Vitafusion MultiVites Review – A Multivitamin Supplement To Avoid?

Vitafusion MultiVites is one of the many multivitamin options available. Multivitamins’ popularity has increased rapidly in the past few decades. Many people believe that vitamins can improve overall well-being, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and substitute a proper diet. 

But are multivitamins really that good for you? Can a supplement like Vitafusion MultiVites really improve your health?

Read our full review to find out!

What Is Vitafusion MultiVites?

Vitafusion MultiVites is one of the best selling multivitamin supplements in the United States. 

The formula developed by Vitafusion is a mixture of essential vitamins, minerals, and natural fruit flavors in a delicious gummy. According to the company, this complete multivitamin is specially formulated for adults. It provides a great-tasting and convenient alternative to traditional, hard-to-swallow pills.

Vitafusion claims that each MultiVites serving provides:

• Vitamin D equivalent to 5 oz. of salmon;
• Antioxidant Vitamin E and Vitamin C;
• A good source of Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B12, and Folic Acid;
• Natural orange, peach, and flavors;
• As much Vitamin C as one tangerine;
• Vitamin A equivalent to one cup of broccoli.

Who Makes It?

MultiVites is made by Vitafusion. In October 2012, Church & Dwight Co., Inc. acquired Avid Health, Inc. (parent company of Northwest Natural Products, Inc.), buying leading brands in the gummy vitamin industry, including L’il Critters, Vitafusion, as well as the probiotics brand Accuflora.

Church & Dwight has put a lot of focus on developing better tasting dietary supplements for children, men, and women with the L’il Critters and the Vitafusion family of gummy vitamin brands.

The full range of flavored, gummy vitamins and supplements has provided hundreds of thousands of people with a convenient alternative to traditional vitamin pills and tablets.

Vitafusion contact details:

• Phone: 888-334-5389, Monday-Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. E.T
• Website: gummyvites.com

Vitafusion MultiVites Ingredients

Vitafusion MultiVites contains the following active ingredients per serving (2 gummy vitamins):

• Vitamin C (as sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid) 36 mg
• Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) 1.7 mg
• Vitamin A (as retinyl palmitate) 450 mcg
• Vitamin E (as dl-alpha-tocopherol acetate) 9 mg
• Boron (as boron citrate) 150 mcg
• Vitamin D (as cholecalciferol) 20 mcg (800 IU)
• Folate DFE (240 mcg folic acid) 400 mcg
• Biotin 30 mcg
• Niacin (as inositol niacinate) 16 mg
• Sodium 5 mg
• Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 4.8 mcg
• Chromium (as chromium picolinate) 35 mcg
• Pantothenic acid (as calcium d-pantothenate) 3 mg
• Molybdenum (as molybdenum citrate) 11 mcg
• Lutein (from marigold) (flower) 275 mcg
• Inositol (as inositol niacinate) 3 mg

Inactive ingredients include water, sugar, glucose syrup, gelatin; less than 2% of: blend of oils (palm and/or coconut) with citric acid, beeswax and/or carnauba wax, colors (carrot & blueberry concentrate, and annatto extract), lactic acid, and natural flavors.

The first thing you see by looking at the label is the high amount of Vitamin C (36 mg per serving) and the low amounts of almost everything else. The formula is also missing several essential vitamins like Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin K1.

But let’s take a closer look at what’s inside.

A Serious Lackluster Formula

Overall, the MultiVites formula is lacking in terms of key ingredients, right amounts and potent vitamin forms. The exception here would be Choline, Vitamin D3, and partly Vitamin A.

Let’s start with what’s good in this formula. 

Choline is available in the form of Bitartrate, which is not the recommended form for Choline intake. Nevertheless, choline bitartrate is a solid option for better functioning of the brain (cognitive enhancement).

Another plus is the Vitamin D3, which is available in the same form produced naturally by our bodies when exposed to sunlight – in other words, an absolutely excellent choice. 

While it contains only one form of carotenoids (Lutein), Vitamin A looks relatively decent from the retinoid point of view. This is more of a mixed impression than a positive one but it’s a bit better than what most multivitamin supplements use anyway. 

And now the bad…

When it comes to B-vitamins, some of the best forms for consumption are Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin B7. 

Whereas Vitamin B12, Vitamin B9, and Vitamin B6 are all present in relatively the weak forms. The most effective forms for these vitamins are Methylcobalamin, L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, and Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate, respectively.

Vitamin C is available in a relatively high amount compared to everything else in this formula. However, that’s not enough. The two Vitamin C forms used in MultiVites are the standard for multivitamin supplements. They don’t really qualify as “quality ingredients.” 

Vitamin E here is in an inferior form – one of the worst, in our opinion. This synthetic form has a low absorption rate. Furthermore, by having only this form of Vitamin E, you miss out on 7 more types of Vitamin E that are all important (well, at least having half of these types would be optimal for a multivitamin supplement).

Where Are The Minerals?

We expect from a multivitamin supplement to include at least 12 essential minerals. MultiVites only has 3 complete minerals. 

Chromium here is probably the best of the three. Chromium picolinate is one of the most bioavailable forms available for consumption and a standard form in most quality supplements. 

On the other hand, both molybdenum and boron are in pretty average forms and not what you would expect to find in something advertised as the best multivitamin on the market. 

Lastly, let’s talk about Inositol.

Inositol is produced by our bodies and has some undeniable and incredible benefits for overall health:

• May have mental health benefits (depression, anxiety, panic disorder, bipolar disorder);
• May prevent diabetes during pregnancy;
• May reduce symptoms of OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder);
• May help control metabolic syndrome risk factors.

We must add that the amounts of Inositol in the supplement are well below what’s recommended.

Because nutritional supplements are not regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), vitamin supplements may contain higher or lower levels of some nutrients than presented on the label.

In some cases, they may not even contain all of the listed ingredients. The supplement industry is notorious for fraud, so it’s essential to buy your vitamins from a trustworthy company.

According to a Labdoor report, Vitafusion MultiVites “met all purity standards but recorded significant label claim variance on 56 key vitamins. Folic acid stood out as the worst offense – exceeding its claim by over 60%.”

How Much Does MultiVites Cost?

One bottle of MultiVites (150 gummies / 75 servings) costs $11.99, which is cheaper than many other similar multivitamin supplements.

Please note that some retailers will offer discounts and bonuses on purchases. For instance, Amazon offers discounts and free shipping for orders from within the United States.

Where To Buy Vitafusion MultiVites?

Vitafusion MultiVites can be purchased from most supermarkets and local stores and from many online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Costco, eBay, Target, or eVitamins.

Should You Even Take A Multivitamin?

Most adults don’t need to take multivitamin supplements. They can get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a healthy, balanced diet.

However, specific groups may benefit from multivitamins, including:

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women – In some cases pregnant and nursing women may require supplementation with certain vitamins and minerals. However, it’s not recommended taking any multivitamin supplements without consulting with a healthcare provider first, as some nutrients in excess may cause unwanted adverse effects.
• Vegetarians and vegans – It’s not uncommon for vegetarians and vegans to require supplementation with nutrients are more commonly found in animal foods (Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, zinc, and iron). 
• Older adults – As absorption decreases with age, older adults may need to supplement with Vitamin D, calcium, and Vitamin B12.

Other individuals who may benefit from taking vitamins include those who are on low-calorie diets, undergone weight loss surgery, don’t get sufficient nutrients from food alone, or have a poor appetite.

Vitafusion MultiVites Review – Pros & Cons

Vitafusion MultiVites Side Effects & Warnings

Vitamin and minerals are rarely associated with side effects, especially in low amounts within the daily recommendations. 

However, nowadays, everything from bottled water to orange juice seems to have souped-up levels of vitamins and minerals in it. Getting overloaded with vitamins and minerals can definitely cause some unwanted adverse effects. 

For instance, too much selenium could lead to gastrointestinal upset, hair loss, mild nerve damage, and fatigue. An excess of zinc or Vitamin C could cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, and nausea. 

Adults who regularly far exceed the 4,000 international units (I.U.s) daily safe upper limit for Vitamin D might end up with severe heart problems.

Above recommended amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, or Vitamin K can cause some serious adverse effects, including vomiting, pale skin, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, hair loss, weight loss, loss of appetite, peeling skin, blood in your urine, changes in menstrual periods, muscle or joint pain, severe headache, severe back pain, easy bruising or bleeding, and tingly feeling in or around your mouth.

Customer Testimonials

My daughter and I love these. She was always getting sick, just sniffles & colds often. Teenagers, jobs, school, etc. In the last couple of years, we have started taking these and see such an improvement […] Read full review

I bought these because I wanted to take a multivitamin, but I have a tough time taking large pills. I kept buying other brands of multivitamins and then let them sit on the shelf until they expired. These I take EVERY day, sometimes I’m even tempted to take […] Read full review

I balked at paying more for a gummy vitamin. Still, I couldn’t find a regular vitamin that didn’t give me heartburn. Hence, while I was pregnant with my daughter, I started taking gummy prenatal vitamins. After she was born, I tried to go back to my other vitamins and […] Read full review

Any Better Alternatives?

Before we conclude our Vitafusion MultiVites review, let’s take a quick look over several other similar multivitamins that may represent a good alternative for those who are not convinced by the benefits of this formulation.

Two Per Day made by Life Extension is a high potency multivitamin and mineral supplement. The formula contains all necessary vitamins and minerals, plus several antioxidants and herbal extracts like Bio-Quercetin and Marigold extract. Two Per Day is more expensive than MultiVites, but overall, it looks like a better-balanced supplement.

Whole Food Multivitamin Plus, made by Supplements Studio, is one of the more complex multivitamin supplements available. Including excellent amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbal extracts, probiotics, and other nutrients, Whole Food Multivitamin Plus may be a perfect choice for a complete multivitamin. The formula supports the immune system, cognitive function, healthy gut, and better energy throughout the day. 

Adult Multivitamin made by Dr. Tobias can be another good multivitamin option. Made with whole foods, this vegan, non-GMO formula packs all the vitamins and minerals you need, plus 42 fruits & vegetable extracts, and a plant-based probiotics blend. It is also worth mentioning that all Dr. Tobias supplements contain premium quality ingredients sourced from the most reputable sources.

Bottom Line

Most quality multivitamins should contain at least 13 vitamins and at least 16 minerals essential to your health – but in varying forms and amounts. They may also have other ingredients like herbs, amino acids, and fatty acids.

In our opinion, Vitafusion MultiVites fails to deliver on its promise. This multivitamin supplement doesn’t stand out despite the aggressive marketing campaign, and it doesn’t impress. 

So why so many positive reviews?

One explanation for the large number of positive reviews could be the same thing Vitafusion is advertising the most: the addictive flavors. To our concern, we’ve seen plenty of customer testimonials saying how great this multivitamin tastes and how they felt compelled to take more than the recommended dose, just because of the taste.

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