Who Really Needs a Multivitamin? An Honest Guide

By Hana · Delvina Team

"Multivitamins are unnecessary" — you'll read this sentence in almost every health magazine. At the same time, millions of people reach for a tablet every day. So what's true? The honest answer, as so often, lies somewhere in the middle. This guide shows you who really benefits from a multivitamin — and who can save their money.

What exactly is a multivitamin?

A multivitamin is a combination of several vitamins, and usually minerals too, in a single dosage form. Typical ingredients are vitamins A, C, D, E and K as well as the B vitamins, plus minerals such as zinc, selenium, iron or magnesium.

The idea behind it: instead of taking ten separate supplements, one product covers the most important micronutrients. So much for the theory. In practice, the quality — and the actual need — varies considerably.

Who really benefits from a multivitamin?

There are clearly defined groups for whom a multivitamin can make sense. Here are the five most important:

• Vegetarians and vegans — Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products. Iron, zinc and omega-3 are often critical too.
• People over 60 — With age, the ability to absorb vitamin B12, D and folate decreases, while the need rises at the same time.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women — Folate, iodine, iron and DHA are especially important during this stage of life (always in consultation with your doctor here).
• People with a one-sided diet — Those who travel a lot for work, often eat ready meals or cook irregularly due to lack of time frequently have micronutrient gaps.
• People in stressful phases of life — Chronic stress, lack of sleep or physical strain increase the need for B vitamins, magnesium and vitamin C.

Who does NOT need a multivitamin?

Here comes the honest part: a healthy adult who eats a varied diet, spends time outdoors regularly and has no chronic illnesses usually covers their vitamin needs through food.

Anyone who eats five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, chooses whole grains over white flour, includes nuts and legumes and occasionally has fish or high-quality animal products does not need a multivitamin. In such cases, the tablet is more expensive urine than a meaningful supplement.

One exception is vitamin D: because our skin produces hardly any vitamin D between October and March at our latitudes, supplementation during this period makes sense for most people — regardless of diet.

Multivitamin or single supplement — which makes more sense?

That depends on what you need. Here's a simple rule of thumb:

• Single supplement if you have a specific deficiency (e.g. a confirmed vitamin D or B12 deficiency). Advantage: a high, targeted dose.
• Multivitamin if you want to generally safeguard your supply or belong to one of the risk groups mentioned above. Advantage: broad coverage in a single intake.

If you're unsure, have a small blood panel done at your GP beforehand — vitamin D, B12, ferritin and zinc in particular are informative. That way you'll know where you really stand.

What to look for when buying

Not all multivitamins are the same. The differences in quality are enormous. You should check these five points:

• Bioavailable forms — methylfolate instead of synthetic folic acid, methylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin (B12), D3 instead of D2.
• Sensible dosages — not "more is better". With some vitamins (A, E, iron), an overdose can be harmful.
• No unnecessary additives — colourings, artificial sweeteners or anti-caking agents such as titanium dioxide have no place in a quality product.
• Transparent origin — the manufacturer, place of production and lab testing should be clearly stated.
• A suitable dosage form — lozenges allow absorption through the oral mucosa, which is advantageous for some vitamins (e.g. B12).

Conclusion: the honest answer

Whether you need a multivitamin depends on your lifestyle, your diet and your stage of life. A blanket "everyone should take multivitamins" is just as wrong as "multivitamins are unnecessary". The truth lies in between — and it's individual.

If you belong to one of the risk groups mentioned, follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, are under a lot of stress or simply want to safeguard your supply, a high-quality multivitamin can be a meaningful addition. What matters is the quality — and that you don't see it as a replacement for a balanced diet.

If you're looking for a high-quality multivitamin in a convenient form, take a look at our multivitamin lozenges — with bioavailable vitamin forms and without unnecessary additives.