Solgar
Browse Solgar vitamins and supplements: vegetable capsules, tablets, softgels and liquids in amber glass. We explain which forms Solgar uses, what the higher price buys you and how to choose your first product.Read more →
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What sets Solgar vitamins and supplements apart
A brand that makes its own supplements in small batches
Solgar started in 1947 in the United States and still produces in its own facilities, in small batches rather than one huge run. Two things stand out on the shelf: the gold label and the amber glass bottle. Dark glass keeps most light out, which helps protect light-sensitive nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin B2 and fish oils. The glass is recyclable. It is also heavier than plastic, so a Solgar bottle is not the lightest thing to carry around.
Ingredient lists stay short. Products are made without gluten, wheat, dairy, sugar and artificial colours or flavours, and many carry non-GMO, vegan, kosher and halal labelling. Not every product ticks every box, so check the label on the product page, exactly as you would with the other brands we stock.
The forms Solgar chooses, and why that matters
Most of the range is built around forms the body can use directly, which is the main reason we carry it. The Vitamin D3 line, for example, runs from low daily strengths up to 4000 IU (100 mcg) in vegetable capsules, so you can match the strength to the season instead of taking one fixed dose all year.
- Methylcobalamin for vitamin B12: the active form, often as a chewable nugget you let dissolve in the mouth.
- Ubiquinol alongside standard CoQ-10: ubiquinol is the reduced form of coenzyme Q10, in oil-filled softgels.
- Vitamin K2 as MK-7, the form that stays in the blood longer than MK-4.
- Citrate minerals such as magnesium citrate and calcium citrate: the mineral is bound to citric acid, which dissolves easily.
- Chelated zinc and Ester-C for people who prefer these to plain oxide or ascorbic acid.
Why we carry Solgar
We judge a brand on three things: the form of the ingredient, the dose, and whether a combination makes sense. Solgar holds up on all three. It uses active forms where they add something, prints doses clearly on the label, and keeps combinations simple, for example calcium citrate with vitamin D3 instead of a long list of extras. We are brand-neutral and outcome-first, so Solgar is here for those choices, not for the gold label. Every product still passes our compliance team, we test products ourselves, and independent labs spot-check batches. Read how we select brands.
Who Solgar suits, and the honest notes
Solgar fits you if you want to know exactly what is in the bottle and prefer a specific form over the cheapest version of a nutrient. It sits above supermarket vitamins on price. What you get for that is small-batch production, glass packaging and active forms, so compare the form and the dose per capsule, not just the price per bottle. If you only want a plain daily mineral, magnesium in other forms may cost less and do the job.
Two practical points. Several Solgar multivitamins and beauty formulas come as large tablets, and some ask for two or three tablets a day. If swallowing is an issue, look at the one-a-day capsules, chewable nuggets or liquids instead. And give any supplement time: with daily use, most people should think in terms of two to three weeks before judging how it fits their routine, longer for anything aimed at hair or nails.
Frequently asked questions
Solgar is an American supplement brand, founded in 1947, that makes vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and omega oils. It produces in its own facilities in small batches, which makes it easier to keep each bottle consistent. In the UK the range covers everyday basics such as vitamin D3, magnesium and B-complex, plus more specific products like Ubiquinol, MK-7 and collagen formulas. Bottles are amber glass with the familiar gold label.
Many are, but not all, so the label decides. Solgar aims to make products non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher and halal wherever the ingredients allow. Vegetable capsules and most tablets are suitable for vegans. Softgels are the exception: fish oils, some Ubiquinol and cod liver oil use fish gelatine or fish oil, so they are neither vegan nor vegetarian. Vitamin D3 can come from lanolin unless the product states a plant source. Check the product page before ordering.
Light and moisture slowly break down some nutrients. Amber glass blocks most light, and glass does not interact with the contents the way soft plastic can, so it suits oils and light-sensitive vitamins. The bottles are recyclable, which is the second reason Solgar sticks with them. The downsides are practical rather than nutritional: glass is heavier, it can break, and a large bottle can look half empty because tablets take up less room than the standard bottle size.
Pick the form that matches the nutrient and your comfort in swallowing. Oils need a softgel, minerals work well in tablets or capsules, and B12 is often easiest as a nugget you let dissolve.
| Form | What it is | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable capsule | Plant cellulose shell | Vegans, easy swallowing |
| Tablet | Pressed powder | Minerals, higher doses |
| Softgel | Oil in a gel shell | Omega-3, CoQ-10, vitamin D |
| Chewable nugget | Dissolves in the mouth | B12, no water needed |
| Liquid | Drops or syrup | Pill avoiders, flexible dosing |
Most Solgar labels say to take the product with a meal, and that advice is sound. Vitamins A, D, E and K and omega oils are fat-soluble, so a meal containing some fat helps absorption. Minerals such as magnesium and zinc are usually gentler on the stomach with food. Multivitamins that ask for two or three tablets a day are best spread across meals rather than taken at once. Pick a fixed moment in your day, because consistency matters more than the exact hour.
That depends on what you are comparing. Against a basic supermarket multivitamin, Solgar costs more, and you are paying for small-batch production, glass packaging and specific forms such as methylcobalamin or MK-7. If you need those forms, the difference is real. If you simply want 10 mcg of vitamin D a day, a cheaper product delivers the same nutrient. Compare the form, the dose per serving and the number of servings per bottle, then decide. Some multivitamin options from other brands are worth putting side by side.
UK advice is a daily supplement of 10 mcg (400 IU) for most people, especially in autumn and winter. Higher strengths such as 4000 IU sit at the safe upper limit for adults, so they are a choice for people who have been advised to take more, not a default.
| Group | Daily supplement | Do not exceed |
|---|---|---|
| Adults and children 11-17 | 10 mcg (400 IU) | 100 mcg (4,000 IU) |
| Children 1-10 | 10 mcg (400 IU) | 50 mcg (2,000 IU) |
| Babies under 1 year | 8.5-10 mcg | 25 mcg (1,000 IU) |
Three UK points are worth knowing. First, NHS guidance advises against supplements containing vitamin A (retinol) during pregnancy, which includes cod liver oil, so check for retinol on the label. Second, if you take an anticoagulant such as warfarin, speak to your GP or pharmacist before starting vitamin K, including K2 as MK-7. Third, high-dose single nutrients and a multivitamin can add up to more than you intend, so read both labels. When in doubt, ask your GP or pharmacist first.
