Multivitamins are an easy way to correct micronutrient deficiencies by filling gaps in your diet, and may include various vitamins, minerals and whole food or adaptogenic blends. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), one third of adults and one quarter of children in the U.S. take multivitamin or multimineral supplements. Many are formulated to meet the general needs of all adults (regardless of sex), and some are formulated with the specific nutrients and doses recommended for either men or women.

While women and men require mostly the same nutrient intake, there are noteworthy differences; specifically, women and men have slightly different recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of key nutrients. For this reason, we assess multivitamins a little differently for women and men.

How We Score Multivitamin Supplements for Women

There are countless multivitamin supplements available, and we know that finding the absolute best ones involves more than just sorting out the good from the bad. There are a lot of high quality multivitamin supplements on the market, so to determine which ones stand above the rest, we developed a custom Sports Illustrated Showcase multivitamin testing methodology and scoring algorithm.

Our testing methodology for women’s multivitamins branches off of our broader nutrition product and supplement methodology. Each multivitamin we review is put through our multivitamin scoring methodology for women, which grades the product on four primary categories: cost per serving, inclusion of key nutrients, dosing of key nutrients and certifications. Multivitamins can also earn bonus credits that boost the overall rating. We assign each product a score of 1 out of 5 for each of the categories we test in, and these scores are then weighted based on importance and averaged to produce a cumulative score out of 5 for each product, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 being highest.

These categories were developed in collaboration with registered dietitian and doctor of exercise physiology Chris Mohr.

Criteria We Evaluate

Cost per serving

Price is an important factor for consumers, and often (though not always) reflects the quality of a product. There are high quality multivitamin supplements that cost below average, and relatively low quality multivitamin supplements that cost more than average. Because of this potential discrepancy, this category receives less weight in the overall score.

We rate each multivitamin based on the price per serving. Here’s the breakdown:

• Less than $0.49 per serving: The highest score is given to the most affordable multivitamin supplements.
• $0.50-$0.99 per serving: This is still a relatively low cost, but edging slightly higher for those who take a daily multivitamin. This range earns a higher than average score.
• $1.00-$1.49 per serving: This range is about average, and so we give it an average score.
• $1.50-$1.99 per serving: This range is moving into premium pricing, and may be too expensive for those who take a multivitamin every day. We give it a low score, but not the lowest.
• More than $2.00 per serving: If price is a barrier, then higher than $2.00 per serving is more costly compared to some other options, which could be a challenge for many consumers. For that reason, multivitamin supplements costing $2.00 or more per serving receive the lowest marks.

Inclusion of key nutrients

Vitamins and minerals are vital for the human body to function, and many have to be consumed through food or supplements since the body doesn’t make them. Each multivitamin supplement has a formula that includes some or all of these micronutrients, and the best comprehensive multivitamins provide most or all of them.

When rating a multivitamin supplement for women’s health, we use a basic list of vitamins and minerals chosen by consulting the NIH Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes for Vitamins and Minerals, as well as the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) recommended nutrients for a multivitamin. Some multivitamins will contain more ingredients than the ones listed, but those ingredients are usually just helpful extras.

We consider this list to include the base minimum ingredients that a product should have if it calls itself a multivitamin. Here is that list, along with basic (not exhaustive) highlights of some of the roles each plays in human health:

• Vitamin A: A fat soluble vitamin that’s important for vision, immunity, growth and development
• Vitamin C: An antioxidant that helps protect your cells against free radicals and improves iron absorption in the body; also important for the immune system and required to make collagen in the body
• Vitamin D: A fat soluble vitamin that’s necessary for calcium absorption, bone health, muscle function and the immune system
• Vitamin E: A fat soluble vitamin and antioxidant that helps protect your cells against free radicals; also important for the immune system and healthy blood vessels
• Vitamin K: A fat soluble vitamin that plays a key role in bone health and blood clotting
• Thiamin (B1): A vitamin that plays a critical role in energy metabolism and, therefore, in the growth, development and function of cells
• Riboflavin (B2): A vitamin that plays a critical role in energy metabolism and, therefore, in the growth, development and function of cells; also maintains normal levels of homocysteine (a type of amino acid)
• Niacin (B3): A vitamin that plays a critical role in energy metabolism and, therefore, in the growth, development and function of cells; also necessary for nerve function
• Pantothenic Acid (B5): A vitamin that plays a critical role in energy metabolism and, therefore, in the growth, development and function of cells; also important for the creation and breakdown of fats in the body
• Vitamin B6: A vitamin that’s necessary for many enzyme functions in metabolism and keeping the nervous and immune systems healthy; also important for normal brain development during pregnancy
• Biotin (B7): A vitamin that helps turn macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat) into energy
• Vitamin B12: A vitamin that plays a role in nerve function and the creation of DNA
• Choline: Not a vitamin or mineral, but an essential nutrient that’s important for brain and nervous system function, particularly for brain development during pregnancy
• Folate (Folic Acid): A B vitamin that’s needed to make DNA and divide cells; folic acid is a form of folate used in fortified foods and supplements
• Calcium: A mineral that’s critical for bone health, muscle function and the nervous system; especially important for postmenopausal women, since their bodies don’t absorb or retain calcium as well
• Iron: A mineral that’s important for energy levels; also used by the body to make proteins needed to provide oxygen to the lungs and muscles; menstruating and pregnant women may have trouble getting enough iron
• Phosphorus: A mineral that’s prevalent in bones, teeth and genes; needed for energy and other chemical processes in the body
• Magnesium: A mineral that’s important for muscle and nerve function and healthy blood sugar levels and blood pressure; also needed to make DNA, protein and bone
• Copper: A mineral that’s important for energy, the immune system and brain development
• Selenium: A mineral that protects the body against infection and damage from free radicals; important for reproduction, thyroid gland function and DNA production
• Chromium: A mineral that may help the body use macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats)
• Potassium: A mineral that’s needed for countless body functions, including proper function of the heart, kidneys, muscles and nerves
• Zinc: A mineral that’s important for making DNA and protein in the body, especially during pregnancy; also important for the immune system, wound healing and the sense of taste
• Molybdenum: A mineral needed to process proteins and DNA; also important for the breakdown of drugs and toxins in the body
• Manganese: A mineral needed for energy, protection of cells, bone health, reproduction, immune system health and blood clotting

Key nutrient minimum dosages

One of the primary uses for multivitamins is to correct or prevent nutrient deficiency. A multivitamin supplement with sufficient doses of key nutrients is most likely to serve that purpose.

We reward multivitamin formulas that meet the RDA for each of the key vitamins and minerals outlined in the prior section. Some nutrient deficiencies are more common than others—for example, vitamin D, iron and vitamin B6—and those nutrients are give more weight in the scoring for this section.

Nutrient needs vary slightly depending on a woman’s age and whether or not she is pregnant or breastfeeding. For this formula, we use the RDA for women aged 19-30 who are not pregnant or breastfeeding. The RDA for women ages 31+ rarely differs significantly from the RDA for those ages 19-30, so the product scores are relevant for most women 19+ who are not pregnant or breastfeeding.

These are the RDAs for vitamins and minerals, according to the NIH:

• Vitamin A: 700 micrograms
• Vitamin C: 75 milligrams
• Vitamin D: 15 micrograms (600 international units or IUs)
• Vitamin E: 15 milligrams
• Vitamin K: 90 micrograms
• Thiamin (B1): 1.1 milligrams
• Riboflavin (B2): 1.1 milligrams
• Niacin (B3): 14 milligrams
• Pantothenic Acid (B5): 5 milligrams
• Vitamin B6: 1.3 milligrams
• Biotin (B7): 30 micrograms
• Vitamin B12: 2.4 micrograms
• Choline: 425 milligrams
• Folate (Folic Acid): 400 micrograms
• Calcium: 1,000 milligrams
• Iron: 18 milligrams
• Phosphorus: 700 milligrams
• Magnesium: 310 milligrams
• Copper: 900 micrograms
• Selenium: 55 micrograms
• Chromium: 25 micrograms
• Potassium: 2,600 milligrams
• Zinc: 8 milligrams
• Molybdenum: 45 micrograms
• Manganese: 1.8 milligrams

Third-Party Testing

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements and ingredients, but does not test supplements before they’re released to the market (as with drugs), so it’s important to look for products that have certifications for purity and potency from third-party testing labs. These testing certifications show whether a dietary supplement contains what the brand says it contains in the doses advertised (potency). It also tests for harmful toxins (i.e. mold, heavy metals, etc.), and some check for banned substances (purity).

Nearly all reputable supplement companies test their products in-house for safety and label accuracy, but many brands also make the decision to have their products tested by a third party for even further quality and safety assurance.

Smaller, newer supplement companies often can’t afford testing or certifications from high profile third-party testing labs—regardless of the purity or potency of their products—which is why third-party testing is weighted lower than other categories in our algorithm.

The third-party certifications we look for include:

• NSF: NSF is an independent testing organization founded in 1944.
• U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP): USP is an independent, non-profit, scientific organization that tests medicines and supplements, founded over 200 years ago.
• Labdoor: Labdoor is an independent vitamin and supplement testing lab.
• Informed Choice (ICFS): Informed Choice is a global certification program that offers badges to indicate products have been certified for focus areas (Informed Choice, Informed Sport, Informed Protein, Informed Ingredient and Informed Manufacturer).
• Informed Sport: Informed Sport is the most recognizable Informed Choice badge. This certification is critical for athletes who might get drug tested for their sport.
• Informed Ingredient: Another Informed Choice badge is Informed Ingredient, which indicates that a product has undergone raw material testing and is free of banned substances.

Bonus Credits

Since the supplement industry is constantly evolving, we pay attention to products and brands that are going above and beyond to stand out. That’s why we incorporate bonus credits into our multivitamin supplement scores to recognize innovation and encourage healthy competition among all brands. All bonus credits are equally weighted and cumulatively provide a small boost to the product’s overall score.

Sustainable packaging

Sports Illustrated Showcase has an ongoing commitment to sustainability. The supplement industry is known to contribute significantly to plastic manufacturing and waste—with multivitamin containers often being made of plastic. Any company that offers sustainable packaging gets bonus credits because less plastic containers end up in landfills.

Certified organic

While organic certification often comes with a higher price point, it may offer some consumers peace of mind about the products they're consuming. Organic farming can increase biodiversity, promote soil health and conserve energy, and organic produce must be farmed without synthetic pesticides, genetic engineering, sewage sludge and irradiation. Multivitamins made with natural, organic ingredients (instead of synthetic or non-organic natural ingredients) are sourced from whole foods, and may be absorbed better in the body, as is the case with vitamin E.

No proprietary blends

Transparent labeling is the only way to know exactly what's in a product. Labeling with proprietary blends offers visibility into the ingredients included in the blend, but not the specific amounts. Transparent labels enable consumers to see whether or not the key nutrients are included in meaningful doses.

Summary

There are countless multivitamins available for women, and our job at Sports Illustrated Showcase is to determine which products stand above the rest in terms of quality, potency, effectiveness and value. Our women’s multivitamin testing methodology involves scoring products across four categories chosen in partnership with nutrition experts. The final weighted score supports our decision to either include or exclude individual products in our “best of” roundups.

For more information on our nutrition and supplement testing philosophy, please refer to Our Nutrition Products and Supplements Methodology page.