It's a question many of us are unsure about – do we really need to take a vitamin supplement, or can a healthy diet cover everything? Is it all a marketing exercise, or could most of us genuinely benefit from a nutritional top-up?
The honest answer is that supplements do have a genuine place for many people, and there are two in particular worth understanding.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is needed to release energy from food, support a healthy nervous system, and manufacture red blood cells. It's water-soluble, meaning the body can't store it, so daily intake matters.
B12 is produced by naturally occurring bacteria in animals' digestive systems, which is why meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy are the main dietary sources.
Vegans and those on a largely plant-based diet are at particular risk of B12 deficiency as a result, and it's generally recommended that anyone avoiding animal products takes a B12 supplement of at least 10 micrograms a day. If you're unsure whether you're deficient, a vitamin B12 test can confirm your levels directly rather than guessing.
Vitamin D
Most of our vitamin D doesn't come from diet at all – it's produced by the body when sunlight hits the skin. During summer, most people get enough this way to support healthy bones and teeth.
In winter, when skin is more covered, sun exposure drops and daylight is weaker, deficiency risk increases. This risk applies year-round for anyone who spends limited time outdoors due to ill health or reduced mobility, or who covers their skin for religious or cultural reasons.
Some foods contain vitamin D, including oily fish (salmon, mackerel, herring), red meat, egg yolks, and some fortified foods like certain spreads and cereals. A daily supplement of 10 micrograms is generally recommended during winter months, and year-round for anyone with limited sun exposure. If you'd like to check where your levels currently stand, a vitamin D test can confirm this rather than supplementing blindly.
Multivitamins
A daily multivitamin isn't a substitute for a healthy diet, and it's not a licence to eat poorly – but it can be a helpful safety net for a busy, stressful lifestyle that doesn't always allow for perfectly balanced meals. Our multivitamin with iron is a popular option worth considering if you're looking to cover multiple nutritional bases at once.
If you do take a multivitamin, it's worth checking you're not also taking anything else containing vitamin A, such as some fish oil capsules, since excess vitamin A intake has been linked to weaker bones later in life.
If you're unsure whether you're deficient in any particular vitamin or mineral, testing can help identify exactly which supplements would genuinely benefit you, and which you might not need at all – giving you clarity rather than guesswork about your nutritional needs.
