Which nutrient forms does Vitals use, and why do they differ?

Vitals chooses forms the body can use without an extra conversion step. That matters because a share of people convert folic acid and cyanocobalamin poorly. Nutrient Form used Why it is chosen Vitamin B2 Riboflavin-5-phosphate Active form Vitamin B6 Pyridoxal-5-phosphate No conversion needed Vitamin B12 Methyl- and adenosylcobalamin Forms found in food Folate 5-MTHF (Quatrefolic) Stable, well absorbed Magnesium Bisglycinate (TRAACS) Bound to an amino acid Vitamin K2 MK-7 (K2VITAL DELTA) Stable in the tablet

How does the vitamin D in the Vitals multis compare with UK advice?

The adult Elke Dag multis contain 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) of vitamin D per daily dose, which is above the UK recommendation but well under the safe upper limit for adults. UK reference amounts are set out below. Group Daily amount Do not exceed Adults and children 11+ 10 mcg (400 IU) 100 mcg (4,000 IU) Children 1 to 10 years 10 mcg (400 IU) 50 mcg (2,000 IU) Babies under 1 year 8.5 to 10 mcg 25 mcg (1,000 IU) Source: NHS

Vitals supplements: active forms, multis and probiotics

Vitals is an independent Dutch company that has been making supplements since 1988. Its approach is orthomolecular: nutrients in the forms and amounts the body can use straight away. You see that thinking on the label rather than in the advertising, which is one reason the brand sits alongside the other brands in our range.

Active nutrient forms, not the cheapest ones

Vitals uses biologically active B vitamins throughout its formulas: riboflavin-5-phosphate for B2, pyridoxal-5-phosphate for B6, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin for B12, and folate as 5-MTHF under the Quatrefolic name. Cheaper products often use cyanocobalamin and standard folic acid, which the body has to convert first. Vitals also keeps vitamin B6 deliberately low, at most 3.5 mg per daily dose in the Elke Dag multis, well below the safe ceiling used for supplements. Its magnesium comes as magnesium bisglycinate (TRAACS), a form bound to an amino acid. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function.

The ranges, and who each one suits

Most people meet Vitals through Elke Dag, its multivitamin series. There is a version for almost every situation, and the differences are practical rather than cosmetic.

Elke Dag tablets, capsules and powder: one a day for adults who want a broad base. The powder is for anyone who dislikes swallowing pills.
Elke Dag Platinum, Junior, Mama and Sport: built around age, life stage and training load, with Junior as a chewable tablet.
Microbiol: probiotics with strains from Chr. Hansen, including LGG, LA-5 and BB-12, in doses from a few billion upwards.
Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg: a high-dose fish oil for people who eat little oily fish.

If you already take a broad multi, the single nutrients are where the range gets interesting: separate active B12 lozenges, PEA in PeaPure and individual minerals. It is worth comparing them with the other daily multivitamins we carry before you commit to one brand.

Why we stock Vitals

We judge a brand on three things: the form of the ingredient, the dosage, and whether the combinations make sense. Vitals holds up on all three, and that is the whole reason it is here. Active B vitamins, magnesium bound to glycine, probiotic strains with strain-specific research: these are choices we can explain to you in plain words. We buy directly from the brand, with no intermediaries, so what arrives is authentic. Every product passes our compliance team before it goes live, we test ourselves, and independent labs spot-check batches. Read how we select our brands.

Honest points to weigh up

Vitals is not a budget brand. You pay more per pot than for a supermarket multi, and the reason is visible on the label: patented raw materials such as Quatrefolic and K2VITAL DELTA, plus active forms that cost more than their synthetic equivalents. That is money well spent if you want to know exactly what you are taking. It matters less if you only need a simple vitamin D through winter. Some multis contain vitamin K, which does not combine with anticoagulant medication such as warfarin, so speak to your GP first. Give any supplement two to three weeks of consistent use before you judge it, since most nutrient levels shift slowly. If your main interest is a better absorbed mineral rather than a full multi, our magnesium options are the sensible place to start.

Vitals is an independent Dutch company that has been developing food supplements since 1988. It works along orthomolecular lines, meaning nutrients are supplied in the forms the body uses itself and in generous but responsible amounts. Quality management is certified to ISO 22000, a food safety standard that goes further than the legally required HACCP system. The range covers single vitamins and minerals, combination formulas, multivitamins, probiotics, fatty acids and plant extracts.

For most people the sensible starting point is one Elke Dag multivitamin, because it covers a broad base in a single daily dose and lets you see how you get on with the brand. From there you can add a single nutrient for a specific goal. If your interest is gut flora, look at the Microbiol line, which uses documented strains such as LGG, LA-5 and BB-12; you can compare it with the rest of our probiotic supplements first.

Vitals chooses forms the body can use without an extra conversion step. That matters because a share of people convert folic acid and cyanocobalamin poorly.

Nutrient	Form used	Why it is chosen
Vitamin B2	Riboflavin-5-phosphate	Active form
Vitamin B6	Pyridoxal-5-phosphate	No conversion needed
Vitamin B12	Methyl- and adenosylcobalamin	Forms found in food
Folate	5-MTHF (Quatrefolic)	Stable, well absorbed
Magnesium	Bisglycinate (TRAACS)	Bound to an amino acid
Vitamin K2	MK-7 (K2VITAL DELTA)	Stable in the tablet

Many products are suitable for vegetarians and vegans, including the Elke Dag tablets, which use a plant-based vitamin D3 and beta-carotene from the algae Dunaliella salina. Fish oil is the obvious exception. For children there is Elke Dag Junior as a chewable tablet and Microbiol drops for the youngest age group. Note that the adult multis carry more than 20 micrograms of vitamin D per dose, so the label states they are not for children up to and including ten years.

Plan on two to three weeks of consistent daily use before you draw any conclusion, and longer for nutrients stored in the body. Blood levels of vitamin D, for example, build over months rather than days. Probiotics are different again: users often report that the effect fades once they stop, because the strains do not settle permanently. A supplement supports a varied diet; it does not replace one, and no honest brand promises a fast turnaround.

The cost sits in the raw materials. Active forms such as 5-MTHF and methylcobalamin, patented ingredients like Quatrefolic and K2VITAL DELTA, and documented probiotic strains all cost more per gram than their synthetic or generic counterparts. You also pay for a fuller formula: the Elke Dag tablets add choline, Q10, lutein and zeaxanthin. That is genuine value if you want a considered daily base. For a single nutrient in winter, a simpler product may serve you just as well.

The adult Elke Dag multis contain 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) of vitamin D per daily dose, which is above the UK recommendation but well under the safe upper limit for adults. UK reference amounts are set out below.

Group	Daily amount	Do not exceed
Adults and children 11+	10 mcg (400 IU)	100 mcg (4,000 IU)
Children 1 to 10 years	10 mcg (400 IU)	50 mcg (2,000 IU)
Babies under 1 year	8.5 to 10 mcg	25 mcg (1,000 IU)

Source: NHS

Two points come up most often. First, several Elke Dag multis contain vitamin K1 and K2, and the label states they are not suitable alongside coumarin anticoagulants such as acenocoumarol, phenprocoumon or warfarin, because vitamin K affects how those medicines work. Second, high-dose single nutrients are worth discussing with your GP or pharmacist if you take prescription medicine long term, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. When in doubt, take the pot to your pharmacy and ask.