While a balanced diet can go a long way to redressing deficiencies, it isn’t always enough to meet our needs. Supplements can really help to restore health, but with so many brands promising to help get us on the road back to vitality, how do we know which brand of vitamins is the best quality? From the best multivitamins in the UK to those which meet more specific needs, we round up the supplements that nutritionists trust the most.
Wild Nutrition
Wild Nutrition’s founder, Henrietta Norton BSc Dip NT, comes with some serious accolades in the field. A best-selling author, she is also a well-regarded nutritional practitioner whose mission to found her own responsibly formulated supplements was informed by her time spent working for the largest supplements brand in Europe. When it dawned on her that she could not, in all conscience, recommend any supplements on the market, she and her husband Charlie set out to found their own organically produced food-grown range, which is now stocked all around the world. They say: ‘We start by selecting the finest, natural ingredients, then we grow them – in a paste made of the highest-quality whole food – resulting in a nutrient-dense substance that the body recognises and happily absorbs. We take special care when refining the food paste: no solvents or chemicals are used, and the process takes place in a low-heat environment, to protect the stability of the nutrients. It’s a process that respects the integrity of our raw materials - and it’s light years away from how synthetic supplements are made.’ We love the bespoke woman range, which features supplements for everything from fertility and pregnancy through to breast feeding. Shop the range here.
Lumity
Lumity, created by Dr Sara Palmer Hussey PhD, is a brilliant option for those who want to feel better as they age but don’t want to have to pop multiple pills at random to achieve better health. So often the supplements we take can feel like a hopeful stab in the dark, as we self-diagnose and consequently self-prescribe what we need, without any real guidance. Where Dr Sara’s supplements differ is that customers simply select the package that applies to them – just choose from the ‘female’ or ‘male’ options – and are duly sent a supply of one set of pills to be taken in the morning and another to pop before bedtime. Inspired by her own experience of hitting a health and energy slump, Dr Sara spent months in the lab testing each formula before conducting clinical trials; after twelve weeks, some 92 per cent of participants noticed improvements in the condition of hair and nails, while 84 per cent reported feeling more energetic. They say: ‘Your body starts losing efficiency in your 20’s, and stress, environmental toxins and a reliance on caffeine and sugar speed up the process and diminish your reserve of essential nutrients. While you welcome the wisdom and confidence age brings, the less-than-supple skin, fatigue and lack of balance are unwanted distractions.
Our comprehensive supplements naturally stimulate the body’s defences that decline as you age, repairing, restoring and sustaining youthfulness at a cellular level, resulting in multiple benefits.’ We love the smart refillable glass bottles the products come in, too. Shop Lumity’s supplements here.
Dr Vegan
‘Better me. Better planet’. So goes Dr Vegan’s tagline, and with good reason. All of its supplements come in neat little refillable pill tins, while the products themselves are formulated by expert nutritionists and created using naturally sourced, plant-based ingredients. Plus, as they claim, ditching the animal ingredients and additives means that they are all the easier to absorb and thus are more effective. As well as the excellent supplements themselves, we love that the website features articles on nutrition, recipes and even a diet profile to fill out, from which you can then figure out where you may be in need of a boost. Choose from classic supplements, such as magnesium and Vitamin B12, to the more specific, such as Screen Eyes, which supports vision health, right through to Stay Calm and Vegan Minds. Shop the range here.
Bio-Kult
Few people will have missed the biggest health story of the last few years: namely, that gut health is the one of the most reliable determinants of wider health, affecting everything from digestion to weight to mood. As most will know by now, diversity of good bacteria in the microbiome is what we’re all aiming for. For many of us, then, taking a probiotic has now become part of daily life, and brands offering to help feed our guts with the good stuff abound. We love Bio-Kult, which is often recommended by nutritionists. Unlike some alternatives, it is not too expensive, with a month’s supply starting at £10.48. Experts in live bacteria, the testimonials eulogise the benefits – particularly for those with IBS – and we love that there are also supplements for children, babies and pregnant women available. Absolutely essential stuff for those who’ve recently been on antibiotics. Shop the full Bio-Kult range here.
Montgomery And Evelyn
‘Traditional multivitamins don’t support your mental health, so we made one that will,’ says Evelyn Montgomery, founder of Montgomery And Evelyn. Many of us will have considered supplements for physical ailments. Fewer, however, think of using them to boost brain health. And yet when Evelyn – a psychologist with twenty years’ experience in the field – found herself struggling to find energy or to feel joy but resistant to the idea of taking anti-depressants, she was stirred to look into what she could do for herself. She says, ‘I knew how important nutrition was for the brain and that certain vitamins, minerals, amino acids, probiotics and Omega oils had been researched and shown to have a beneficial effect on mental and physical health. So, along with a new determination to eat well, I developed a protocol of vitamins for myself that had a fantastic impact on how I was feeling. With new energy I carried on my research and begun to focus on Mood Nutrition with my private practice clients.’ The result was a range of supplements that contain 100 per cent active ingredients; choose from ‘Mood Me’, ‘Happy Me’, ‘Energy Me’ and ‘Calm Me’. For those who hate big pills, these are designed to be small and easy to swallow, thanks in part to the total eschewal of bulkers or fillers. It’s an eco-friendly choice, too; the packaging is made from card from Forestry Stewardship Council forests, plus for every box sold, Montgomery and Evelyn donates to the Vitamin Angels charity, which supports the health of mothers and babies around the world who are at risk of malnutrition. Shop the full range here.
Lyma
‘LYMA has created an industry leader. Never before has so much validated science and patented technology been combined into one formula.’ Dr Paul Clayton of the Institute of Food, Brain And Behaviour’s powerfully ringing endorsement of Lyma is just one of the reasons to sit up and take notice of this exceptional brand. Founded by Lucy Goff, it is the expression of years of work and lived experience, which began in 2012 with a six-week hospital stay in which she battled septicaemia. Every doctor she saw prescribed her a new drug to deal with her symptoms; each made her feel worse than the last. One year on, Lucy met the aforementioned Dr Clayton, a world authority on preventative degenerative diseases. She recalls, ‘Paul gave me hope. He prescribed me a new protocol using peer-reviewed, patented ingredients. These were each dosed at active levels and had a rigorous sourcing procedure. I realised that within one month, things had really changed. I was back at work, full of energy and feeling better than ever. I felt myself again. Together with Paul, we travelled the world, connecting with the best scientists with one aim in mind; to produce the ultimate all-in-one supplement. A proven formula, using peer-reviewed ingredients, fueled with the power to unlock human potential.’ One supplement; nine peer-reviewed ingredients; scores of five-star reviews; £149 per month: could this be the best multi-vitamin there is? Shop Lyma products here.
Oskia
Oskia is dedicated primarily to bio-cellular skin nutrition. The winner of some 135 awards, we love that all of its products use either naturally derived or bio-identical ingredients, and that all are made in the UK. As well as its creams, serums and moisturizers, it also carries a capsule collection of supplements. We love the MSM Bio-Plus (120 capsules for £66), which supports collagen keratin and glutathione production to boost skin health and immune system. Meanwhile, its Lactoferrin + supplement supports the immune system, gut health, and oral and skin health to boot. It costs £64 for 60 capsules and is a great all-rounder. Shop Oskia’s supplements here.
By Nancy Alsop
Updated December 2023
