We have many brands of multivitamins in India. It a tough decision to choose the best one as every brand claims to be the best, cheapest and most effective. This Complete Reviews and Buyer’s Guide will help you find the best multivitamin in India without side effects, which will help you to meet your health goals.
So, Why do we need vitamins anyway?
Our body is a fantastic work of engineering. But it does not produce vitamins by itself. So we either need nutritious food or supplements to full fill this need. To improve your health you need specific vitamin, and minerals supplements. Here is a list of the best multivitamin and multimineral brands in India. Click on the specific age group or need that you are looking for.
Contents
Top 10 multivitamins in India 2019 (Best Brands)
- Inlife Multi Vitamin
- Herbalife Formula 2 Multivitamins
- HealthVit
- Revital
- Centrum
- Universal Nutrition Uni Vita
- Amway Nutrilite Daily
- The Blessing Tree Biotin
- Carbamide Forte Omega 3
- Cipla Immuno Boosters For Kids
Best Multivitamins in India (For Bodybuilding & Men)
#1. GNC Men’s Arginmax – Sexual Health Formula for Men
[amazon box=” B002A05SJG “]
#2. Rivital H
[amazon box=” “]
#3. HealthKart Multivitamin with Multimineral, Amino Acids, Taurine & Ginseng Extract
[amazon box=” “]
#4. Fast&Up Vitalize
[amazon box=” “]
#5. GNC Mega Men Multivitamin for Men
[amazon box=” “]
#6. HealthKart Calcium with Mag Zinc & Vit D3
[amazon box=” “]
#7. HealthKart Multivit Gold 5-in-1-MultiVitamin
[amazon box=” “]
#8. Optimum nutrition Opti-Men
[amazon box=” “]
#9. GNC Mega Men Sport
[amazon box=” “]
#10. Fast & Up BCAA
[amazon box=” “]
#11. Naturyz Men’s Sport Multivitamin.
[amazon box=” “]
#12. Muscle Tech Platinum Multi Vitamin Supplement
[amazon box=” “]
#13. Muscle Pharm Armour V
[amazon box=” “]
Top 10 Best Multivitamins For Women in India 2019 (Antenatal, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding)
- Healthkart Multivit Gold
- Revital Woman
- Winlab Daily One Caps Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Supplement
- GNC Women’s Ultra Mega
- Nature Made, Multi For Her with Iron and Calcium
- Muscle XP Hair, Skin & Nails with Biotin, Vitamins, Minerals, And Amino Acids
- Rainbow Light Vibrance Women’s Multivitamin
- Garden of Life Vitamin Code for Women
- Smarty Pants Women’s Complete
- Oziva Protein and Herbs for Women
Top 10 Best Multivitamins in India (For babies, toddlers and children)
- Healthvit Cenvitan Lysine (Multivitamin & Multimineral For Kids)
- Healthvit Cenvitan Taurine (Healthy Growth For Kids) .
- HealthVit MULVIT Multivitamins and Minerals with 33 Nutrients (Vitamins, Minerals & Amino
- Nutrazee Complete Multivitamin Vegetarian Gummies for Kids, Teenagers
- Bliss Welness Kids Omega 3 6 9 Syrup (Junior Bliss) (DHA + ALA + PC + Vitamin A C D E) Chocolate Flavour
- Super Gummy Iron + Vitamins For Kids
- Health Aid Children’s Multi Vitamins and Minerals
- Verdure India Multivitamin & Minerals Gummies for Baby Boys and Baby Girls
- Radicura Multi Vitamins Junior A to Z and Minerals Vegivit Gummys for Kids
- Centrum Kids Multivitamins
Top 10 Best Multivitamins For Elderly in India 2019
- Purayati Multivitamin Dietary Supplement for Senior Men & Women’s.
- Ageless one Dr Ginseng and Multivitamins Gummy Supplements for Seniors Vitality, General Wellness – 30 Count
- Revital H
- Carbamide Forte Multivitamin for Women with Ginseng, Biotin, Iron & Calcium
- One-A-Day Men’s 50+ Multivitamin
- Amabel Multivitamins & Minerals for Seniors
- Zenith Nutrition Vegan Glucosamine for Joints movement and cartilage – 500mg
- HealthKart Multivitamin for Women
- Onelife Multi Man 50+
- Puritan%27s Pride Puritan’s Pride Mega Vita Min Multivitamin for Seniors
What are vitamins exactly?
As a child, I remember seeing 2 to 3 colored tablets sitting on our dining table in front of each family member’s plate in the morning. We were all instructed to gulp down these cute little, colored tablets by my grandfather who was a doctor. He told me that these were vitamins which were very essential for us to stay strong and healthy.
Being an obedient granddaughter, I did as I was told and applied the same on my daughter. But the times have changed. Today I’m a doctor myself, but my kids ask me so many questions that I’m forced to relearn and research everything I say to them! So here, goes!!
According to the dictionary vitamins are: any group of organic compounds which are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are required in small quantities in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body.
In simpler terms, Vitamins are nutrition supplements that are needed by our body. Vitamins help us to maintain our immune system to fight off infections. They help in many things like the development of sight, and strengthening of immune and nervous system. Low consumption of vitamins can lead to deficiencies and diseases.
Our body needs Vitamins in different amounts as each vitamin has its own function. This amount depends of the age, sex and your present physical condition. Before you decide to start taking vitamins it is important to find out different kinds of Vitamin and how are they beneficial for us.
There are two kinds of vitamins:
Fat soluble vitamins:
These are found in our fat cells and need fat to be absorbed properly by our body. Vitamin A, D, E and K are fat soluble vitamins which are absorbed in the body when you eat them with fatty food.
#1. Vitamin A:
- Vitamin A is essential for our vision. One can go blind due to deficiency of vitamin A. It is a group of fat-soluble compounds know as retinoids.
- Vitamin A is needed to improve the light sensing cells in the eyes as well as the formation of tear fluids.
- It is good for building a strong immune system to fight off infections.
- It is necessary for proper growth of our body.
- It does wonders for hair.
- It also improves fertility and fetal development.
The natural sources of Vitamin A are liver, fish liver oil and butter. You can obtain vitamin A through carotenoid antioxidants found in plants which are know as provitamin A. To get good amount of Vitamin A naturally eat carrots, kale and spinach.
#2. Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin as the sun is a good natural source for vitamin D. It is produced in our body with the help of the sun rays.
- Vitamin D helps build immunity and fights diseases.
- Vitamin D is needed in our body as it helps to absorb calcium from our daily diet.
- It fights off depression.
- It also helps in losing weight.
Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency:
- If you feel tired all the time.
- If you feel pain in your joints.
- Have difficulty in standing after sitting then you might have Vitamin D deficiency.
Why Vitamin D is important:
If you don’t get enough of this vitamin it may lead to soft bones and skeletal deformities. Deficiency of Vitamin D in children can lead to a disease called rickets and bone growth failure.
Deficiency of vitamin D can be diagnosed through a simple blood test and the doctor can recommend a proper dose of the supplement for you.
Exposure to Sun is the best and natural source of acquiring Vitamin D. You won’t get enough sunlight to trigger vitamin D production in your body if:
- If you live in high rise buildings that block the sun.
- Use a lot of sunscreen.
- Have dark skin (high levels of melanin in the skin reduces the intake of vitamin D).
You can also get ample amount of Vitamin D through:
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Shrimp
- Egg yolks
- Milk
- Cereal
- Yogurt
- Oranges
#3. Vitamin E:
Vitamin E is a very popular vitamin especially among the ladies, as it enhances the quality of our skin. Vitamin E is a group of eight compounds which are tocopherols and tocotrienols. It helps to protect our cell membranes to avoid damage done by free radicals and prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
- It is important to take Vitamin E for the proper function of organs in our body.
- It is a great antioxidant for the body.
- The best part of taking Vitamin E is that it maintains the health of our skin and eyes plus it strengthens our immune system.
- It also helps in the formation of red blood cells and stores vitamin A and K and iron in our body.
- Vitamin E helps in prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and damage related to diabetes.
- If you are taking anticoagulants like aspirin then it is important to take Vitamin E in supervision of a doctor.
#4. Vitamin K:
There are mainly 2 kinds of Vitamin K, Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2.
- Vitamin K1 is an important vitamin which helps in the process of blood clotting thus helping in healing of wounds, bruises and recovery after surgery. It is great in reducing stretch marks and spider veins.
- Vitamin K2 plays a role in dental, periodontal health, heart issues, hormonal, kidney bone and brain issues.
If you’re sick of those under eye dark circles start eating food that are high in Vitamin K. The reason of dark circles under your eyes is the poor circulation of blood which is reduced by intake of Vitamin K. If you’re looking for a good multivitamin for skin and hair growth then make sure it has both Vitamin K and Vitamin E.
There are many natural sources to get Vitamin K for your body.
- Blackberries
- Pomegranate
- Figs
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Kiwi
- Prunes
- Avocado
- Green vegetables
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Spinach
Water soluble vitamins:
Water soluble vitamins travel through our body but are not stored in it. These vitamins are absorbed in our bloodstream and help our body in several ways. Any extra water-soluble vitamin goes out from our body through kidneys. So, we need to keep having foods rich in water soluble vitmains.
Vitamin B complex (It is a family of 8 B complex sub-vitamins) and Vitamin C are water soluble vitamins.
#5. Vitamin B complex:
Vitamin B complex is a group of vitamins in which all of them have an important role to play. They are important in
- It plays a big role in supporting our nervous system
- Rebuilding of our skin.
- Strengthening liver, muscles, hair and eyes.
- It metabolizes fats and protein in the body
- It converts glucose into energy.
Biotin, also known as Vitamin H or B7 is great for strengthening nails and hair. Biotin helps to keep your skin, hair, eyes, and liver healthy. Research has found that women can get better hair growth with regular intake of Biotin.
Click Here To See Best Multivitamin with Biotin in India
If you want to get enough Vitamin B complex through natural sources then start eating:
- Meat
- Whole grains
- Green leafy vegetables
- Milk products
- Eggs
- Dry fruits and nuts
- Fish
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Corn
- Peaches
- Bananas
It is important to remember that since Vitamin B is water soluble it can be destroyed by too much heat or being too long in open. If you deep fry your vegetables or boil them then you may be lose a good amount of this vitamin. To eat food high in vitamin B, make sure you either steam it or grill it.
#6. Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is another water-soluble vitamin that is much needed in our body. It plays an important role in various functions in our body like metabolizing proteins and production of collagen.
Benefits of Vitamin C:
- It helps in repairing of tissues.
- Vitamin C helps in absorption of iron in our body and decreases total and LDL cholesterol.
- It also helps in protecting from many kinds of cancers.
- It helps in battling high blood pressure.
- Being a strong antioxidant, it reduces the risk of various chronic diseases.
- Vitamin C helps in reducing Blood Uric Acid Levels.
- It builds up immunity by helping White Blood Cells to work better.
- It enhances your memory.
- Vitamin C helps is curing cold, protects against eye diseases like cataract.
Natural sources of vitamin C are:
- Papaya
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Cantaloupe
- Citrus fruits like orange and grapefruit
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
What are Minerals?
Minerals are essential nutrients,that our body needs. But, our body is not able to produce these inorganic substances. To get minerals, we need food or supplements.
There are 13 essential minerals that our body needs. Out of these 7 are major minerals and 6 are trace minerals. A good multimineral supplement will have all of these in the quantity required by your body.
The 7 Major Minerals:
- Calcium.
- Magnesium.
- Potassium.
- Sodium.
- Sulfur.
- Phosphorous.
- Chloride.
The 6 Trace Minerals:
- Iron
- Chromium
- Copper
- Zinc
- Iodine
- Manganese
- Selenium.
Besides these also there are some minor minerals like Fluoride, Molybdenum, and Selenium that are required by our body. You can easily get these through the water you drink, so you don’t need to worry about them.
Let us take a deeper look at some of the minerals and why our body needs them.
#1. Calcium:
Calcium is a chemical element which is the most abundant mineral in our body. We need calcium to maintain strong bones and to improve communication between our brain and other parts of our body.
- Calcium is needed in formation and strengthening of bones and teeth.
- It helps in conducting nerve impulses in the body.
- It maintains a normal heartbeat.
We lose calcium every day through hair, sweat, nails, urine and faces. Since our body cannot make calcium by itself, we need to take calcium from the food we eat. If we don’t get enough calcium then the body starts to use the calcium in our bones which results to weak bones.
Foods that are rich in calcium are dairy products like:
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Tofu
- Cheese
- Beans
- Fig
- Broccoli
An easy way of getting daily calcium is by taking a tablespoon of non-fat powdered milk, it has approximately 50 mg of calcium. Vitamin D plays an important role when it comes to retaining calcium in our body. It helps our body to absorb calcium. Some dark green vegetables may contain high levels of oxalic acid which reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium.
#2. Magnesium:
Magnesium is a must for elderly people as it is essential for bone formation. The importance of magnesium can be seen as we grow old and the bones start to get weak. Around 60% of magnesium is in our bones and the remaining is in our muscles, soft tissues and blood.
- Magnesium helps in the conversion of food into energy
- It helps in creating and repairing of DNA and RNA
- It creates proteins from amino acids
- One of the major tasks of magnesium is to regulate neurotransmitters which sends messages through our brain and nervous system.
- It helps in muscle movements
- It helps in fighting depression
- Magnesium helps in lowering blood pressure
- It has anti-inflammatory properties
- It is very helpful in preventing migraines
- It improves PMS symptoms
Foods that are high in Magnesium:
- Green vegetables
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Avocados
- Whole grains
Due to the high usage of pesticides in our daily food the level of magnesium is declining but buying organic food can give you a good amount of Magnesium.
#3. Iron:
If you feel tired most of the time, even though you seem fit you may have Iron deficiency. Almost 70% of women are anemic in India. If you lack oxygen in your blood you feel tired most of the time. This will affect your brain functions and weaken your immune system.
- Iron is necessary for making red blood cells in your body.
- It is an important component of hemoglobin in our red bed cells which carries oxygen from your lungs to rest of the body.
- Iron also plays an important role in keeping your cells, hair, skin and nails healthy.
You may need a good iron supplement if:
- You suffer from gastrointestinal disorder.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- If you have an ulcer and loosing blood.
- If you work out which destroys red blood cells.
- If you are under chemotherapy.
- If you have a heavy menstrual period.
Food that are rich in Iron:
- Red meat
- Liver (should be avoided during pregnancy)
- Nuts
- Dried fruits
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Soybean flour
- Dark green leafy vegetables.
#4. Zinc:
Zinc is called an “essential trace element” as very small amount of zinc is needed for a healthy body. Our body does not store excess zinc therefore it is important to take zinc regularly. If your body lacks Zinc then you may feel a reduced ability of tasting food and dysfunction of ovaries and testes.
- Zinc is needed for maintain a good immune system.
- It helps in treating common cold and ear infection in children.
- Zinc prevents lower respiratory infections, swine flu and bladder infections.
- It is used in the treatment of malaria and other parasitic infections.
- Zinc is helpful in improving an eye disease called macular degeneration and cataracts.
- It is used in diabetes
- It helps in reducing high blood pressure
- It is also used in HIV related diarrhoea and AIDS related infections.
- Zinc is used in the treatment for male fertility problems as erectile dysfunction.
- It improves athletic performance.
- Zinc is used in creams that treat skin acne, ulcers caused by diabetes, diaper rash, aged skin, brown patches on skin.
- Zinc citrate is used in toothpaste to avoid dental plaque and treating bad breath.
Foods that are high in Zinc:
- Red meat
- Poultry
- Oysters are the best food to eat if you want high amount of zinc
- Crabs
- Lobsters
- Beans
- Nuts
#5. Chromium
Chromium is also a very important micro mineral needed by our bodies. Chromium helps in improving insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism.
Chromium is needed by our body because:
- It helps to regulate blood sugar in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
- It helps in reducing high blood sugar due to the intake of steroids.
- It helps in reducing depression.
- It is used in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This is an important mineral for women, especially after the age of 40.
- It works wonders in lowering bad cholesterol and raises good cholesterol.
- Chromium helps in the improvement of metabolism and reduction of obesity.
- It is used in improving athletic performance and increased energy.
- Chromium is used administered through IV as a supplement in nutritional IV drips.
In short the following Vitamins and Minerals are essential for our body because:
- Vitamin A: Necessary for skin, eye and immune health.
- Vitamin B: Involved in energy metabolism and red blood cell production. Biotin, also known as Vitamin H or B7 is great for strengthening nails and hair.
- Vitamin C: Essential for your immune system and collagen production.
- Vitamin E: Plays an important role in our skin issues and boosting the immune system.
- Calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D, vitamin K and Zinc: Vital for bone health.
What to Look for When Buying A Multivitamin:
- Ingredients: Like any other thing we buy, it is essential to check the ingredients on the supplement bottle.
- Price: Since supplements are taken daily, it is important stay in our budget before choosing a brand. Always look for the ones which is of high quality with affordable price.
- Level of nutrients: It is important for the supplements to have the right proportion of nutrients. They should adhere to the FDA rules and follow the daily dietary allowance.
- Must Have Vitamin E: It is important to buy multivitamin that has vitamin E complex. Look for ‘mixed tocopherols’ on the label which indicates vitamin E complex (all types of vitamin E).
- Avoid Iron and Calcium together: Try to avoid taking Iron and Calcium together. Buy formulas which do not contain both iron and calcium in one tablet. It gets difficult for iron to be absorbed due to calcium so go for separate supplements for both and take them separately.
- Avoid Synthetics: Avoid buying supplements that contains added fillers or synthetic colors. These compounds are added for a better shelf life and do no good to our body. Go for natural supplements. Click Here to see the Best Organic Multivitamin in India.
Benefits of Vitamins for Specific Needs:
- Pregnant and lactating women: Antenatal multivitamins are essential for pregnant women as it provides strength to the fetus. Multivitamins high in Vitamin D, Calcium, Omega 3, iron and folic acid should be taken by both pregnant and breastfeeding moms.
- Athletes and Bodybuilders: An athlete always requires more strength and energy to support muscle recovery. High levels of vitamin E and C is needed for an athlete’s body as antioxidants and recovery from tissue damage during extensive exercise.
- Children between 6 months to 5 years: To raise a physically healthy children it is important to give them multivitamins that has vitamin D, C and A. Try these Omega 3 drops for infants and babies and this good multivitamin syrup for children.
- Elderly (above 65 years of age): As we age our body’s need increase. To maintain bone strength elderly people need to take a good multivitamin which has Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron on regular basis.
- Menopausal women: After menopause a woman goes through bone loss due to the loss of estrogen. Women after the age of 40 need a high dose of vitamin D and Calcium. Vitamins also relieves from menopause symptoms like hot flushes, and night sweats.
- People with deficiencies: If you feel tired or dazed. If you observe excessive hair fall, brittle nails and brown patches or pale skin then you need to start taking proper supplements for a healthy body.
Are you looking for a specific multivitamin? What are the health concerns you wish to address? Ask in comments below and we will help you.
