health and muscle function.
The “It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere” Crowd
Regularly enjoying a few drinks can, unfortunately, sabotage your nutritional status. Alcohol acts like a nutrient bully, interfering with the digestion, storage, and use of many vital micronutrients. It particularly impacts levels of magnesium, zinc, and several B vitamins, which are essential for countless bodily processes [4].
Those with Grumpy Guts (Poor Nutrient Absorption)
For some people, the issue isn’t what they eat, but what their body can actually absorb. Digestive conditions like coeliac disease or Crohn’s disease can impair nutrient absorption. In these cases, a carefully chosen multivitamin can help bridge the gap.
The Small Fry (Children from 4 years)
Growing bodies and brains have immense nutritional demands. Children require a steady supply of vitamins like A, C, and D to support healthy growth, vision, and immune function. While a balanced diet is always the goal, a multivitamin can provide extra support during these critical years of development.
The Ultimate Construction Project (aka Pregnancy & Breastfeeding)
If you’re building a tiny human from scratch, your body’s nutritional demands go through the roof. This is the one time when taking a specific multivitamin – a prenatal – is virtually non-negotiable. You’re not just eating for two; you’re the sole supplier for a massive construction project. The star player here is folic acid, a B vitamin that is mission-critical for preventing major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine [5]. Then there’s iron, which helps your body make the extra blood needed for you and your baby, preventing maternal anaemia and supporting foetal development. The job doesn’t end at delivery, either. During breastfeeding, you’re still the primary source of nutrition, and continuing with a prenatal or postnatal vitamin helps replenish your own stores while ensuring your “liquid gold” is packed with essentials like vitamin D, calcium, and iodine for the baby’s ongoing growth.
The Punchline: To Multi or Not to Multi?
So, do you need a multivitamin? For most adults, a multivitamin can provide additional support alongside a varied diet, to support optimal health and wellbeing.
If you fall into one of the groups above – whether you’re a vegan, a senior, an athlete, or constantly under pressure – a multivitamin can be a sensible and science-backed way to fill potential nutritional gaps. Think of it less as a replacement for a healthy diet and more as a targeted tool to support your unique needs.
If you think your diet might be lacking, contact our expert Nutrition Advisors. They can help you assess your individual needs and determine if a multivitamin is right for you.
References
- Mayer AB, Trenchard L, Rayns F. Historical changes in the mineral content of fruit and vegetables in the UK from 1940 to 2019: a concern for human nutrition and agriculture. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2022 May;73(3):315–326. doi: 10.1080/09637486.2021.1981831. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34651542/
- Vyas CM, Manson JE, Sesso HD, et al. Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the COSMOS randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024;119(3). doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.011
- Neufingerl N and Eilander A. (2021). Nutrient intake and status in adults consuming plant-based diets compared to meat-eaters: A systematic review. Nutrients, 14(1), p.29. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010029
- Francisco H. (2026). How Alcohol Affects Nutrition, Vitamin Levels and Metabolism in the Human Body. News-Medical. Available at: https://www.news-medical.net/health/How-Alcohol-Affects-Nutrition-Vitamin-Levels-and-Metabolism-in-the-Human-Body.aspx
- Wald NJ. Folic acid and neural tube defects: Discovery, debate and the need for policy change. J Med Screen. 2022;29(3):138–146. doi:10.1177/09691413221102321. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9381685/