Top Pick
- A complete multivitamin.
- High in protein and carbohydrates.
- FDA regulated.
Supplementing has always been a part of weight training. When we talk about it, we focus on the obvious ones like protein, thermogenics, creatine, and energy boosters. But which are the best multivitamins for bodybuilding?
Here’s what you need to know about them, and also my top picks.
The Best Multivitamins for Bodybuilders
Don’t settle for the first multivitamin that pops up in your ads. Here are five that I think are worthy of your consideration.
1. Animal Pak Multivitamin
There are many people who list Animal Pak as the best multivitamins for bodybuilding. When you look at its ingredients, it’s easy to understand why. This multivitamin has everything you need and then some. Although health companies tend to bark more than they bite, Animal Pak walks the talk.
Aside from the detailed list of vitamins and minerals, bodybuilders praise it because of the volumes too. For example, you get 3 grams of protein (6 percent of daily value) with every serving. Impressive!
It’s also a clean, locally produced product that is FDA approved.
- Pros
- A complete multivitamin.
- High in protein and carbohydrates.
- Trusted brand with excellent customer satisfaction.
- Side effects are unlikely.
- It’s effective and clean.
- FDA regulated.
- Cons
- You might get more of some vitamins than you need.
- Although side effects are rare, it could induce headaches.
2. Evlution Nutrition Men's Multivitamin
Evlution is another trusted brand that has created a well-rounded multivitamin that certainly covers all bases. It contains all the necessary vitamins, though it doesn’t specify protein volumes.
Don’t let that deter you though. It contains minerals that assist with bodybuilding, like lycopene and biotin. It’s definitely a favorite in the industry.
- Pros
- Contains all essential vitamins.
- Contains minerals and nutrients that assist with muscle performance.
- Trusted brand with excellent customer satisfaction.
- Side effects are extremely unlikely.
- Inexpensive.
- Cons
- Proprietary blends.
- No obvious proteins included.
- Not approved as an all-natural product, could contain synthetic ingredients.
- It smells really bad.
3. Optimum Nutrition Opti-Women
Optimum Nutrition never fails to impress and Opti-Women is one of the best multivitamins for women. The company has created a female-specific multivitamin that’s not lacking in anything important and is a well-rounded, near complete supplement.
It’s designed to assist recovery and to improve the condition of your skin, hair, and nails. With 83 percent of your daily value of biotin and all the other essential vitamins you need, it’s a winner for women and there are few complaints regarding it.
- Pros
- Close to complete multi-vitamin.
- Contains all essential nutrients, specific to women.
- Designed to assist in muscle recovery.
- Tasteless.
- Very affordable.
- Cons
- Could induce side effects, including heartburn, upset stomach, brain fog, and discoloration of urine.
- Can interfere with birth control.
- Pills are huge and could be difficult to swallow.
- Some ingredients lack evidence.
4. Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men
Just as above, Optimum Nutrition created Opti-Men one of the best multivitamins for men in bodybuilding. The company has many other bodybuilding supplements and knows how to design a gender-specific multivitamin supplement.
This one, in particular, contains 1oo Mg of essential amino acid in free-form.
- Pros
- High-potency vitamins and minerals.
- 70 active ingredients.
- 1oo Mg free-form essential amino acids.
- 1500 IU (X5 more) vitamin D.
- Easy to swallow tablets.
- affordable.
- Cons
- Could induce side effects, including heartburn, upset stomach, brain fog, and discoloration of urine.
- Some ingredients lack evidence.
5. MuscleTech Platinum
I want to include MuscleTech here because it’s a popular brand with many happy customers. It also focuses specifically on muscle maintenance, so it deserves a spot. Hype aside, this is a solid product if you’re willing to compromise on one or two things.
For one, as with every other product on this list, MuscleTech Platinum has a good table of contents, that covers all bases. I only wish it specified protein content. It also contains unnecessary (but harmless) fillers.
Side effects, including fever, headaches, and nausea have also been reported, but only in a minority of cases.
- Pros
- Good ingredients, not too many extras.
- Works for muscles and energy.
- Popular and effective brand.
- Designed as a once-daily supplement.
- Inexpensive.
- Cons
- Misses vitamin K.
- Overall protein content not specified.
- Contains fillers.
- Side effects.
Informational guide to Multivitamins
Why MultiVitamins Are Important
We’re told from day one that vitamins are necessary to health, but have you ever wondered why? We know that vitamin A, for example, is good for eyes; or that B12 is vital for our nervous systems.
But how? What do vitamins actually do? The truth is, they do a lot. More than you might’ve thought.
Multivitamins ensure that our bodies function properly. They’re antioxidants, and they help our bodies absorb minerals and nutrients. They also build cells, collagen, and bones, manage our immune systems, and keep our eyesight healthy.
Vitamins also power your metabolism and create protein—perhaps the most important elements to bodybuilding.
Vitamins are better consumed through whole foods, but imagine how tedious it would be to get all of them from your meals. To compensate, multivitamins are an affordable and effortless way to get everything your body needs. When you’re a bodybuilder, this can make a world of difference in your life.
Before you dive right in, there are some considerations. Multivitamins aren’t for everyone, so here’s what you should consider before you use them.
Are Multivitamins Necessary for bodybuilers?
Multivitamins might sound like miracle pills that remove the need for conscious eating, but unfortunately, they are not.
For many people, not just bodybuilders, multivitamins solve dietary hurdles; food allergies perhaps, or choices, like veganism. But multivitamins are not always necessary, and if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing with them, they could actually make you sick.
Multivitamins are supplements, which means they’re taken alongside your diet. They’re often designed to give you 100 percent of your daily intake. That sounds good on paper, right?
The problem is, since you’ll get even more vitamins from your food, you may exceed the daily recommendation. This could lead to overdose, which of course, will have adverse effects.
You’re the only one that can decide if you need a multivitamin supplement. If you choose to make use of one, here’s what you should look out for.
What to Look out for in the best Multivitamins for bodybuilding
One size doesn’t fit all with multivitamins. As mentioned, taking them correctly will impact if (or how well) they work for you. That said, there is a blueprint for multivitamins, and the best ones should contain the following components:
- Vitamin A.
- Vitamins B6 and B12.
- Vitamin D.
- Vitamin E.
- Vitamin K.
- Biotin.
- Borate.
- Calcium.
- Fiber.
- Folic acid.
- Iodine.
- Magnesium.
- Niacin.
- Pantothenic acid.
- Potassium.
- Protein.
- Riboflavin.
- Selenium.
- Thiamin.
- Zinc.
As a bodybuilder, you will want to pay attention to protein and biotin. Protein, as you know, is what your muscles are made of—and obviously a massive part of bodybuilding. Biotin assists with metabolizing fat and protein (on a more superficial level), works wonders for your skin, hair, and nails.
Multivitamin for bodybuilding - FAQ
Before I show you my favorite multivitamins for bodybuilding, there are just a few more considerations you need to know about. Multivitamins can be confusing, so allow me to break them down for you.
Do Multivitamins Expire?
Vitamins can expire, but not in the same way as food. Consuming vitamins past their expiration date won’t make you sick, but they will degrade and become weaker with time, effectively making them useless.
It’s also important to store them properly. Sunlight can degrade them too.
Do Men and Women Bodybuilders Need Different Multivitamins?
Yes, but not to the degree you may think. Men and women require the same vitamins, though sometimes we require different amounts. Supplements marketed for women or men will try to honor that, but at the end of the day, there is no need to buy gendered products.
The best multivitamins for women will contain the exact same nutrients as the best multivitamins for men.
Are Multivitamins Vegan?
You make think that vegan multivitamins are hard to find, but they’re not. Veganism is not as obscure as it used to be, so vegan products are often just as easy to come by as anything else.
There is no guarantee that a multivitamin is vegan, as that depends on the individual product. You’ll have to check the ingredients and brand to make sure that it’s ethically produced.
How Do You Bodybuilders Take a Multivitamin?
There is no golden rule to taking multivitamins if you’re a bodybuilder, and each product should have instructions that will guide you to optimal use. In general, though, taking your multivitamin with meals could lessen the risk of stomach discomfort. The time of day doesn’t matter.
Be sure to check the contraindications though. Some medications or other supplements may interfere with your multivitamin, or vice versa.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if multivitamins aren’t a must. If you feel that you want to give them a go, do it! (Just consult your GP first, to avoid side effects and overdose.) Multivitamins can benefit you if you use them correctly, so pay attention to the labels, ingredients and the foods you supplement them to for their best effect.
My favorite here is Animal Pak. I don’t want to praise it too fervently, but it’s a quality, regulated and approved product that, unlike others, has everything you need without going over the top.
I also love that it not only includes, but also specifies protein. That was the deciding factor in naming it the best multivitamin for bodybuilders.
