Vitamins
Browse single vitamins, B-complex and multivitamins in capsules, tablets, drops and sprays. We explain which forms absorb well, what the UK vitamin D advice means and how to build a simple daily routine.Read more →
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How to choose vitamin supplements that fit your diet
Vitamins are nutrients your body needs in small amounts and cannot make in useful quantities on its own. Thirteen of them are essential: A, C, D, E, K and the eight B vitamins. A varied diet covers most of them for most people. In the UK, two gaps come up again and again: vitamin D between October and March, and vitamin B12 on a fully plant-based diet.
Fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins behave differently
Vitamins A, D, E and K dissolve in fat. Your body stores them, so the exact hour matters less, but they absorb better with a meal that contains some fat. Vitamin C and the B vitamins dissolve in water and are barely stored, so a steady daily amount suits them better than one large weekly dose. That single difference explains most questions about timing, and why some products are oil-based softgels while others are plain tablets. If you would rather cover the basics with one product than buy five, a daily multivitamin is the simpler route.
The back of the label decides more than the front
Two products showing the same number on the front can work out differently. The same logic applies to minerals such as magnesium and zinc, which often share the same bottle. What we look at:
- Vitamin D3 (colecalciferol) rather than D2, because D3 raises blood levels more reliably. Drops and sprays help if capsules are hard to swallow.
- B12 as methylcobalamin alongside cyanocobalamin, so you can pick the form you prefer.
- Vitamin K2 as MK-7, which stays in the blood longer than MK-4, and is often combined with D3.
- Natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) instead of the synthetic dl-alpha version.
- Buffered vitamin C, such as calcium ascorbate, when plain ascorbic acid feels harsh on an empty stomach.
How we choose the vitamins on this page
We judge every vitamin on three things: the form, the dose and whether the combination makes sense. A D3 with K2 as MK-7 earns its place. A twenty-ingredient blend with token amounts of each does not. We buy directly from the brands, with no intermediaries, so the stock you receive is authentic, and our compliance team checks every product before it goes live. We test products ourselves and independent labs spot-check batches. We are equally clear about wording: we only use health claims approved by the European food safety authority (EFSA). Read how we select brands and products.
Who these products genuinely suit
Vitamin supplements make sense when your diet has a clear gap, when your routine keeps you out of daylight, or when you follow a diet that leaves one nutrient short. They sit next to meals, not instead of them. The effect is also quiet rather than dramatic: with vitamin C or a B-complex, give it two to three weeks of consistent use before you judge anything, and longer for vitamin D, where blood levels build slowly.
UK government advice is unusually specific for one nutrient. Everyone should consider 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day during autumn and winter, and all year round if you have little sun exposure or darker skin. That is why our vitamin D3 selection is the busiest part of this category. The fat-soluble vitamins are also the ones to count carefully, because they accumulate. Check what your multivitamin already provides before you add a single vitamin on top of it.
Frequently asked questions
Vitamins are essential nutrients your body needs in small amounts for normal function. There are thirteen: A, C, D, E, K and the eight B vitamins. Most people get enough from a varied diet, so a supplement is not automatic. It becomes useful when something limits your intake or absorption: a restricted diet, little daylight, older age, pregnancy planning, or a medical condition that affects how you absorb fat. Start with the gap you actually have, not with the largest bottle.
Vitamin D. From late March to the end of September, most people can make what they need from sunlight on the skin. Between October and March, UK sunlight is too weak, so government advice is that everyone should consider a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms (400 IU). Some groups are advised to take it all year: people who are rarely outdoors, those who cover their skin, and people with darker skin. Take it with a meal containing some fat.
UK Reference Nutrient Intakes cover what most adults aged 19 to 64 need from food and supplements combined. Many supplements contain far more than these amounts, which is not automatically a problem, but it is worth knowing the baseline you are comparing against.
| Vitamin | Adults 19 to 64 |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 700 mcg (men), 600 mcg (women) |
| Vitamin C | 40 mg |
| Vitamin D | 10 mcg (400 IU) |
| Folate (B9) | 200 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.5 mcg |
The form changes how well a vitamin is absorbed or how long it stays active, so it is worth checking the ingredient list rather than the headline number. This is where we make most of our stocking decisions, and it is also why we keep several options in the range of B vitamins.
| Nutrient | Forms you will see | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D | D3, D2 | D3 raises blood levels more reliably |
| Vitamin K2 | MK-7, MK-4 | MK-7 stays in blood longer |
| Vitamin B12 | Methylcobalamin, cyanocobalamin | Both are used; methyl form needs no conversion |
| Vitamin E | d-alpha, dl-alpha | d-alpha is the natural form |
| Vitamin C | Ascorbic acid, buffered | Buffered is gentler on the stomach |
The time of day matters less than consistency, so pick a moment you will not forget. Beyond that, follow the solubility. Vitamins A, D, E and K need some dietary fat, so take them with a proper meal rather than black coffee. Vitamin C and the B vitamins can go with or without food, and many people prefer them earlier in the day. If tablets upset your stomach, a meal usually solves it.
Yes, mainly the fat-soluble ones, because your body stores them instead of clearing the excess. Water-soluble vitamins are more forgiving, though large amounts of vitamin C, above 1,000 mg a day, can cause stomach discomfort and loose stools. The figures below are the official UK ceilings for supplement use.
| Vitamin | UK upper advice for adults |
|---|---|
| Vitamin D | Max 100 mcg (4,000 IU) a day |
| Vitamin A | Max 1.5 mg a day from food and supplements |
Vitamin A is the clear one. UK advice is not to take supplements containing vitamin A, including cod liver oil and other fish liver oils, when you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, and to avoid liver and liver pate. Too much retinol can harm the baby's development. The two supplements that are advised instead are 400 micrograms of folic acid daily until week twelve, and 10 micrograms of vitamin D. Always check the label of any multivitamin first.
Some do, which is why we say it plainly rather than hide it. Vitamin K can interfere with anticoagulant medicines such as warfarin, so speak to your GP or pharmacist before starting a K2 product or a D3 with K2. Medicines that reduce fat absorption also reduce uptake of A, D, E and K. Antibiotics of the tetracycline and quinolone type should be spaced several hours apart from mineral-containing multivitamins.
Give it two to three weeks of consistent daily use for water-soluble vitamins such as C and the B group, and two to three months for vitamin D, where blood levels rise slowly. Correcting a genuine shortfall is often noticeable; topping up something you already had enough of usually is not, and that is normal. If tiredness or another complaint persists, a blood test through your GP tells you far more than trying a different bottle.
