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Our favourite vegan multivitamins and supplements

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Written byMedico Digital

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Reviewed byHazel Clarke

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Learn which essential vitamins and minerals you should be mindful of when following a plant-based diet and get our top picks for vegan supplements

Our top picks

Best vegan gentle iron

Holland & Barrett Gentle Iron 20mg 90 Capsules
4.69

Holland & Barrett

Holland & Barrett Gentle Iron 20mg 90 Capsules

3 for 2 Mix & Match

12.34

Best vegan omega-3 capsules

Holland & Barrett High Strength Vegan Triple Omega 3-6-9 Oil 680mg 30 Capsules
4.57

Holland & Barrett

Holland & Barrett High Strength Vegan Triple Omega 3-6-9 Oil 680mg 30 Capsules

3 for 2 Mix & Match

20.14

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Getting all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients you need from a vegan diet can feel daunting, especially for those who are new to plant-based eating.

A well-planned vegan diet that includes fortified foods and supplements can meet all of your nutrition needs.1 However, if you don’t plan your plant-based diet properly, you may experience deficiencies in some essential vitamins and minerals.1-3 Supplements can help you bridge the gap to ensure you get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the best vegan multivitamins and supplements you can take to complement your plant-based lifestyle.

Which essential vitamins do vegans need?

Research has shown that a whole-food, plant-based diet can provide all the protein you need and improve your health and longevity.4-6 Cutting meat out of your diet may also contribute to weight loss,7,8 better cardiovascular health5,9 and may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.10,11 

Despite these health benefits, there are some key things to be mindful of when choosing a vegan diet. Plant-based foods – while rich in many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – don’t always meet our needs of some essential nutrients your body needs, including vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, iodine, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids.1,2 

Read on to learn our top six picks for vegan-friendly supplements to support a healthy vegan lifestyle.

Our best vegan vitamin D gummies for adults

Holland & Barrett Vegan Vitamin D  1000 I.U 25ug 30 Gummies

Vegan

Holland & Barrett

7.79

€0.26/1 Chewable

Why you'll love this

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining bone and muscle function and supporting the normal functioning of the immune system.15

Unlike most other vitamins, our body produces most of the vitamin D it needs with direct exposure to sunlight.15,16 Dietary sources of vitamin D are limited, but it can be found in some foods such as oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks, mushrooms and fortified foods.17 

Depending on your sunlight exposure levels, getting all your body needs through sunlight can be difficult, especially during the winter months.15,16 The NHS recommends that everyone in the UK take a vitamin D supplement from October to early March.15

Chewable vegan gummies are an easy way to support your vitamin D intake, especially for adults who struggle to take tablets and for children. With tasty flavours and 25µg of vitamin D3 for adults and 10µg for kids, our top choices for vegan vitamin D gummies can support the needs of your whole family. 

Some people have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to safely take as much vitamin D. However, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor before starting any new supplements.16
 

Our best vegan vitamin D gummies for children

Holland & Barrett Kids Vitamin D 10µg 30 Gummies

Vegan

Holland & Barrett

6.89

3.45

€0.12/1 Chewable

Why they'll love this

Our chewable Vitamin D soft gummies are ideal for children aged 3+ years, with a mouth-watering elderberry flavour they're bound to love.

Holland & Barrett Kids Vitamin D Gummies gives your little one a daily boost of Vitamin D for normal growth and development of bones and to help build up their immunity. 
  • Supports the immune system 
  • Suitable for 3+ years 
  • Vegan friendly
 

Our best vegan omega-3 capsules

Why you'll love this

Omega-3 fatty acids may play an essential role in our overall health, potentially promoting brain, eye and heart health and reducing inflammation. However, it’s not clear if the potential benefits are a result of omega-3, other nutrients in seafood, or both, so more high-quality clinical trials are needed.24 

There are three main kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).24 ALA is found in plant-based sources such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts. EPA and DHA are primarily found in fatty fish and other seafood. Although our bodies can convert a small amount of ALA to DHA and EPA, it does so very inefficiently.26 

Many studies have shown a link between consuming omega-3 fatty acids – predominantly DHA and EPA – and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.25,26 But although there’s been a sharp rise in sales of omega-3 supplements for heart health, more research is needed to determine the exact cause and nature of this link.24-26

Our vegan omega-3, 6, and 9 capsules are sourced from algal oil – the primary food source of fish. These soft gel capsules contain a balance of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids to support normal heart, brain and eye health.
 

Our best vegan iron supplements

Holland & Barrett Gentle Iron 20mg 90 Capsules

Vegan

Holland & Barrett

12.34

€0.14/1 Capsule

Why you'll love this

Iron is an essential mineral for our health, helping red blood cells carry oxygen throughout our body.27 Without enough iron, you might become pale, tired, lacking energy or out of breath.28

You can get iron from both animal and plant foods.27,29 However, our bodies can absorb animal sources of iron with greater efficiency than plant sources of iron.1,30 

A well-planned vegan diet should contain enough iron, but some people, especially menstruating and pregnant women, may benefit from an iron supplement.27,28 Our gentle iron supplement delivers 20mg of this essential mineral while being gentle on the stomach.
 

The final say

Despite the many health benefits of plant-based diets, it takes careful planning to ensure you get an adequate amount of all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs.3, 5-11 Vegans must be particularly mindful of their intake of vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and iron.1,2 

Some vegans opt for an easy broad-spectrum multivitamin, while others choose to supplement with just the essential vitamin they may be missing, e.g. B12.12-14

Although a whole-food approach to getting essential nutrients is best, supplements can help ensure you’re getting everything you need when following a vegan diet. We recommend that you speak with your GP, healthcare professional or registered dietician who specialises in plant-based nutrition to decide which supplements are best for you.

Disclaimer

The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
 

Sources

  1. NHS. The vegan diet. [Internet]. [2022; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/the-vegan-diet/.
  2. British Nutrition Foundation. Vegetarian and vegan diets [Internet]. [2024; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutrition-for/vegetarians-and-vegans/. 
  3. Bakaloudi DR, et al. Intake and adequacy of the vegan diet. A systematic review of the evidence. Clinical Nutrition. 2021;40(5)3503–3521. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261561420306567. 
  4. Mariotti F, et al. Dietary protein and amino acids in vegetarian diets-a review. Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2661. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893534/. 
  5. Kim H, et al. plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular disease mortality, and all‐cause mortality in a general population of middle‐aged adults. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2019 Aug 20;8(16). Available from: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.119.012865. 
  6. Herpich C, et al. Role of plant-based diets in promoting health and longevity. Maturitas. 2022;165:47–51. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512222001451. 
  7. Tran E, et al. Effects of plant-based diets on weight status: a systematic review. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity. 2020 ;13:3433–3448. Available from: https://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S272802.  ‌
  8. Ivanova S, et al. Plant-based diet as a strategy for weight control. Foods. 2021;10(12):3052. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123052. 
  9. Salehin S, et al. Plant based diet and its effect on cardiovascular disease. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023;20(4):3337. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9963093/. 
  10. Jardine MA, et al. Perspective: plant-based eating pattern for type 2 diabetes prevention and treatment: efficacy, mechanisms, and practical considerations. Advances in Nutrition. 2021;12(6):2045-2055. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322004896. 
  11. Thompson AS, et al. A healthful plant-based diet is associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk via improved metabolic state and organ function: a prospective cohort study. Diabetes & Metabolism. 2024;50(1):101499. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1262363623000812?via%3Dihub 
  12. NHS. B vitamins and folic acid - vitamins and minerals [Internet]. [2020; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/. 
  13. NHS. Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia [Internet]. [2019; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/.  ‌
  14. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin B12 [Internet]. [2021; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/. 
  15. National Institutes of Health. Vitamin D [Internet]. [2017; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/. ‌ 
  16. NHS. Vitamin D - vitamins and minerals [Internet]. [2020; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/.  ‌
  17. Benedik E. Sources of vitamin D for humans. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 2021;92(2):118–125. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1024/0300-9831/a000733. 
  18. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Calcium and vitamin D: important for bone health [Internet]. [2023; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-bone-health.  ‌
  19. Rondanelli M, et al. An update on magnesium and bone health. BioMetals. 2021;34(4):715–736. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10534-021-00305-0. 
  20. Groenendijk I, et al. Impact of magnesium on bone health in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Bone. 2022;154:116233. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8756328221003999. 
  21. Erem S, et al. Anabolic effects of vitamin D and magnesium in aging bone. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 2019;193:105400. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2019.105400.  ‌
  22. NHS. Food for healthy bones [Internet]. [2022; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/bone-health/food-for-strong-bones/. 
  23. Cazzola R, et al. Going to the roots of reduced magnesium dietary intake: a tradeoff between climate changes and sources. Heliyon. 2020;6(11):e05390. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7649274/.  ‌
  24. National Institute of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Omega-3 Fatty Acids [Internet]. [2023; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/. 
  25. Khan SU, et al. Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine. 2021;38:100997. Available from: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370%2821%2900277-7/fulltext. 
  26. Anderson BM, Ma DW. Are all n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids created equal? Lipids in Health and Disease\. 2009;8:33. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3224740/. 
  27. NHS. Iron – vitamins and minerals [Internet]. [cited 2024 Feb 23]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/iron/. 
  28. NHS. Iron deficiency anaemia [Internet]. [2024; cited 16 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/.  ‌
  29. Piskin E, et al. Iron absorption:factors, limitations, and improvement methods. ACS Omega. 2022;7(24):20441–20456. Available from‌: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9219084/. 
  30.  Moustarah F, Daley SF. Dietary Iron. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK540969/
 
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