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Good nutrition is an essential component of raising a healthy, active teen. In addition to the vitamins and minerals that adults require, adolescents need specific micronutrients to bolster them through puberty, growth spurts, and the stress of the teenage years.
Without a doubt, the best way for teens to achieve optimal nutrition is to eat a well-balanced diet. However, today's teens are on the go with sports, friends, and school, all of which make it difficult to consistently get enough vitamins and nutrients from their food alone. As a result, many choose a multivitamin for teens to fill the nutritional gaps.
Best Multivitamins for Teens - Our Top Picks
- Best Multivitamin for Teen Boys / Girls: Ritual Teens Multivitamin - for Him | for Her
- Best Multivitamin for Active Teens: Transparent Labs Multivitamin
- Best Vegan Multivitamin for Teens: Athletic Greens - AG1
- Best Multivitamin for Teens for Growth: Kaged Multivitamin
- Best Complete Multivitamin for Teens: Transparent Labs Multivitamin
- Best Budget Multivitamin for Teens: Nature Made Multivitamin + Omega-3
- Best Gummy Multivitamin for Teens: SmartyPants Teen Formula
- Best Organic Multivitamin for Teens: Codeage Daily Teen Multivitamin
Why Trust Us?
The health and safety of ACTIVE's readers is of the utmost importance to us. To ensure your well-being when consuming dietary supplements, the ACTIVE.com editorial team prioritizes products that are independently tested by a third party. We've consulted with a team of nutritionists and dieticians to ensure the products we feature are of the highest standard. This helps us create the most accurate, authentic review content for our readers.
Best Multivitamin for Teen Boys / Girls - Ritual Essential for Teens Multivitamin
SPECS
- Price: $$
- Flavor rating: 1
- Dosage recommendations: Take 2 capsules daily
- Serving size: 2 capsules
- Servings per container: 30
- Active ingredient: Multivitamin formula
- Sweetener: None
While many teens are health conscious and strive to eat nutritious foods, with their hectic schedule, it can be difficult to achieve optimal nutrition from their diet alone. If you are looking to improve your teen's nutrition by supplementing key vitamins and minerals, a standard multivitamin is likely the best option. However, it is important to remember that multivitamins differ in the nutrients provided and in the quality of those nutrients.
We chose Ritual Essential for Teens as the best vitamins for teen boys and girls because of its excellent price-to-quality ratio. Ritual Teen Essential Vitamins have highly bioavailable ingredients that focus on the key nutrients most likely to be missing from a teen's diet. Both the boy and girl formulas bolster the immune system by providing zinc and vitamin A and support cognitive function and brain health by providing omega-3s and vitamin B12. The primary difference between the girl's and the boy's formula is that the girls' formula includes iron because girls are at higher risk of iron deficiency anemia related to menstrual cycle blood loss.
What We Like
- Contains the essential nutrients to support teens' health
- Vegan-friendly
- Third-party tested
What We Don't Like
- Requires a monthly subscription
- More expensive than other brands
BUY: Ritual Essential for Teens Multivitamin - for Him | for Her
Best Multivitamin for Active Teens - Transparent Labs Multivitamin
SPECS
- Price: $
- Flavor rating: 1
- Dosage recommendations: Take 1 serving with your first meal of the day
- Serving size: 4 capsules
- Servings per container: 30
- Active ingredient: Multivitamin formula
- Sweetener: None
If you’ve ever been in charge of feeding and caring for a teen athlete, or just an active teen in general, you know just how much fuel they demand to keep running. And unfortunately, most of that fuel rarely qualifies as "premium." But make no mistake: active people of all ages, but especially growing teenagers, require more nutrients than sedentary ones!
That’s why we like Transparent Labs Multivitamin: it’s designed for active men and women, with all the essential vitamins, but also plenty of the minerals that get sweated out in sports, activity, and, well, just being a sweaty teenaged knot of hormones. The price per serving is reasonable, the dose is easy to split for smaller teens, and a little bit of patented ashwagandha for stress support definitely doesn't hurt!
What We Like
- Well over 100% of RDA on most essential vitamins
- Vegan-friendly
- Third-party tested
- Rich mineral content to replace what gets sweated out
What We Don't Like
- 4 capsules daily is a mighty big dose
BUY: Transparent Labs Multivitamin
Best Vegan Multivitamin for Teens - Athletic Greens AG1
SPECS
- Price: $$$
- Flavor rating: 1
- Dosage recommendations: Take 1 serving per day
- Serving size: 1 scoop
- Servings per container: 30
- Key ingredients: Vitamins, greens, nutrient blends
Looking for a surefire argument with a moody teen? Try to get them to eat a legit five servings of fruit and vegetables every day, over and over again. Or, if you’re not up for that, you can make a smoothie with a scoop of AG1 from athletic greens. This popular greens supplement claims that one serving contains the antioxidant equivalent of 12 servings of fruits and veggies. So while there’s no substitute for actual food, this is definitely a head start for those who need one.
Of course, this is more than just an antioxidant boost. AG1 also contains heaping amounts of all the essential vitamins, a surprising amount of minerals, and plenty of nutrient-dense superfoods. Suffice it to say, the label is a deep read. Maybe assign it to your teen as a book report.
What We Like
- Ingredients on par with traditional multivitamin and multi-mineral supplements
- Easy to split or customize doses as a powder
- Third-party tested, and NSF Safe for Sport
- Vegan and vegan-friendly
What We Don't Like
- The superfood content is all proprietary “complexes” without specific dosages listed
- Price per serving is on the high side, especially if your teen wants or needs to take any dedicated single ingredients on the side
Best Multivitamin for Teens for Growth - Kaged Multivitamin
SPECS
- Price: $$
- Flavor rating: 1
- Dosage recommendations: Take 1 serving per day
- Serving size: 2 capsules
- Servings per container: 30
- Active ingredient: Multivitamin formula
- Sweetener: None
Kaged is a sports supplement company, not just a wellness company, and their comprehensive whole-food multi checks the boxes that growing bodies demand…but often don’t get enough of. One two-capsule serving brings exactly 100% of 21 different vitamins and minerals, rather than multis which includes 60% of one and 2500% of another, with no explanation of why. The lineup includes all the essential letters of course, but also iron and the trace minerals that get sweated out in activity.
Another great thing about this multi: it comes from whole foods, with the nutrition label showing exactly where each nutrient comes from. With third-party testing for purity and Informed-Sport certifications behind it, this is a high-quality nutritional tool to fill the gaps in a growing teen’s diet.
What We Like
- 100% of 21 vitamins and minerals
- Vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO
- Third-party tested and safe for sport
- Whole food-based
What We Don't Like
- Pricey compared to non-whole foods-based multis
Best Complete Multivitamin for Teens - Transparent Labs Multivitamin
SPECS
- Price: $
- Flavor rating: 1
- Dosage recommendations: Take 1 serving with your first meal of the day
- Serving size: 4 capsules
- Servings per container: 30
- Active ingredient: Multivitamin formula
- Sweetener: None
While many teens are health conscious and strive to eat nutritious foods, with their hectic schedule and sometimes picky tastes, it can be difficult to achieve optimal nutrition from their diet alone. This is especially important when their bodies and brains are still growing, a time when their nutritional needs are arguably bigger than a similarly sized adult!
If you are looking to improve your teen's nutrition by supplementing key vitamins and minerals, an adult-dose multivitamin is likely the best complete option. The multi from Transparent Labs hits all the big checks not only for vitamins, but also for minerals like iodine, magnesium, and zinc. The daily dose of four capsules is a mouthful, but as an upside, this also allows you to dial it back for smaller teens to half or even quarter doses.
What We Like
- Contains essential nutrients to support teens' health
- Vegan-friendly
- Third-party tested
- Contains patented KSM-66 ashwagandha for stress
What We Don't Like
- 4 capsules daily might cause some complaining at the breakfast table
- Doesn’t contain iron, if that’s a need for your teen
BUY: Transparent Labs Multivitamin
Best Budget Multivitamin for Teens - Nature Made Kids First Multivitamin + Omega-3
SPECS
- Price: $
- Flavor rating: 2
- Dosage recommendations: Take 1 gummy twice daily
- Serving size: 1 gummy
- Servings per container: 35
- Active ingredient: Multivitamin formula, omega-3 fatty acids
- Sweetener: Yes
Although taking a daily multivitamin is one of the most cost-effective ways to fill in the gaps in nutritional deficiencies, the cost can add up. There are several economical teen multivitamins on the market, but they do not necessarily contain the most essential nutrients at the correct doses.
When assessing teen multivitamins at this price point, we selected Nature Made Kids First Multivitamin + Omega-3 because of its comprehensive ingredient list at appropriate dosing levels. The goal of multivitamins is to complement a nutritious diet.
Some multivitamins overcompensate and include high doses of vitamins and minerals. Nature Made's formula contains the 9 essential nutrients and 30 milligrams of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to help improve heart and mental health in adolescents. The combination of orange, strawberry, and lemon in each bottle also tastes great and is easy to take.
What We Like
- Contains the essential nutrients to support teen's nutrition, including omega-3
- USP-verified
- Economical price
- Great taste
What We Don't Like
- Does contain added sugars
- Contains gelatin, so not vegetarian or vegan-friendly
BUY: Nature Made Kids First Multivitamin + Omega-3
Best Gummy Multivitamin for Teens - Smarty Pants Teen Formula, Daily Multivitamin Gummies
SPECS
- Price: $
- Flavor rating: 1
- Dosage recommendations: Take 4 gummies daily
- Serving size: 4 gummies daily
- Servings per container: 120
- Active ingredient: Multivitamin formula
- Sweetener: Sugar
There are many health benefits to taking a daily multivitamin, but swallowing a pill or capsule may be inconvenient. If your teen doesn't like to swallow pills, a multivitamin gummy is a good option.
When assessing teen multivitamin gummies, we selected SmartyPants Teen Formula Daily Multivitamin Gummies as the best because they offer a comprehensive list of nutrients in the most bioavailable forms. For example, teen vitamins contain folate as methylfolate, vitamin B21 as methylcobalamin, and vitamin D as vitamin D3.
The differences between the boys' and girls' versions are minimal: Both contain the 20 most essential nutrients for teens and include key supplements like lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health.
What We Like
- Contains the essential nutrients teens need
- Third-party tested
- Gluten and common allergy free
- Less expensive than other brands
What We Don't Like
- Contains added sugar
- Not suitable for vegetarians
BUY: SmartyPants Teen Formula, Daily Multivitamin Gummies
Best Organic Multivitamin for Teens - Codeage Daily Teen Multivitamin
SPECS
- Price: $$
- Flavor rating: N/A
- Dosage recommendations: Take 2 capsules daily
- Serving size: 2 capsules
- Servings per container: 30
- Active ingredient: Multivitamin formula
- Sweetener: N/A
If your teen is health conscious and eats organic fruits and vegetables, then paying a little extra for an organic multivitamin makes sense. There are numerous health benefits to eating organic produce, and this carries over to taking organic multivitamins; our bodies process vitamin supplements differently depending on how the nutrients are sourced.
We selected Codeage Daily Teen Multivitamin as our pick for the best organic teen multivitamin because it contains the 25 most common vitamins and minerals plus a teen health blend to address the specific health needs of teens. The teen health blend includes omega-3 fatty acids and coenzyme Q10 to support cognitive function, lutein for eye health, and probiotics to support digestion.
What We Like
- Capsules can be opened and poured into a drink
- Sourced from organic produce
- Vegetarian and gluten-free
- Third-party tested
What We Don't Like
- More expensive than other brands
- Does not contain boron
BUY: Codeage Daily Teen Multivitamin
Why You Should Consider a Multivitamin for Teens
For growing teens, taking a daily multivitamin with key nutrients offers several health benefits:
- Boosts energy levels
- Improves eye health
- Bolsters immunity
- Supports bone and teeth development
- Increases red blood cell production
- Decreases inflammation
- Improves cognitive function
Vitamin use is increasing in the United States for good reason. Multiple studies have shown that supplementing a healthy diet with vitamins has specific health benefits like improved cardiovascular health, improved cognitive function, and enhanced immune function.
The best vitamin supplements for teens depend on multiple factors such as dietary intake, allergies, and medical history. Most teens can optimize their nutrition with a high-quality multivitamin.
The goal of multivitamin use is to fill in nutritional gaps and provide nutrients that you can't easily consume in the average diet. Vitamin supplements are not a replacement for good nutrition. The fundamental basis of optimizing growth and development is eating a healthy diet, but augmenting a well-balanced diet with a high-quality multivitamin adds extra insurance.
A standard multivitamin for teens will typically include:
Vitamins
- Vitamin A: Improves eye health and boosts immunity
- Vitamin B12: Helps release energy from food
- Vitamin C: Increases immunity
- Vitamin D: Supports bone development, boosts immune function, and reduces inflammation
- Vitamin K: Promotes blood clotting
Minerals
- Magnesium: Helps convert food into energy
- Zinc: Catalysts in new cell and enzyme production
- Boron: Helps maintain bone health
- Iron: Is the building block of red blood cells
Tips for Selecting a Teen Multivitamin
When selecting the best multivitamin for your teen, there are four key factors to consider.
Bioavailability
Bioavailability refers to how much of a nutrient can be absorbed, or is available for use, by the body. How vitamins and minerals are processed impacts their bioavailability. For example
Methylcobalamin is a naturally occurring form of vitamin B12 and is more bioavailable than the synthetic version of vitamin B12, cyanocobalamin. Researching which form of nutrients is in supplements helps determine the quality of the product.
Dose
The dose of vitamins and minerals varies depending on who the supplement is intended for. The food and drug administration determines recommended daily allowances, or RDAs, for the most common vitamins and minerals based on age and gender. When purchasing a multivitamin, verify the RDAs listed on the label are correct for the intended recipient.
Form
Multivitamins are available in multiple different forms. The most common forms are chewable gummies or tablets. There are also capsules and liquid drops. When choosing the form, make a decision based on what your teen is most comfortable taking on a daily basis.
Third-Party Testing
Third-party testing refers to the process of an independent lab testing a product for purity and quality. This process verifies the quality of the ingredient list by ensuring the product is free of contaminants or banned substances. A common certification of authenticity in the United States is the USP or the United States Pharmacopeia seal. It is always best to choose a vitamin that is third-party tested.
How We Rate Supplements
In addition to providing the pros and cons of each supplement, we break down key consumer concerns: price or affordability and flavor options.
Price/Affordability (scale of $-$$$)
$ = under $1 per serving
$$ = $1-2 per serving
$$$ = over $2 per serving
Flavor Options (scale of 1-3)
Having a good flavor does not influence the effectiveness of a product, but enjoying the flavor may make it easier to consistently take it. Therefore, we use the following scale to break down the flavor options for each product:
N/A = Unflavored
1 = 1-2 flavor options
2 = 3-4 flavor options
3 = 5 or more flavor options
FAQs About Multivitamins for Teens
Is it good to take vitamins as a teenager?
Yes, many teenagers benefit from taking a daily multivitamin. In general, eating a well-balanced diet is the cornerstone of good nutrition, but it is often difficult to consume all of the key nutrients from a diet alone.
What vitamin is good for a teenage girl?
A standard teen multivitamin is a good option for most teenage girls. Girls are at higher risk for iron deficiency anemia than boys, so selecting a multivitamin that contains iron is a good idea for girls.
What is the best vitamins for teen boys?
A high-quality multivitamin helps support teenage boys through puberty and growth spurts. Look for multivitamins that contain zinc which is necessary for testosterone production, vitamin D for bone strength, and magnesium for muscle function.
Can teenagers take multivitamin tablets?
Teenagers can take multivitamin tablets, but they should take supplements that are formulated for teens. Teenagers should not take a standard adult multivitamin because the doses of key nutrients are different. If your teen doesn't like to swallow tablets, gummy multivitamins are a good option.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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