Guide
Multivitamins tested: the best products (2026)
Last updated: 30 July 2026
Written by
Health Tested Editorial Team
Day-to-day stress, an unbalanced diet, alcohol and other pressures can mean your body doesn't get enough vitamins and minerals.
Nutrient deficiencies are now widespread: blood tests show that more and more people are struggling with shortfalls, which can seriously affect their quality of life.
That's why many people turn to multivitamin supplements to close several nutrient gaps at once. They may support your energy levels and immune system, and can even have a positive effect on your mental wellbeing. The nutrients they contain do a great deal more for your health, too.
In this guide, you'll find out what benefits multivitamin supplements offer, how to take them properly and what to look for when you buy. We also present the best multivitamin supplements of 2026.
There are countless multivitamin supplements on the market, but not all of them are effective.
Multivitamins: strength for body and mind
Vitamins and minerals are essential for your body because they perform many vital functions. They strengthen the immune system, protect against disease and keep your body running smoothly. Vitamins A, C and D, for example, are crucial for healthy skin, eyes, immune defences and bones. Minerals such as calcium and magnesium help strengthen bones, nerves and muscles. B vitamins mainly provide energy and support the health of the nervous system.
Some vitamins and minerals are also crucial for your mental health: a deficiency can have a negative effect on your mood and general wellbeing.
The problem can have many causes
Many people don't get all the nutrients they need in sufficient amounts from their diet. There are plenty of reasons for this: unhealthy eating habits, illness, medication, intolerances, too little sunlight or harmful habits such as smoking and drinking. The falling nutrient content of our food plays a part too, as does the high consumption of processed food.
On top of that, many of us live with constant stress, and the stress hormone cortisol increases how quickly your body uses up many vitamins and minerals. Without a regular supply, your body's stores can soon run low.
Certain stages of life, such as pregnancy or old age, also increase your nutrient requirements. If these needs aren't met, signs of deficiency can appear that affect both your physical and your mental health.
Your body uses up a lot of nutrients, especially during periods of high physical and mental strain.
Most people in Germany have a nutrient deficiency
Most people don't get enough nutrients from their diet alone. This is confirmed by the results of Germany's National Nutrition Survey II (Nationale Verzehrsstudie II), in which around 2,000 people were surveyed between 2005 and 2015. Blood tests show that almost everyone is short of some nutrients.
Vitamin D deficiency is particularly common. You get vitamin D mainly from sunlight. Many people are deficient, especially in winter, which can deepen the low mood typical of the season. Shortfalls in B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and iron are also among the most common.
These are often 'subclinical deficiencies'. Your body is already deficient, but there are no visible or obvious symptoms. These shortfalls can usually only be detected with blood tests before they show up as noticeable symptoms or illness. In the long run, they can not only make you ill but also quietly erode your quality of life through tiredness, low mood or a high susceptibility to infections.
Your body cannot make every nutrient itself
Taking supplements can therefore make sense in many cases. They help close nutrient gaps and prevent or correct signs of deficiency. Food supplements can also help you get the right amount of the vitamins your body can't make itself, such as vitamins D, C, A, K and E or the B vitamins.
The key benefits at a glance
Taking a multivitamin regularly can offer many health benefits. Here's a summary of the most important ones:
- a stronger immune system
- correcting nutrient shortfalls
- synergistic effects
- preventing illness
- relief from symptoms
- shorter recovery times
- faster regeneration
- support for your energy reserves
- relief from tiredness and exhaustion
- greater general wellbeing
- ease of use
Taking a multivitamin regularly can be particularly worthwhile at demanding times, such as in winter or during strenuous physical activity.
The synergistic effect of supplements: more than the sum of their parts
When you take a multivitamin or combine certain nutrients, you often see an interesting effect: synergy.
It happens when two or more ingredients work more powerfully together than when they're taken separately. That's because the nutrients support each other and reinforce each other's action. As a result, the overall effect of the supplement is amplified, and absorption often improves too.
What are the benefits when nutrients work together?
When nutrients work together in harmony, they reach their full potential. Your body can absorb, transport and use them better. Here are the main benefits:
✓ Better absorption: some nutrients improve the absorption of others. A well-known example is vitamin C, which improves the absorption of iron from food.
✓ Improved transport: some nutrients help transport other substances around the body, so they reach the right places and can do their job there.
✓ Better use: when nutrients work together, your body can make better use of them. One example is vitamin D, which, together with vitamin K, makes sure calcium is properly deposited in your bones.
✓ Nutrient recycling: some nutrients help regenerate others. Vitamin C, for example, replenishes vitamin E so that it can act as an antioxidant again.
High-quality vitamin supplements make use of synergies by combining many vitamins and minerals in balanced amounts. This means you don't just benefit from several nutrients at once: their overall effect is greater too.
Not all multivitamins are the same: there are big differences between products
What to avoid when buying a multivitamin
If you decide to take a multivitamin, make sure you avoid the following:
- low bioavailability
- products with too low a dose
- gelatine capsules
- fillers and anti-caking agents
- allergens you need to watch out for (lactose, gluten, soya)
- unnecessary additives
- sugar, alcohol or flavourings
- inflated prices
There are several factors to consider when choosing the right multivitamin.
Beware of products with too high a dose
Some vitamins and minerals are hard to take too much of: your body simply excretes any 'excess'. However, you need to make sure you don't exceed the recommended reference values for vitamin A (750 µg for men and 650 µg for women), vitamin D (20 µg a day) and vitamin E (12–15 mg a day), or those for potassium, copper and omega-3. Regularly taking too much can harm your health.
Multivitamin supplements: from liquids to capsules
Multivitamin supplements come in many different forms: capsules or tablets to swallow, injections, powders to mix, granules and even gummies. Liposomal encapsulation is particularly beneficial, and we look at it in more detail below.
However, many products contain fillers, preservatives, flavourings (often with sugar) or colourings. That's why we focus on the three most popular, tried-and-tested forms: drops, capsules and the liposomal form.
Below you'll find the pros and cons of these forms to make your choice easier:
Capsules
Pros
Easy to swallow
Practical when travelling and on the go
Easy to dose (each capsule contains the same amount of active ingredient)
No unpleasant taste or smell
Can be combined with other active ingredients
Cons
Stomach acid can affect absorption of the active ingredient
Digestion can partly break down the active ingredient
The bioavailability of the active ingredient can vary
The capsule shell may contain gelatine
Often contains additives
Unsuitable for people with swallowing difficulties
At a low dose, several capsules may be needed
Drops
Pros
Easy to dose
Fast absorption of the active ingredient (via the mucous membranes)
Good for people with swallowing difficulties or stomach problems
Versatile: can be mixed into drinks or food
Cons
The drops can taste unpleasant
Exact dosing can be difficult, as the number of drops varies
The liquid can drip or spill
Short shelf life
Liposomal form
Pros
Higher bioavailability of the active ingredient
Better absorption by bypassing stomach acid
Lower dose needed for the same effect (usually just 1 capsule)
Can mask the taste of the active ingredient
No additives
Cons
May cost more because the production process is more complex
Availability and choice may be limited
Producing liposomes can be difficult and requires specialised technology
Less choice, as not all manufacturers use the process
Liposomal multivitamin supplements: better absorption and tolerability
Supplements often struggle with poor bioavailability, which means your body finds it hard to absorb the nutrients they contain. That's exactly why liposomal encapsulation was developed: liposomes are tiny fat bubbles that encapsulate vitamins and minerals.
This technology significantly improves nutrient absorption. The fat bubbles wrap around the vitamins so they can pass through cell walls more easily and get into the body. Without liposomes, your body wouldn't be able to use many vitamins and minerals as effectively.
Another advantage of liposome technology is that it protects the nutrients. They aren't destroyed so easily during digestion, so they stay active and effective. This means your body can make better use of the vitamins and minerals, which strengthens their effect. Liposomal supplements are therefore an excellent way to make nutrients easier to absorb and more effective.
Fewer side effects thanks to better tolerability
Liposomal supplements are usually better tolerated than conventional food supplements. Because the nutrients are embedded in liposomes, they don't come into direct contact with the stomach lining. This is gentler on the digestive tract and lowers the risk of stomach irritation or upset. These supplements are particularly suitable if you don't tolerate conventional supplements well. That's especially useful with products containing several nutrients, as you don't have to worry about how well you'll tolerate each one.
Simple model of a liposome. A liposome is like a tiny bubble with a layer of fat on the outside and a watery chamber inside. This structure makes liposomes particularly effective, because they can transport and release active ingredients selectively. Thanks to this innovative technology, liposomes have become increasingly important in medicine and cosmetics. They allow active ingredients to be absorbed effectively, protect them from being broken down and have a wide range of uses.
Top 3: the best multivitamin supplements in 2026
There are countless multivitamin products on the market today. We assessed them against several criteria to bring you the best:
What is the multivitamin made of?
Are there study or test results?
How high is the dosage of each nutrient?
Does the product contain allergens?
How good is the value for money?
Are there any special features in the composition or manufacturing?
product review
TESTED
our quality criteria
MELINAVA Liposomal Multivitamin
by MELINAVA
Pros
- Ideally dosed nutrients in liposomal form
- Maximum bioavailability thanks to liposome technology (up to 64 times higher absorption)
- Contains vitamins A, C, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, biotin, manganese, chromium and selenium
- Good synergy between the nutrients
- Liposomal coating protects against excess stomach acid
- Longer-lasting effect
- Better tolerability
- Suitable for people with a sensitive stomach (piperine-free)
- Free from soya, gluten and lactose
- Gelatine-free capsule
- No fillers
- No impurities
- Made in Europe (France)
- Comes in a high-quality glass bottle that you can reuse at home for spices and more
Cons
- Only available online
- Often sold out
- Only available as capsules
Verdict
Melinava Liposomal Multivitamin has the highest overall score and is therefore the winner of our test.
The capsules contain vitamins A, C, D3, E, K and the full B complex. They also contain valuable minerals and trace elements such as manganese, chromium and selenium. The active ingredients come in an ideal dose.
Thanks to liposomal encapsulation, bioavailability is significantly higher. This means lower doses are needed to achieve the same effect.
We also like the well-designed formulation, in which many nutrients work together in synergy.
The liposome technology also leads to higher customer satisfaction, because the product is better tolerated and does not put a strain on the stomach.
MELINAVA places great importance on high manufacturing safety standards and on a natural, high-quality product without unnecessary additives, which also lowers the risk of side effects.
Melinava Liposomal Multivitamin has already been used with excellent results for problems such as a weakened immune system, lack of energy and tiredness, as well as persistent exhaustion.
Users also report a clear improvement in their mood and the health of their skin.
You only need to take one capsule of Melinava Multivitamin a day.
A pack contains 30 capsules.
Melinava takes first place in our test (as of January 2026). The manufacturer takes great care to make sure the product is well tolerated, which is why it is completely free from unwanted additives.
You can find more information on the manufacturer's website. A one-month course of Melinava costs 459 kr (with discounts when you buy 2 or 3 packs, as of January 2026).
Vanosan Multivitamin
by VANOSAN
Pros
- Contains vitamins A, C, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, calcium, biotin, chromium and selenium
- No excessive doses of critical nutrients
- Soya- and gluten-free
- Vegan
- Laboratory-tested
- Free from many additives
- Made in Germany
Cons
- Does not protect against heartburn
- Contains preservatives
- Only available online
- No increased bioavailability
- Not suitable for people with histamine intolerance
Verdict
Vanosan Immune System capsules contain vitamins A, C, D3, E, K and the full B complex, as well as valuable minerals and trace elements such as calcium, chromium and selenium. The active ingredients in the capsules give your body an optimal supply of nutrients, which we rate highly.
The formulation and doses are well judged, and the critical vitamins are not overdosed.
However, effective absorption is somewhat limited by the capsule form.
The capsule shell is made without animal-derived ingredients, so it is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Users' verdict on Vanosan is mostly positive. It is well tolerated and has a positive effect on general health and wellbeing. Overall, users are happy with it.
It is made in Europe and is usually dispatched within 1–3 working days.
Take one capsule a day with a meal.
A pack contains 30 capsules.
Daily Multivitamin
by FIT4EVER
Pros
- Contains vitamins A, C, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, biotin, calcium, zinc and selenium
- Laboratory-tested
- Affordable price
- Vegan
- Contains no harmful substances
- Few additives
- Made in Germany
Cons
- No liposomal coating, so absorption is not enhanced, and doses are fairly low
- Not 100% odourless and tasteless
- Does not protect against heartburn
- Only available online
- Must be taken with meals
Verdict
Multivitamin Daily from fit4ever contains vitamins A, C, D3, E, K and the full B complex. It also contains valuable minerals and trace elements such as calcium, zinc and selenium.
The tablets have no coating to protect them in the digestive tract and can cause side effects in sensitive people (although the risk is low, as the dose is not too high). To improve tolerability, it is best to take the tablets with a meal.
Customers rate the tablets highly and find them effective. Many users have noticed that they pick up fewer infections, and they have been able to relieve their symptoms.
Most customers are happy with the product. The low price is a particular plus. However, the slight smell and taste have been criticised, as has the fact that the tablets can stick in your mouth when you swallow them. They can also change in appearance over time. According to the manufacturer, this does not affect how well they work.
A pack contains 450 tablets.
Delivery is free with Amazon Prime and usually takes 1–2 working days.
Getting enough of the right nutrients is important for strengthening your immune system and lowering the risk of infection and inflammation.
When do multivitamin supplements make sense?
Multivitamin supplements can be useful in a wide range of situations to give your body an optimal supply of important nutrients. Here are some typical situations in which a supplement can be especially helpful:
Stress
- Stress is one of the biggest 'nutrient thieves', because your body needs more energy and nutrients during stressful periods.
- A deficiency in B vitamins (especially B6, B12 and folic acid), vitamin C and vitamin D3 can make you feel more stressed and have a negative effect on your mood.
- Synergy: vitamin C can break down stress hormones and also supports the absorption of magnesium. B vitamins support energy metabolism and resistance to stress.
- Getting the nutrients you need helps meet this extra demand and improve your wellbeing.
Infections and immune deficiencies
- Infections, autoimmune diseases and chronic illnesses drain your body of important nutrients that it urgently needs for a strong immune defence.
- Vitamins such as C, D3 and A, and minerals such as selenium, chromium and iron, play a key role in supporting the immune system.
- Synergy: vitamin D3 works best in combination with vitamin K and magnesium, while vitamin C strengthens the antioxidant effect of selenium. Vitamin C also supports iron absorption and helps zinc absorption in the digestive tract.
The right supplements can strengthen your body during an acute illness and improve your immune defences in the long term.
Tiredness and concentration problems
- Tiredness, fatigue and concentration problems are often caused by a deficiency in B vitamins (e.g. B6, B12 and folic acid), magnesium and vitamin C. An iron or vitamin D deficiency also leads to constant tiredness and difficulty concentrating.
- Synergy: the B vitamins work as a team. They help release energy from food and support each other in the process. Iron is also absorbed much better alongside vitamin C.
- If you're constantly tired, you should ask your doctor to check your vitamin levels.
Unbalanced or vegan diet
- If your diet isn't balanced, you may be missing important nutrients. This can happen if you don't like certain foods or, as a vegetarian or vegan, don't eat animal products.
- Vegans should keep an eye on vitamins B12 and B2, vitamin D, iron, selenium, zinc, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids and calcium.
- Multivitamins can help correct various shortfalls.
Skin, hair and nail problems
- Not getting enough biotin, vitamin C, zinc and vitamin A can lead to skin and nail problems and hair loss.
- Biotin is best taken in combination with zinc and vitamin C, because they strengthen its effect. Biotin is one of the B vitamins and also works closely with them.
For healthy-looking skin, hair and nails, make a particular point of getting enough biotin, vitamin C and zinc.
Seasonal deficiency (vitamin D)
- In winter, when the sun hardly shines, vitamin D levels drop considerably in many people.
- If you spend little time outdoors, have darker skin, are older or use sunscreen regularly, you're at higher risk of a deficiency.
- Synergy: vitamin D works best when it's supported by vitamins K and A.
Groups with higher needs
- Smokers (vitamins C and E), pregnant or breastfeeding women (folic acid, iron, vitamin D and calcium), people going through the menopause (vitamin D, calcium, B6 and magnesium) and athletes (magnesium, iron, potassium and B vitamins) often need more nutrients.
- Synergy: vitamin C helps vitamin E stay active for longer. Together, they better protect your cells from harmful factors such as tobacco smoke.
- If you belong to one of the groups above, pay particular attention to getting enough of certain nutrients. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, this is also very important for your baby.
Illness and operations
- After an illness or an operation, your body needs more nutrients to recover.
- After an operation, vitamin C supports collagen formation and wound healing and strengthens the immune defences. Zinc supports cell regeneration and wound healing. Vitamin A is essential for forming new skin and mucous membrane tissue. Iron can also be important after heavy blood loss.
- Synergy: vitamin C helps your body absorb iron and zinc.
Certain nutrients can help speed up healing. Extra nutrients can also be important in many illnesses (for example, disorders of the digestive tract that lead to intolerances or absorption problems).
Our verdict: what multivitamins can do
A multivitamin supplement can help close nutrient gaps, relieve symptoms and so improve your quality of life. It's no substitute for a balanced diet, but at certain stages of life it can be a sensible addition, whether to strengthen your immune system, support your health during stressful times or give your body an optimal supply of nutrients on days when your diet is less healthy.
With a well-thought-out combination of different vitamins and minerals, a supplement like this helps prevent nutrient deficiencies and gives your body exactly what it needs. When you choose one, check that the doses aren't too high, or save yourself the effort and pick one of the products we've tested.
See the multivitamin products we tested
* We may earn a commission from some of the companies featured. This is how we keep our comparisons free to read.
Some of these companies are our commercial partners.
Sources
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8423507/