Vitamins and minerals are the micronutrients behind everything from energy production to bone health and immune function, and while a varied diet covers most people’s needs, specific gaps are common — vitamin D in UK winters being the clearest example. Below you’ll find our picks across the vitamins, minerals, and multivitamin formulations most relevant to a UK diet and climate, chosen for genuine research support rather than blanket “take everything” advice.
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals
Multivitamins
Understanding Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients the body needs in small amounts for a wide range of everyday functions — from energy metabolism to bone maintenance and nervous system function. Most people get enough through a varied diet, though some groups (including those with restricted diets, older adults, and pregnant women) may have specific needs worth discussing with a GP or pharmacist.
They’re typically discussed in relation to a few core areas: B vitamins play a role in how the body converts food into usable energy, while vitamin D and zinc are among the nutrients most commonly studied in relation to normal immune function. Calcium and vitamin D contribute to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, and some B vitamins and omega-3s are associated with normal psychological and cognitive function. It’s worth being accurate about what this means in practice: these are established roles these nutrients play in a functioning body, not a guarantee that supplementing beyond an adequate diet produces additional benefit if you’re not actually deficient.
A varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein remains the primary way most people meet their vitamin and mineral needs. Supplements can help address a specific, identified gap — they work best as a targeted addition rather than a blanket daily habit taken without a clear reason. Where supplementation is appropriate, form matters too: some nutrients (like magnesium or iron) come in several forms with meaningfully different absorption and tolerability, and it’s worth checking product labels for the specific form used, not just the total dose. As with any supplement, staying within recommended upper limits matters, particularly for fat-soluble vitamins like A and D, which the body stores rather than excretes.