Have you ever thought about simplifying your home and your routine? If you think about it, we tend to hold onto a lot of extra stuff - things that we don’t need. It’s not uncommon for families to step into their bathtub or shower and see several different kinds of shampoo, conditioner, soaps and body washes. Sometimes that’s necessary, as in the case of allergies, special accommodations, preferences, etc. It can be very difficult to find a product that does it all.

That said - there is an option that can do it all when it comes to getting the nutrition families need. That solution? Liquid vitamins and minerals. Rather than needing to get one product for vitamins and another mineral supplement, why not get them at the same time? Beyond the obvious advantages of having an all-in-one source of vitamins and minerals, liquid is also beneficial because it absorbs more quickly into the bloodstream, meaning that those important nutrients will be more likely to benefit you (1). 

You don’t really need a separate liquid multivitamin for men and women. If you have the right product, the liquid multivitamin for adults in your family can also be used by your kids. Sharing liquid vitamins with the whole family is a more simplified way of doing things, resulting in less clutter for you. That said, we realize that some families still prefer to have their vitamins separate. Perhaps there are extra nutritional needs. 

This is the case for pregnant and nursing women, who need more folic acid from their vitamins (2). In other posts, we’ve discussed our thoughts on the best liquid multivitamin for adults, the best liquid vitamins for the elderly, and suggestions for infants’ and childrens’ multivitamins.  Some of those included Tropical Oasis Premium Kids’ multivitamin for kids, Country Life Multivitamin and Mineral Complex for seniors, and Nature’s Way Alive Multivitamin Max Potency for adults. For babies 2 months of age and up, Wellements Organic multivitamin drops are a good choice. 

Liquid Multivitamin Dose for Adults 

People often wonder about what multivitamin dosage time is ideal for them. The truth is, it’s different for everybody. There are certain prescriptions or supplements that shouldn’t be taken together because they can interfere with absorption (3). Beyond that, the most important things to consider are to find a time of day that will be easy to remember and that is preferably a regular mealtime for you (one that’s more likely to contain fat), since fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, and K require fat to be properly absorbed (4).

Liquid Multivitamin and Multimineral dosage can seem intimidating at first. After all, everyone knows the multivitamin tablet dosage for adults: you take one or two a day. Liquid multivitamin syrup dosage for adults may not seem quite as straightforward. However, they’re a lot more alike than you’d think. Swap the tablet with tablespoons and you essentially have a liquid multivitamin dose for adults. Some adult liquid multivitamins are just one tablespoon (Centrum Adult Liquid Multivitamin and Multimineral, for example), but many of them are two tablespoons (Nature’s Way Alive and Tropical Oasis Mega Liquid Multivitamin). 

As we’ve already mentioned, it’s ideal to get a liquid multivitamin and multimineral since having both means you’re getting more nutrients without the added hassle of extra bottles lying around. The Mega Liquid Multivitamin is also a multimineral, with aluminum, bismuth, calcium, cobalt, copper, magnesium, manganese, iodine, nickel, potassium, zinc, and a slew of other minerals. Nature’s Way Alive includes choline, calcium, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, sodium, and potassium, along with vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B1, B2, niacin, B6, folate, and B12. It is citrus-flavored. The Centrum Liquid contains iron, iodine, zinc, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum in addition to vitamins A, C, D, E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, and biotin. Like Nature’s Way Alive, the Centrum liquid is citrus flavored.  

Multivitamin Dosage for Infants

When it comes to infants, the liquid dosage is usually far smaller than the multivitamin dosage for adults. The multivitamin dose for an infant up to the age of one year old is generally 1 milliliter a day, whereas the multivitamin dose for 2-year-old children is 2 milliliters a day. In fact, 2 milliliters is the recommended dosage for all infants aged 1-3 years (5). Of course, the dosage can vary depending on the vitamin you use (for example, Vinco Kids Pediavite says to give ½ tsp to infants, which is a bit over 2 milliliters), so it’s best to follow the recommended multivitamin liquid dose on the bottle or contact the company to ask questions if you aren’t sure.

As far as older kids go (aged 4-12), the dosage is usually around 1 tsp, as in the case of Trace Mineral Kids Liquimins and Pediavite. Mary Ruth’s Liquid Morning Multivitamin comes with a dosing guide, recommending different doses depending on age (½ teaspoon for kids 2-3, ¼ oz or ½ tablespoon for kids 4-10 years old, and 1/2 oz or 1 tablespoon for those aged 11-17 years old. For those who are 18 years of age or older, they recommend 1 oz or 2 tablespoons. 

In spite of how liquid dosages can vary, even if kids get a little bit more than they should, chances are that they’ll be fine. It’s incredibly difficult to overdose on water-soluble vitamins and minerals since they are readily excreted from the body. Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are more likely to cause toxicity issues, since they are stored in the body’s tissues (6). There are four fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamin A, D, E, and K. When looking for a liquid multivitamin, you’re going to want one that doesn’t exceed the UL (Tolerable Intake Levels) for Vitamin A, D, or E. There haven’t been any recorded side effects of taking too much non-synthetic vitamin K, so there is no UL for this nutrient (7). 

Organic Liquid Vitamins

Did we mention that Mary Ruth’s Morning Multivitamins are organic liquid vitamins and that they also contain some minerals such as chromium, zinc, and choline? These make them a great choice of organic liquid vitamins for toddlers as well as adults since it comes with dosage instructions from ages 2 and up. That said, the bottle says that children under 12 should always consult a physician prior to use, so it’s advisable to do so.

Another good organic liquid vitamin for kids (albeit older kids, ages 4-12) is Intrakid 2.0 by Drucker Labs. This organic liquid vitamin contains vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, folate, and biotin. This vitamin is also packed with minerals, such as calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum. This hypoallergenic organic liquid vitamin is raspberry flavored and contains 3 grams of sugar per serving.

If you’re looking for something for babies and toddlers, Garden of Life Baby multivitamin liquid is a nice organic choice. It contains vitamins C, E, and B6 along with folate, zinc, selenium, chromium, and manganese. The serving size is 1 ml and it’s to be added to food or drink rather than administered directly into the child’s mouth. 

For older children and adults, another great organic liquid vitamin choice is Organic Life vitamins, which are raspberry-cranberry flavored and contain 0 sugars. They have vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12, folic acid, magnesium, and zinc. This vitamin includes organic aloe vera and 24 organic veggies, superfruits, and fruits, along with plant-sourced amino acids. It doesn’t contain gluten, GMOs, dairy, egg, wheat, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. This vitamin is a big hit with online reviewers on vitaminshoppe.com, many of whom say that it’s the only vitamin they’ll ever use. 

Best Liquid Multivitamin 

As we stated earlier, despite the fact that vitamins are often divided into categories for age and gender, the right vitamin can be shared with the whole family, making things a whole lot easier when it comes to keeping track of everyone’s vitamins! The best liquid multivitamin will be one that has a pleasant flavor (appealing to the kids), is organic, and contains vitamins and minerals. Essentially, an ideal liquid multivitamin will be an all-in-one solution for the dietary needs of the entire family!

Mary Ruth Organics (already mentioned several times here) is a good liquid multivitamin for seniors and is also one of the best liquid vitamins for bariatric patients since the organic ingredients make them especially easy for the body to metabolize and absorb. Mary Ruth’s Liquid Morning Multivitamin is a good option for athletes as well since it contains B vitamins and vitamin D. Their Liquid Nighttime Multimineral contains calcium as well, and they also sell a liquid iron supplement. 

Curious as to why we were so specific in listing vitamins for athletes? The vitamins that athletes benefit most from are B vitamins, iron, calcium, vitamin D, Coenzyme Q10, and creatine (8). B vitamins are responsible for releasing energy into the body as they aid in the metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins. Female athletes are especially at risk of B vitamin deficiencies (B12, B6, and niacin). Iron deficiency is also common among female athletes. Calcium and vitamin D are responsible for building and maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and muscles, and are essential to help reduce the risk of injuries.

Low coenzyme Q10 is linked to fatigue, and creatine aids in increasing muscle mass and strength, making them both important components of athletic development. The best liquid vitamin for athletes should contain most of these vitamins. If athletes are unable to find these vitamins in an all-in-one solution, there are powdered supplements of creatine monohydrate available, since liquid forms of creatine aren’t as effective (9). As far as Coenzyme Q10 goes, since it’s fat-soluble (10) it’s recommended to be taken with foods (or to use products that combine it with oils). There are liquid versions of it available, including Qunol’s Liquid CoQ10. 

References: 

1. Bhogal, Ramneek. “Are Liquid Vitamins Better than Pills?” DaVinci Laboratories, 26 April 2019, https://blog.davincilabs.com/blog/are-liquid-vitamins-better-than-pills. Accessed 7 May 2021.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Folic Acid.” CDC, April 19 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html#:~:text=Why folic acid is important,and spine (spina bifida). Accessed 7 May 2021.
3. Nature's Best. “When is the Best Time to Take a Multivitamin.” Nature's Best, 22 July 2020, https://www.naturesbest.co.uk/pharmacy/pharmacy-health-library/when-is-the-best-time-to-take-a-multivitamin/. Accessed 16 April 2021.
4. NCBI. Diet and Health: Implications for Reducing Chronic Disease Risk. vol. Chapter 11, Washington DC, National Research Council (US) Committee on Diet and Health, 1989. NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218749/. Accessed 7 May 2021.
5. Drugs.com. “Multivitamin with Minerals Dosage.” Drugs.com, 23 August 2019, https://www.drugs.com/dosage/multivitamin-with-minerals.html#:~:text=Usual Pediatric Dose for Vitamin/Mineral Supplementation&text=11 years or older: 2 capsules orally once daily.&text=oral liquid and-,Antioxidant Multip. Accessed 7 May 2021.
6. Kubala, Jillian. “Can You Overdose on Vitamins?” Healthline, 20 January 2020, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/can-you-overdose-on-vitamins. Accessed 7 May 2021.
7. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. “Vitamin K.” NIH, 29 March 2021, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminK-HealthProfessional/. Accessed 7 May 2021.
8. Hatanaka, Miho. “Vitamins and Supplements for Athletes.” Medical News Today, 29 November 2019, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327166. Accessed 11 May 2021.
9. Tinsley, Grant. “Top 6 Types of Creatine Reviewed.” Healthline, 12 May 2017, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/types-of-creatine. Accessed 11 May 2021.
10. Semeco, Arlene. “9 Benefits of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).” Healthline, 12 October 2017, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coenzyme-q10. Accessed 11 May 2021.