The Best Vitamins for Immune System Support
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.With so many vitamins on the market it’s difficult to know which ones are the best when you’re looking to boost your immunity. These are my recommendations for the best vitamins for immune system support.
Before I had kids, I thought I had the best immune system. I never got sick! After I had kids, it was a totally different story. I was sick all the time. It was ridiculous. There was one year, when Layla was 1-2 years old, that I literally was sick every month. I’d get over some viral plague, and then get sick again.
It was the same for the husband. We were knocked out and miserable. I couldn’t figure out where I was going wrong – I ate well, exercised, but somehow my immune system was a disaster in fighting the germs Layla was bringing into our house!
I realized that lack of sleep post kids and the lack of downtime post kids was likely zapping both my energy and immunity. And so, I decided to do a ton of research to bring in some reinforcements.
(Note: This guide is focused on immunity for adults. Here is a separate guide covering the best immune boosters for kids).
Do Vitamins Really Help With Your Immunity?
Yes, vitamins can help boost your immunity. But there are a lot of really low quality vitamins out there that basically do nothing when you take them. And on top of that, the vitamin and supplements section of the store can be SUPER overwhelming. Most of the time it looks like this:
How Do You Figure Out Which Vitamins Actually Work?
There are hundreds of vitamins on the shelves, all of them with marketing messaging saying that they’re the best. So what are you supposed to do if you need a boost for your immunity, digestive health, or overall health? How are you supposed to know which vitamins are the best and actually work?
That’s where this post comes in. After all of my research, I have been able to narrow down the best daily vitamin regimen for adults to help boost immunity, energy and overall health.
How do I know these are the best vitamins for immune system support?
These vitamins are going to work because they are high quality, come from whole food sources and are easy to absorb in your body.
Even my husband was super skeptical when I put him on this vitamin regimen, but now he swears by it. And he was the most anti-vitamin person of them all!
When I’m coaching clients with young kids, I always put them on this regimen and they always come back with positive results (e.g. “I don’t get sick anymore even when my kids are sick!” “I feel like I have way more energy now!”).
Many of you have come across my best vitamins for kids article, so just think of this as the adult version 🙂 And if you’re looking to boost your child’s immunity, I recommend giving them this whole food multivitamin that includes 12 organic fruits & veggies along with this immunity gummy as well!
What’s Wrong With Most Commercial Vitamins?
- Not food based – most of the cheap, widely available, commercial vitamins derive their vitamins synthetically – they don’t come from food. That means your body can’t absorb them as well. The vitamins I recommend all come from whole food sources, or they are derived naturally (e.g. folic acid or cyanocobalamin derived from bacteria fermenting sugars), which means they act like food would in your body.
- Additives, preservatives, artificial ingredients – I found these ingredients on the labels of some popular vitamin brands: Centrum had: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Pregelatinized Corn Starch, BHT (to retard Oxidation), Gelatin, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Yellow 6 Lake; One a Day had: Microcrystalline Cellulose, FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow #5 (tartrazine) Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Aluminum Lake, Gelatin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose. These preservatives, artificial colors and non-vegetarian friendly ingredients are not ones you want to be taking on a daily basis! Add that to the fact that the actual vitamins in these brands are synthetic and you’ve basically got a totally useless multivitamin on your hands.
What Is The Best Vitamin Regimen For Me?
For people looking for a customized plan to fit your needs, along with vitamins to help with anti-aging and to reduce inflammation, contact me!
For more general recommendations, I usually recommend that people take all these supplements below on a daily basis. At first, it can feel like a lot of vitamins! But it is SO worth it. Some are for immunity, some are for digestive health and some are for overall health. I’ve indicated which vitamins do what below so you can pick and choose, but if you’re ok with taking all of these vitamins each day – I’d take them all!
#1 | Best Multivitamins for Your Immune System
See below for specific vitamins for men and women
All of these multivitamins are made from whole food sources so it’s super easy to absorb, and have a gentle form of iron that won’t irritate your stomach. Choose one of the following below.
Vitamins For Women:
- Ritual Essentials for Women 18+, 2 tablets a day. I absolutely love Ritual vitamins. They are one of the few clinically-backed multivitamins for women 18-49 formulated specifically to help fill the nutrient gaps in your diet. (In a clinical trial over 12 weeks, their Essential Multivitamin for Women increased vitamin D levels by 43% with no change for placebo; and increased Omega-3 DHA by 41% with no change for placebo). Ritual takes a food-first approach to their multivitamins, giving you the exact amounts of the nutrients you need that you likely aren’t getting through your diet alone. They are also completely transparent – they share sources, studies, and suppliers — their multivitamin is Made Traceable™ with the first visible supply chain of its kind. They have a separate multivitamin for women 50+, a prenatal vitamin, and a postnatal vitamin as well.
- Passion 4 Life Multivitamin, liquid vitamin. This high potency liquid multivitamin is great for anyone who has trouble swallowing capsules or wants a super comprehensive vitamin designed to boost immunity and overall health. It’s sugar free, gluten free, and made with 135 all natural whole food based ingredients!
- Performance Lab Whole Food Multivitamin, 4 tablets a day. This vitamin contains 17+ essential daily vitamins + minerals that are bioavailable and absorb easily. They are vegan, allergen-free, gluten-free, non GMO, and super clean from an ingredients standpoint. This is a great all-around vitamin! They also have an ongoing buy 3 get 1 free offer (so if you buy 3 bottles, you get 1 free!)
- Garden of Life Prenatal Multivitamin, 3 tablets a day. Even though Garden of Life is a prenatal, it’s actually great for non-pregnant women because the combination of vitamins/herbs are more beneficial than the regular women’s once daily. (Note: If you are pregnant, check with your OBGYN to make sure they are comfortable with you taking this prenatal – it contains holy basil which some OB’s recommend avoiding during pregnancy. I took this prenatal with both of my pregnancies and had no issues, but if you are pregnant, make sure your OB is ok with this prenatal before taking it)
- Naturelo Whole Food Multivitamin, 4 tablets a day. It contains a high dose of magnesium so if you are sensitive to that it’s best to avoid this brand.
- Mary Ruth’s liquid vitamin (for anyone who can’t swallow pills). This is a good option for those who do not like swallowing pills. It’s also a good all around vitamin for the family as it can be taken by women, men, and children. Just adjust the dosage based on who in the family is taking it.
Vitamins For Men:
These are great for the same reason as the women’s vitamins – for just overall health and energy, but also makes sure you’re getting the proper nutrients to boost your immunity!
- Performance Lab Multivitamin for Men, 4 tablets a day. This is my top pick for a men’s vitamin. It contains 17+ essential daily vitamins + minerals with food cofactors for optimal absorption. It’s a highly bioavailable vitamin calibrated for men’s specific nutritional needs. It’s also vegan, allergen-free, gluten-free, non GMO, and super clean from an ingredients standpoint. They also have an ongoing buy 3 get 1 free offer (so if you buy 3 bottles, you get 1 free!)
- Ritual Vitamins for Men, 2 tablets a day. Ritual is an awesome option for men who eat well and are looking for a vitamin to fill the nutrient gaps in their diets. Essential for Men is Made Traceable™ with a visible supply chain so you know what you’re putting in your body. Essentials for Men contains 10 key vitamins and nutrients in a highly bioavailable form designed for easy absorption. They have a separate multivitamin for Men 50+ as well!
- Garden of Life Men’s Once Daily Multivitamin, 1 tablet a day. This vitamin is specially formulated for men with prostate support in mind. It’s made from nutritious and organic whole foods and is a good option if you only want to take one vitamin a day.
- Naturelo Whole Food Multivitamin for Men, 4 tablets a day. Naturelo has a Once Daily and the Whole Food. I recommend the Whole Food which is 4 tablets a day. It contains an organic fruit and vegetable blend, probiotic blend, energy blend, and brain, heart, and eye health blend. Just like the women’s vitamin, it has a high dose of magnesium so wouldn’t be a good option for people sensitive to magnesium.
- Mary Ruth’s liquid vitamin (for anyone who can’t swallow pills)
#2 | Best Vitamins for Immune System: Vitamin C
The three vitamin C supplements below all have different benefits. I like to combine them to get comprehensive immune boost, but you can pick one, two, or all of these to take daily:
- Solaray Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids, 1-2 tablets a day
- Liposomal Vitamin C, 1-2 tablets a day
- 1 tablet of C-Lyte daily.
This is for all adults who need an immune boost. The bioflavonoids in both Solaray and C-Lyte help you to absorb the vitamin C better, and liposomal Vitamin C is a fat-soluble version of vitamin C that is highly bioavailable when taken with food. All 3 of these vitamins contain different forms of Vitamin C and different bioflavonoids – so I like taking them together to get that FULL immune boost!
#3 | Best Vitamins for Immune System: Vitamin D
Jarrow Vitamin D3 1000IU, 1 tablet a day is the one to get here. There are actually a lot of good Vitamin D3 brands out there, but I like Jarrow because it’s a reputable brand, the Vitamin D3 bottle isn’t too expensive, and the capsule doesn’t have any random ingredients added to it. This is for all adults who want to boost immunity and overall health – most of us don’t get enough Vitamin D and it’s really beneficial and necessary for our bodies!
#4 | Best Vitamins for Immunity: Turmeric with Curcumin Supplement
Naturo Sciences, 1 tablet a day or Truvani, 1 tablet a day. This is another area where there are a lot of brands with turmeric & curcumin – I like these two because they have black pepper and ginger added, it’s affordable, and it’s non-GMO (no random ingredients added). Turmeric with Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant with a number of health benefits (listed here). This is for all adults, to help with immunity and to reduce inflammation in the body.
#5 | Best Vitamins for Immune System: Fish Oil
Nordic Naturals, Ultimate Omega, 2 tablets a day. Nordic Naturals is my favorite fish oil brand: it’s all natural, non-GMO, nothing chemical added. Their fish oil is pure so you don’t get those “fishy burps” after taking it. And fish oil is great for all adults to take for heart health and cholesterol, reducing inflammation, and brain health.
#6 | Best Probiotic For Immunity
Garden of Life Once Daily Ultra, 1 tablet a day. I absolutely love Garden of Life’s probiotics. This one in particular, is excellent for immunity. Most of your immunity starts in your gut, so having a strong gut is essential to helping you to not get sick. The best probiotics have these strains in them (which are the most beneficial): L.Plantarum, L.Acidophilus, L.Brevis, B.Lactis, B.Longum – and Garden of Life fits the bill here. For anyone looking to improve immunity or gut health, this one is for you. If you need a probiotic that you can take with you on the go that doesn’t need refrigeration, I recommend this one for men, this one for women, and this one for pregnant women!
#7 | Best Immune Booster
Better Way Health Beta Glucan. This little capsule is seriously amazing. I’m convinced this is what has helped me to fight off virus after virus that my kids have brought into the house this winter! It’s pure beta-glucan – and uses scientifically backed immune-health-supporting compounds to help prime, strengthen, and balance the immune system for better overall health. It’s also completely free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and is dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, kosher and vegetarian. If you buy just ONE thing to boost your immunity, get this and take it every day.
For those of you looking for a great multivitamin, or a daily vitamin regimen to help boost immunity and overall health, I hope this post helps you navigate the crazy world of vitamins and supplements out there!
Hi! What can you say about Hyperbiotics probiotics? Thanks!
Hi Pat! So essentially, when evaluating a probiotic, you want to make sure that the capsule won’t be destroyed by stomach acid, and that it contains these 5 strains (at the very least) of probiotics: L. Plantarum, L. Acidophilus, L. Brevis, B. Lactis, B. Longum. Hyperbiotics PRO 15 looks like it has all of these except L. Brevis. But the Garden of Life one that I recommend has all of these and it has a greater volume of probiotics (90 billion vs. 15 billion) – so I’d still recommend Garden of Life over Hyperbiotics. Hope that helps!
Hi Anjali –
I have some autoimmune issues which have in turn caused me to have some liver issues. Can you recommend vitamins that would be easy on the liver, but perhaps help it as well? I am concerned about the vitamins that have such large doses of the individual vitamins and if they are harmful to the liver. Thanks in advance!
Hi Brenda! This is actually a better question for your doctor than for me! What I would do is take the ingredients label of Garden of Life to your doctor and ask them what their opinion is about you taking this particular vitamin. You can always take a smaller-than-recommended dose (which again, is something your doctor can advise you on!) Hope that helps!
Hello,
I would like to ask about a good multivitamin for my self, and my mum. I am 32 years, a mum and ever since i was breastfeeding, my hair is falling and my nails are always cracking, and am always exhausted. i tried Centrum, but i don’t feel any changes (i have a sensitive stomach). As for my mum she is 65 , and i want a good multivitamin for her ( she is taking medicines for her irregular blood pressure)
thank u :))
Hi Nashwa! For something basic, I’d actually recommend the Garden of Life vitamin for both of you! But if you’re looking for something that’s more of a rejuvenation and recovery system (which it sounds like you might need something a little more intensive) – I have a few other things I can recommend via a specialty line of supplements! Let me know if you’re interested (you can contact me at pickyeats@gmail.com if so)!
Hi Anjali,
Thanks for putting up with such a great list. I was a bit concerned about the Nestle-Garden of Life partnership which as per many people would surely dilute the quality of the products?
What is your take on this, should be stop trusting the GOL products?
Hi! To your question – I agree – I don’t love that all of the smaller organic companies are being bought out by all of the big manufacturers – but this is just the nature of the market now I guess. There are very few organic companies left that are still independent! It’s unfortunate, but just is what it is. That said, with Garden of Life – the ingredients in their vitamins actually haven’t changed, and I believe their values haven’t changed as well. So far, the partnership with Nestle hasn’t diluted the quality of their products as far as I can tell. Until I notice a difference in the ingredients and/or quality of their vitamins I will continue to feel ok about their brand and vitamins! Personally, I still take them and give them to my children as well.
Hello, could you say that whether pregnancy is related to excessive hair loss?
Hi Priya, it is very common to have excessive hair loss after pregnancy due to the shift in hormones but luckily it’s just temporary! Things even out after a few months of hair loss (and don’t worry – it all grows back 🙂 ).
Do you recommend any vitamins for hair re growth? Thank you so much for this post.
Biotin and B Complex Vitamins are great for hair growth!
Hello. I have to take a B-complex vitamin and prescription vitamin D. Since I take those which of the above mentioned vitamins should I leave out of the regimen? Thanks
I’d leave out the Vitamin D supplement from the regimen but the rest should be ok to take (but I would double check with your doctor too!)
Have you taken a look at the new whole food costco vitamins?? What do you think of those?
Hi Leah! I haven’t seen them actually (I don’t have a costco membership 🙂 ). If you can email me a picture of the label I can tell you what I think! (pickyeats@gmail.com) Thanks!
Great! Thank you! I finally got a pic of them and emailed you.
Just replied to your email! In short, I think they look pretty good! 🙂 They do have maltodextrin and palm oil which aren’t great, but the amount of those ingredients included is <2% of the total ingredients, so in the grand scheme of things I think they are a decent substitute for the garden of life vitamins from an affordability standpoint (because I’m sure they are cheaper!)
I just purchased the Garden of Life prenatals and saw that you recommend three tablets a day? Should I start out slowly or can I do three right away? If I’m budget conscious, can I do one a day for now? Thanks!
Hi Kelly! So yes, the Garden of Life prenatal (that isn’t the once-a-day version) is a 3-a-day dose (to get the full amount of the vitamins). If you’re trying to stretch your budget, you can definitely take just 2 or 1 a day (you just won’t get the full dose of the vitamins, but some is better than none!). But if you are going to do 3 tablets a day, you don’t have to slowly increase the amount – starting with 3 is completely fine! Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hello, could you say that whether pregnancy is related to excessive hair loss? If yes, will your multivitamins be of any help?
Hi Sharita! It is very common to lose a lot of hair after you give birth due to the hormonal shifts. The prenatal I recommend in this post will help with that!
Hey there-
You have some great information here! Curious why doTERRA‘s Life Long Vitality Pack didn’t make the list? It’s a great vitamin!
Hi Jen! I agree actually that doTERRA’s Life Long Vitality Pack is a good option! I didn’t add it here because you can’t purchase it unless you go through their MLM – or know someone who sells it for them – which I don’t love. There’s no way to just easily buy it online!
Hello is there vitamins for anti aging…i think I saw some 9n garden of life and country life for anti aging…there is also a multi collagen your thoughts on any good ones…also are there vitaims or herbs for gingivitis..thanks
Hi Maria! Yes Garden of Life does have a great collagen supplement (it’s really for healthy skin/hair/nails which can make you look more vibrant/younger overall!) The link for the Garden of Life supplement is here. It has great ingredients so I would recommend it. For gingivitis, calcium, Vitamin D, potassium, vitamin K, C and A are all beneficial — and the Garden of Life prenatal has all of those included – so I would recommend that! Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Anjali,
I had a look at the ingredients of the Garden of Life prenatal you recommend, and amongst the vast array of herbs it contains is holy basil, or tulsi, an herb often taken in India to induce miscarriage. This is concerning to have in a prenatal vitamin which is intended to be taken by pregnant women. It also contains a plethora of other herbs and vegetable extracts that may be contraindicated during pregnancy. Has any actual thought been put into the herbs they included or did they simply include every “healthy” sounding extract they could think of to boost sales at the detriment of pregnant women and their developing fetuses? Not to mention the amount of heavy metal contamination often found in extracts and supplements in general.
Many thanks,
Jen
Hi Jen! Good questions! Regarding the heavy metal contamination in supplements – this is a concern when it comes to all vitamins, not just this particular brand; and in fact, organic supplements usually have a lower risk of heavy metals than non-organic ones. You can see more info about Garden of Life’s heavy metals testing here. Regarding your concern about holy basil (or tulsi) – it’s actually not taken to induce miscarriage in India, BUT the research on it is still unclear. This is what I’ve found regarding holy basil during pregnancy: “Consumption of Tulsi can precipitate contractions of the uterus, and because studies are unclear on the subject, some doctors tell pregnant and lactating mothers to completely avoid the herb.” I took this particular prenatal with both of my pregnancies and had absolutely no issues though, so it could be that the concentration of holy basil in the vitamin isn’t high enough to be concerning. That being said, I do recommend that all pregnant women check with their OB before starting any off-the-shelf prenatal to make sure their OB is comfortable with them taking it. I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Anjali!
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I am always on the look out for better supplements and was hoping Garden of Life could be one of them. I did look into their heavy metal testing. As of 2018, the Clean Label Project found that their protein powder scored amongst the 5 worst for heavy metals. Though they did not test their prenatal supplement, this is extremely disappointing for a company that claims to test its products for heavy metals. It’s up to us as consumers to place pressure on supplement manufacturers for greater transparency and to find better options. I will continue following your blog in hopes of finding a better alternative.
Jen
Hi Jen! No problem at all! I’m familiar with that study about the protein powders – and I think the issue of heavy metals is actually a lot more common in plant based protein powders because of the correlation between heavy metals and grains/legumes (e.g. brown rice + arsenic). I have been on the lookout for additional info about their vitamins and haven’t found anything alarming (both pre and post acquisition!) I still take the Garden of Life prenatals daily – but I’ll definitely keep this post updated if new information comes to light and/or I end up switching my own daily regimen to a different brand!
Hello! I have a few other questions!
1-the turmeric supplement link isn’t working so was wondering if there was something in place of that you suggest.
2-we recently purchased these and was wondering what you thought of them! Garden of life mykind organic vitamin D3 2000 IU and Truly Natural Vitamin C and Gaia Enchinacea Supreme. We got these to use as an immune boost when we felt like we were getting ill.
Hi Leah! I just replied to your other comment 🙂 Thanks for the heads up about the turmeric link! Here is the one I’d recommend in its place (I updated the post as well). The Vitamin D3 you listed looks good! It does have maltodextrin but the rest of the ingredients are great, so I’d say it’s ok. The Truly Natural Vitamin C I’d say isn’t as good as the one I listed in my post because it doesn’t have the bioflavonoids that assist with absorption of the Vitamin C! So I’d recommend the one in my post. The Gaia Herbs Echinacea Supreme looks great! 🙂
Thank you!! So, it would be my husband and I doing this together and the fish oils is 2 a day so thats 4 total for us making it almost $43 for us just in fish oil 🙁 I thought about skipping this one all together, but maybe you know of another that is a little more cost friendly??
Hi Leah! So happy to hear that you and your husband are doing this together! Nordic Naturals is more expensive but that’s because their fish oil is high quality and isn’t rancid (the unfortunate thing is, when you get to cheaper fish oils, the oils are often rancid/low quality and give you “fish burps” – not fun! And the fish oil isn’t as well absorbed so it’s not as beneficial). So instead of choosing a cheaper version, I’d recommend just taking 1 a day each so you can make it last longer! I’d go for higher quality but less quantity of fish oil each day vs. a lower quality but higher quantity each day if that makes sense!
Hello. I have to take a B-complex vitamin and prescription vitamin D. Since I take those which of the above mentioned vitamins should I leave out of the regimen? Thanks
Hi! Given that, I wouldn’t take the Vitamin D supplement I list. The rest should be fine, since B vitamins are water soluble, even if you get a little more of them than you need, your body won’t absorb any extra so it will likely be fine. I would just double check with your doctor though since you are on the prescription Vitamin D to make sure they are comfortable with you taking these other vitamins in addition to it!
The fish oil link no longer works! Is there another you suggest?
Hi Leah! I just tested it and the link worked for me! Can you try it again? Here is the link. Let me know if you can access it, thanks!
I am so sorry. Not the fish oil, the turmeric one. 🙁
Oh! Turns out now Natureo Sciences only sells it in a 3 pack but not individual bottles – I still like Natureo Sciences, but if you want an individual bottle instead of a bulk pack, FineVine is just as good!
Oh awesome! What is the link to the original one?? I noticed its no longer listed .
Oh! Looks like they put the one-pack back on Amazon (yay!) Here is the link to the original, and I’ve updated the post as well so now both links are there 🙂
What do you think about this Vitamin C?
https://www.livonlabs.com/cgi-bin/start.cgi/liposome-encapsulated/lypo-spheric-vitamin-c.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwwdTbBRAIEiwAYQf_E5BqKAEZ51FDSfjHbEnrJvWy38rFepdu7ftrNbl4SryrqLWB6zTMqxoCoQoQAvD_BwE
And this probiotic?
https://drtobias.net/our-products/product-detail-deep-immune/
Hi Steph! Regarding the probiotic – that one is not as good as the one on my list because it only has 2 of the 5 best strains of probiotics, and it has maltodextrin in the “other ingredients” listed. Also it’s only ~4B vs. 90B in terms of the quantity of probiotics in each capsule! Regarding the Vitamin C, I also wouldn’t recommend that one because the source of the vitamin C isn’t as beneficial as the one in my post which is derived from multiple natural sources vs. a synthetic source; and it has no bioflavonoids added which are critical to helping you absorb and use the vitamin C efficiently in your body! Hope that helps, let me me know if you have any other questions!
Do you recommend any vitamins for hair re growth? Thank you so much for this post.
Hi Hely! Yes there are a few that I like! The main vitamin for hair growth is biotin – but there are a few different supplements that all have good quality biotin in addition to other vitamins that help grow hair (and promote healthy skin and nails!). They are: 1) Hair Anew, 2) Garden of Life, 3) Pure Encapsulations. Any of these should work well – if you’re already taking a multivitamin, I’d just pick the one that doesn’t overlap too much with the vitamins you’re already taking that are fat-soluble (A, E, K) to avoid overdoing it on those particular vitamins! Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
what about b12? its not one of your top 6 to take? is it not necessary or already in a multivitamin you recommended above?
Hi Susie! B12 is definitely important! It’s already included in the Garden of Life multivitamin that I recommend 🙂 – it’s 500% the daily value so plenty for what your body needs, and it’s the right type of B12 (methylcobalamin) so it’s easily absorbed by the body. Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Nice and an informative article!
Thank you! So glad you found it helpful!