Vitamins for teenagers: what matters and how to choose

Does a teenager need a multivitamin?

Usually not. A teenager eating a reasonable mix of foods gets most of what they need, which is the NHS's view too. Of course teenage eating is rarely that tidy. The national diet survey found that fewer than 1 in 10 children aged 11 to 18 (9%) met the 5 A Day recommendation, so if yours is living on toast and pasta for a stretch, you are in good company. A multivitamin will not turn a poor diet into a good one, but through a lean patch it is reasonable cover.

It tends to earn its place in a couple of situations. If your teenager eats little or no animal food, they need a dependable source of vitamin B12, which plant foods will not reliably give them, and a multivitamin with enough B12 covers that. And when whole food groups are off the menu for a while, a daily one smooths over the gaps until things settle.

Vitamin D

This is the one worth getting right. The NHS suggests 10 micrograms a day, and a supplement at that level through autumn and winter when there is too little sunlight to make your own. The NHS sets an upper limit of 100 micrograms a day for ages 11 to 17. A teen formula wants to cover the 10 and stay comfortably below the 100, with anything taken separately counted in. Vitamin D also contributes to the normal function of the immune system. For more detail, see our vitamin D3 guide.

Iron: the one to think about

Our teen multivitamin, Teen Complete, is labelled for boys and girls aged 12 and over and includes 4 milligrams of iron a day. Whether iron is appropriate for your teenager is the one decision really worth pausing on.

Periods raise how much iron the body needs, but that does not mean every teenage girl needs an iron supplement, and plenty get enough from food. If iron is on your mind, a GP or pharmacist can tell you where your teenager actually stands rather than leaving you to guess. Boys need iron too, and again, most get it from what they eat.

NATURELO currently has no iron-free teen formula. If you prefer one without iron, choose an age-appropriate iron-free product; if you are unsure whether iron is suitable for your teenager, ask a GP or pharmacist.

How to choose

By age, it is fairly simple.

• Under 12? Our children's range is the place to look.
• 12 to 17. Our teen multivitamin is the Teen Complete Multivitamin, made for boys and girls aged 12 and over, two capsules a day, with 4 milligrams of iron. NATURELO currently has no iron-free teen formula. If you prefer one without iron, choose an age-appropriate iron-free product; if you are unsure whether iron is suitable for your teenager, ask a GP or pharmacist.
• 18 and over. The adult ranges take over from here. See our guides to how to choose a multivitamin for men and vitamins for women.

Staying safe

• Count what they already take. Stick to a formula made for their age, follow the serving on the label, and add up anything else they take before combining, so nothing doubles up.
• Medicines or a health condition. If your teenager takes any medication or has a medical condition, have a word with a GP or pharmacist first.
• Warfarin. Teen Complete contains vitamin K2. If your teenager takes warfarin, check with a GP or pharmacist before changing their vitamin K intake.
• Keep iron out of reach. Iron supplements need to be kept well away from younger children.
• Hard to swallow? It is two capsules a day, and they can be opened and stirred into food if swallowing is a struggle.