One capsule a day. Twelve vitamins, eight minerals. Nineteen of the twenty at 100 % of the reference value.

Side by side

Next to a typical multivitamin tablet

The right column is a category, not a company: what is usually printed on a multivitamin, so each line can be checked against a label you may already have in the cupboard.

Every figure in our column is printed on the bottle or in the specification and analysis we hold, quoted on this page.

On the label

What one capsule contains, and what each nutrient does

Every nutrient printed on the bottle, in the same order, with its amount, its percentage of the reference value and the effect the EU allows us to state for it. One capsule is the daily dose.

1. Vitamin A

   800 µg 100 %

   Form: retinyl palmitate

   Also found in: liver, carrots, sweet potato, kale

   Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.

2. Vitamin D

   5 µg 100 %

   Form: cholecalciferol

   Also found in: oily fish, egg yolk, sunlight on the skin

   Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

3. Vitamin E

   12 mg 100 %

   Form: D-alpha-tocopherol

   Also found in: sunflower seeds, almonds, avocado

   Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

4. Thiamine (B1)

   1.1 mg 100 %

   Form: thiamine mononitrate

   Also found in: oats, peas, whole grains

   Thiamine contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

1. Riboflavin (B2)

   1.4 mg 100 %

   Form: riboflavin

   Also found in: milk, eggs, mushrooms

   Riboflavin contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

2. Niacin (B3)

   16 mg 100 %

   Form: nicotinamide

   Also found in: chicken, peanuts, mushrooms

   Niacin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

3. Pantothenic acid (B5)

   6 mg 100 %

   Form: calcium D-pantothenate

   Also found in: eggs, avocado, lentils

   Pantothenic acid contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

4. Vitamin B6

   1.4 mg 100 %

   Form: pyridoxine hydrochloride

   Also found in: bananas, potatoes, chickpeas

   Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

5. Folic acid

   200 µg 100 %

   Form: pteroylmonoglutamic acid

   Also found in: spinach, broccoli, lentils

   Folate contributes to normal blood formation.

6. Vitamin B12

   2.5 µg 100 %

   Form: cyanocobalamin

   Also found in: eggs, milk, fish

   Vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

7. Biotin

   50 µg 100 %

   Form: D-biotin

   Also found in: eggs, nuts, cauliflower

   Biotin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

8. Vitamin C

   80 mg 100 %

   Form: L-ascorbic acid

   Also found in: oranges, peppers, strawberries, kiwi

   Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

9. Magnesium

   99.6 mg 27 %

   Form: magnesium oxide

   Also found in: pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach

   Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

10. Iron

    14 mg 100 %

    Form: ferrous sulfate

    Also found in: red meat, lentils, tofu, spinach

    Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body.

11. Copper

    1 mg 100 %

    Form: copper sulfate

    Also found in: shellfish, cashews, dark chocolate

    Copper contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

12. Iodine

    150 µg 100 %

    Form: potassium iodate

    Also found in: sea fish, dairy, iodised salt

    Iodine contributes to the normal production of thyroid hormones and normal thyroid function.

13. Zinc

    10 mg 100 %

    Form: zinc sulfate

    Also found in: beans, seeds, meat

    Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

14. Manganese

    2 mg 100 %

    Form: manganese sulfate

    Also found in: whole grains, pineapple, hazelnuts

    Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

15. Selenium

    55 µg 100 %

    Form: sodium selenite

    Also found in: brazil nuts, fish, eggs

    Selenium contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

16. Molybdenum

    50 µg 100 %

    Form: sodium molybdate

    Also found in: legumes, grains, nuts

    Molybdenum contributes to normal sulphur amino acid metabolism.

* NRV = nutrient reference value under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. The label also lists inositol at 50 mg; there is no reference value and no authorised wording for it, so it is not in this table and we say nothing about it.

The course

What four months look like

One capsule a day, 120 in the bottle. Here is what you do and what you can count — arithmetic, not promises.

1. Day 1

   One capsule, 250 ml of water

   With a meal is easiest, since the capsule is oil-filled. The batch number and best-before date are on the base of the bottle — worth noting before it goes in the cupboard.

2. Days 2–60

   Same capsule, same time

   Sixty capsules gone, sixty left, half the bottle. Each one carries 14 mg of iron at the full reference value; iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body.

3. Days 61–120

   The second half of the bottle

   The bottle empties on day 120. Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision — that is the authorised wording for the 800 µg in each capsule, and the table further down gives one such sentence per nutrient.

A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Keep out of the reach of children. Contains soy. If you already take iron or a separate multivitamin, ask a doctor or pharmacist before adding this one.