Phew! Everything you ever needed to know about vegan vitamins! Which ones do you need? Which brands can you trust? Learn the brand we entirely fell in love with and trust with almost ALL of our vegan vitamins and supplements!
**This post may contain affiliate links, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you, these are all products I recommend, I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified or personally used.**
So you’ve decided to take the plunge into veganism! Congratulations! In your journey maybe you’ve realized the vitamins you’ve been taking aren’t following suit with vegan guidelines and contain some non-vegan ingredients. What vegan vitamins should you take?
We’re going to break this down nice and easy for you! BECAUSE veganism is the healthiest lifestyle you can lead you’ll learn quickly as long as you’re eating a wide variety of whole plant-based ingredients, you actually won’t NEED a ton of extra vitamin supplements.
But, there definitely are some vitamins that vegans with even the healthiest of plant-based diets still have to take!
**This post may contain affiliate links, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you, these are all products I recommend, I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified or personally used.**
Vegan Vitamins Every Vegan Should Be Taking
Vitamin B12
B12 is actually the one single vitamin that you can’t get from a vegan diet because all sources of the vitamin are only found in animal-based foods.
B12 is responsible for protein metabolism, energy regulation, plays a major role in your nervous system and even forming of red blood cells! Vegans and vegetarians are at a huge risk for being deficient in B12 due to the lack of the vitamin in plant-based sources.
The RDA for B12 is 2.4 mcg for adults, 2.6 mcg during pregnancy, and 2.8 mcg while breastfeeding.
When I first started B12 as a vegan my energy was the first thing I noticed that drastically improved. I ALWAYS need a coffee around 2-3 pm. My co-workers joke all the time that I’m conditioned like Rainman because the 2-3pm window is SO crucial for me.
I was able to FLEX my Rainman window for coffee by a few hours because of the B12! I without a doubt had more energy! It was wonderful!
The other huge improvement I noticed personally was in my mood. My mood was SO much more stabilized throughout the day. Don’t get me wrong, a bad day is a bad day and we absolutely all have them, but I was having less of them due to my mood being stabilized.
Symptoms Of A B12 Deficiency
- Overall weakness, lightheadedness
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Vision loss
- A smooth tongue
- Behavioral changes, memory loss
- Constipation, diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
The Best Vegan B12 Supplements
Mary Ruths Vegan D3 & B12 Gummies – The BEST of the best. My personal favorite – tried and true. This is the brand I stick with for everything for the most part unless I need something they don’t offer like iodine! The other’s I’ve listed because I tried them before discovering Mary Ruth’s! But, I LOVE this brand. Like, LOVE. It’s a mother-daughter run business which let’s go here FEMPIRE how f*cking badass is that EVERYTHING they create is vegan and cruelty-free, stellar customer service, and truly incredible products at great GREAT prices. They absolutely rock. I HATE taking pills and borderline actually can’t take them at all. These gummies are the best. They taste great, and they WORK. I’ve used these myself for probably 3 years now. I swear by these! And a total bonus, but the extra D3 is a nice addition! I’ve always been back and forth deficient in vitamin D! This is a STAPLE in my house!!! I NEVER let this run out!
Megafood Vegan B12– These were the first vegan B12 supplements that I tried. Total honesty here – the pills were HUGE and I was petrified of them. BUT, I did crush them up and take them with food so I’m not entirely sure if I used them the way they were intended to be used but I still noticed the effects of my energy and mood improving. Before I could finish the bottle I purchased the Mary Ruth’s gummies (mentioned first). These are great because the brand is super well known! So you won’t have an issue finding this in your local health food store if it’s desperate and you don’t have a couple of days to spare for Prime!
Mary Ruth’s Methyl B12 Spray- This one we just tried recently for the first time and we loved it! I’m truly not sure which one I’ll stick with between the gummies and the spray. I truly enjoy them both! It’s by the same kick-ass company that I’m wholeheartedly in LOVE with. It’s 3,000 mcg’s which packs a punch. You don’t have to refrigerate this spray either which makes it super convenient for traveling! The energy increase when you start taking these is absolutely nuts. I take my B12 in the morning before work or before doing anything for the day and I find myself bouncing with energy throughout the day! It’s wonderful!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is another huge worldwide popular deficiency. I’ve always been notorious for having vitamin D deficiencies which is why I stick with the Mary Ruth’s gummies for B12 & D3.
Vitamin D plays a hugeeee role in the body! That little vitamin is what controls the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in our bodies! So when we rob ourselves of that – we’re actually on a path to many other health issues that we don’t even realize.
Most people are vitamin D deficient at some point during their lives.
The recommended dosage is a minimum of 1,000 IU’s a day to maintain proper blood level requirements. It’s been shown to be beneficial to take anywhere from 1,000 IU’s-4,000 IU’s per day! No more than 4,000 per day without a doctors assistance.
Many are more susceptible to the deficiency because they may have darker skin tones, or are elderly, or may live in a northern climate where they’re not getting outside in the sun all that often.
Not many foods actually contain vitamin D (which will explain the worldwide spread of the deficiency) and many of the foods that DO contain vitamin D aren’t enough to satisfy the daily requirements to keep our bodies working properly.
The only way to learn if you’re vitamin D deficient is by getting a blood test!
Symptoms Of A Vitamin D Deficiency
- Fatigue
- Experiencing sickness often
- Depression
- Backpain
- Slow wound healing
- Hair loss
- Muscle pain
The Best Vegan Vitamin D Supplements
Mary Ruth Organics Vitamin D3 Gummies– Again with this brand, they do no wrong. NO wrong! This is 1,000 IU’s of straight vitamin D3 by itself without the addition of B12. Though both forms contain 1,000 IU’s – I typically go with the D3 + B12 just for convenience! If I need more IU’s (I used to be extremely deficient – then I would order this one also and take a combined total 2,000 IU’s) Great product to have in the medicine cabinet!
Mary Ruth Organics – Vitamin B12 and D3 gummies – We just gushed about these in the first section above! They’re our FAVORITE’S and our most tried and true. I debated including this here because the IU’s of D3 The gummies have been perfect for maintaining my levels! It’s amazing. My lab work has been normal, I’ve lost the weight I needed to lose, and I balanced my hypothyroidism and no longer need a hormone supplement. Read my full vegan story HERE. Bottom line – I truly cannot recommend these vitamins or this brand enough. You must must give them a try. You won’t regret it!
mykind Organics Vegan D3 – The beautiful Alicia Silverstone is the creator and owner of this brand. This particular vitamin comes in a liquid spray form and has a really pleasant vanilla flavor. It’s super easy to use and advertised kid-friendly as well! If you’ve never used a spray before I totally recommend giving this one a shot! It absolutely worked for me!
Iodine
This one is a home hitter for me. I first went vegan because of hypothyroidism and ultimately that’s what helped me the most. Iodine plays a huge factor in thyroid health.
Iodine deficiency is very common in vegans because in plant-based foods location is key. The iodine is measured in the soil rather than the food itself. Foods near the ocean are the best sources of iodine! Think seaweed!
Most of us as vegans aren’t eating seaweed daily and therefore we should be looking into something a little more dependable such as a supplement.
Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency
- Swelling in the front of the neck (enlarged thyroid)
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Dry skin
- Hair loss
- Feeling cold
- Difficulty learning or remembering
- Heart rate changes
- Irregular periods
Best Vegan Iodine Vitamins
Benevolent Nourishment Liquid Iodine- This is the supplement I take personally. I find that it helps keep my thyroid on track, keeps my energy up throughout the day, and definitely has helped me with inner temperature. I was freezing ALL the time and this has helped tremendously. This has a dropper and allows you to mix into your beverage of choice so no anxiety about swallowing huge pills! WIN.
Yuve Natural Organic Sea Kelp Supplement- These are in tablet form rather than liquid form. In case you guys haven’t noticed I’m a HUGE fan of liquid supplements to avoid the pill swallowing ordeal. So, I’ve never used these myself but after researching and reading many reviews chose to recommend it for a pill alternative for you guys. These are clearly labeled vegan, and are great for kids too!
Calcium
Most studies will agree that vegans tend to not get an adequate amount of calcium from just their diet alone. Vegan’s will tend to argue with an overly common line and say, “we don’t have as much of a need for calcium because we’re not using it to neutralize the acidity from a meat-based diet”
The proof isn’t there just yet to back that statement up. So the RDA for calcium in adults is 1,000 mg daily.
Plant-based sources of calcium include dark leafy greens such as kale, watercress, bok choy, and mustard greens. Also broccoli, chickpeas, and fortified plant milks.
Symptoms of A Calcium Deficiency
- Muscle spasms
- Confusion & memory loss
- Numbness and tingling in hands and feet
- Brittle nails
- Hallucinations
The Best Vegan Calcium Vitamins
Mary Ruth’s K2 + D3 Calcium Gummies – Ya’ll I’m done ranting and raving about this company. They’re my f*cking favorite. We get it. They have a synergistic blend of vitamin K2 and D3 to form their calcium vitamin. Comes in a variety bottle of peach, mango, and apricot. All SO yummy. One of the first-ever D3 supplements formulated without lanolin. Aka – lamb wool fat. Mary Ruth’s KNOWS that the best way for our bodies to absorb calcium is to work synergistically with K2 and D3. Tellin’ you – they’re genius! Only way to understand me – is to try em for yourself!
Garden of Life mykind Organic Plant Calcium- With 800 mg of plant-based calcium derived from organic algae, this supplement is our top choice. We trust this brand and always have though we don’t personally take calcium supplements currently if we ever were to – this is the brand we would use. Reviewers say the tablets are small and easy to swallow (which is ALWAYS a relief – c-mon’ it’s not just me) Extra bonus of some vitamin D in there as well which always pairs well for absorption with calcium!
EZ Melts Calcium With Vegan D3 & Magnesium- These come in tablet form rather than a liquid. They’re entirely sugar-free. Each tablet is 500 mg, so the recommended dosage would be two tablets daily to meet the RDA of 1,000 per day. This has a strawberry smoothie flavor and a nice vegan label right across the front which we always love to see for reassurance! If you’re a tablet over a liquid person we would recommend these!
Zinc
Not all vegans will be deficient in zinc. Before you add this to your supplement regime make sure you talk to your health care provider to team up and decide what the best supplements for you are!
Zinc is responsible for alot in our bodies. Proper immune health, metabolism health, and the healthy function of cell turnover in our bodies.
Quite a few popular vegan foods contain zinc (which is why many vegans do not have this deficiency) such as whole wheat, whole grains, tofu, tempeh, sprouted breads, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Eating a variety of these foods will provide overall health and plenty of zinc.
The RDA for zinc is 8-9 mg per day for adults, 11-12 mg for pregnant women, and 12-13 mg during breastfeeding.
Do try to increase the zinc-containing plant-based foods FIRST if you’re worried you may be deficient before turning to a zinc supplement.
Symptoms Of A Vitamin Zinc Deficiency
- Skin, hair, nails – dry, brittle, acne, breakouts
- Mouth sores & oral ulcerations
- Low immunity
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
The Best Vegan Zinc Supplements
Mary Ruth’s Immune Boost Supplement – This stuff is LIFE in the wintertime here in NE. I never run out of this during flu and cold season! We haven’t been sick in QUITE some time. My full-time job is a hairstylist, and Lynn’s a teacher. Both of us are exposed to TONS of people with TONS of germs. We use this sh*t like armor in the wintertime! Works like a CHARM. And if we DO get sick – max 2 days and it’s gone. FULLY thanks to this product. It’s blended with vitamin c, elderberry, and echinacea. So the blend of ingredients makes this less intense for our bodies and allows for more powerful prevention of illnesses! Shocked? Nah, we didn’t think so.
Megafood Zinc Supplement– This is the only vegan FULLY zinc supplement we’re listing because it’s the only one we’ve personally used. Zinc is a very touchy supplement and can often alter how you’re feeling throughout the day. So again, BEFORE taking this make sure you check with your health care provider that it’s suitable for your body’s needs.
The BEST Vegan MULTI Vitamins You’ll EVER Try!
So here’s the low down on vegan multi’s! Do you need one? Should you be taking one? Let’s find out.
When I first went vegan I knew I needed B12 but to be honest I wasn’t sure what else I needed. I wanted to get as much nutrition as I could with my plant-based diet. So I only used B12 for a really long time.
One guess the brand I turned to guys –
In case you haven’t picked up how much we LOVE this double woman powered VEGAN company – let us TELL YOU NOW! We LOVE them and most importantly we trust them!
I knew I had to check there first for my vegan multivitamin.
In my research, I found something weird but INGENIUS.
They make one for the morning AND one for the evening. We’ll get to that in a minute.
I have the most energy I’ve EVER had in my life since taking this multi. It’ a liquid form with a raspberry flavor – TRULY isn’t bad. I’m a freakish texture person and I literally don’t drink anything other than coffee, and water normally. Sometimes tea.
But this flavor is enjoyable and doesn’t make you want to puke every time you take it like some liquid vitamins or supplements do.
An adult serving size is 1 tbsp.
This sh*t is MAGIC. Liquid vegan gold. Energy in a bottle. Glowing skin in a bottle. No more belly aches and weird poop problems in a bottle. EVERY single vegan should gift themselves with this! It’s never NOT in our fridge!
Mary Ruth’s Vegan Multi Liquid Morning Vitamin
When I saw Mary Ruth’s multivitamin option I knew I had to try it. I have trusted her for years with my B12 and D3 and I just entirely trust this brand. It’s a mother-daughter run brand – I mean, how COOL!
I now have this in my fridge at ALL times. It’s amazing. It’s like liquid plant-based fuel. You guys have to give it a shot. Even if you’re not vegan, it’s still amazing. The energy you’ll experience is so awesome.
I’ve loved liquid vitamins for years. They’re easier to take, quicker to work, and SO perfect for someone who HATES taking pills! AND THE GLOW this brings to your skin, your body, your mood, your mind. Just glow, baby, glow.
Benefits of Mary Ruth’s Vegan Morning Liquid Vitamins
- Hair, skin, nails, rejuvenated!
- Energy GALORE
- Better digestion
- Mood BOOSTER
- Mental clarity
Contains: Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B12 (methylcobalamin), Folate, C, D3 (Vegan), E, Biotin, Choline, Zinc, Copper, Chromium, TMG, Hesperidin, OptiMSM, Trace Minerals, Amino Acids
Trust us when we say – this stuff is LIFE. Both Lynn and I feel a huge difference when we’re not taking this (if we ever run out entirely). If you’re a vegan do yourself a HUGE solid and try this multi!
Mary Ruth’s Nighttime Liquid Multi Minerals
A vegan stress and sleep aid THAT WORKS! I’ve always been lucky and haven’t had many sleep issues. My beautiful girlfriend, on the other hand, struggles a-lot with getting a solid nights sleep. She tosses and turns and has a super hard time shutting her brain off at night.
UNTIL she tried this. I won’t lie and say this is a staple in our house because it’s not. When we have some extra cash around, or if she’s really struggling to sleep, I’ll grab a bottle of this magical stuff and it always does the trick!
I’ve noticed it the most in my mood. I find my mood to be a lot more passive and calm after taking this for a few consecutive nights. It’s totally interesting, and whenever we have the extra finances for it – I always love having it in the house!
Benefits of Mary Ruth’s Nighttime Liquid Multi Minerals
- Stress reducer
- Sleep aid
- Helps with cramping, aches, and pains
- Mood enhancing
- Supports healthy bones and joint tissues
- Calm mind and body
If you’re someone struggling with getting the adequate sleep you need please do yourself a solid and give this a shot! It helped my girl, and we know it will help you too!
*They also have a vegan EXTRA STRENGTH nigghttime multi mineral!*
We haven’t tried that one! But we’ve NEVER had anything that “didn’t work” or didn’t show us crazy results and we have no doubt that this wouldn’t fail you if you REALLY are a bad snoozer!
The Gist Of The Vegan Vitamins!
So take home message – check in with your doc, run some labs and see where you’re at solely on a plant-based diet!
Nothing wrong at all with implementing a multivitamin and B12 to start before you check-in!
But if you’re like me and you want to limit the number of vegan vitamins you’re taking be sure to eat a WIDE variety of whole foods, grains, and plant-based foods!
And the supplements you DO take – the first and best prize winner is always and forever Mary Ruth Organics. We encourage you to read their story – its so inspiring and amazing, we just loved it. We trust them, they’re products genuinely work, they’re girl-powered, cost-effective, VEGAN, and incredible. Everyone would benefit from adding some MRO in their lives. Trust us – you’ll glow.
We hope this article helped you guys! What are some of your favorite vegan vitamins and supplements?!