Quick Answers
It is generally okay to take different brands of vitamins, as long as you pay attention to the vitamin and mineral forms, dosages and your overall daily intake. Most reputable brands formulate their vitamins to meet daily intake recommendations. However, taking more than one multivitamin or combining high doses of certain vitamins can lead to toxicity. It’s best to consult your doctor or pharmacist if you plan to switch brands or take vitamins from different brands.
With so many vitamin brands on the market, you may wonder if it’s okay to take vitamins from different brands or combine them in your supplement regimen. This is a common question, as the vitamin aisle at pharmacies and health food stores has exploded with options over the years. With catchy names and health claims on their labels, it can be tempting to grab a few different brands to cover all your bases. But is this safe or effective?
As with most nutrition-related questions, the answer depends on the specific circumstances. In some cases, taking different vitamin brands is perfectly fine and even beneficial. In other cases, it can actually be harmful. Below is a detailed look at the pros and cons, safety considerations and helpful tips regarding mixing and matching vitamin brands.
Assessing Vitamin Forms and Dosages
When determining if it’s okay to take different vitamin brands, one of the most important things to compare is the specific forms of vitamins and minerals used as well as the dosages they provide.
Vitamin Forms
There are many different forms of each vitamin. For example, vitamin E may be listed on the label as d-alpha tocopherol, dl-alpha tocopherol, or mixed tocopherols. While these are all forms of vitamin E, they have different potencies and may affect the body differently (1).
Other examples include:
- Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) vs. D2 (ergocalciferol)
- Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) vs. K2 (menaquinone)
- Folic acid vs. methylfolate
- Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) vs. methylcobalamin
If you take vitamins with different forms of the same nutrient, it’s important to pay attention to your overall intake from all sources. For example, if you take a multivitamin that contains vitamin D2 along with a separate vitamin D3 supplement, your total vitamin D intake will be quite high.
Dosages
In addition to the form, the dosage or amount of each vitamin and mineral varies between brands.
For example, Brand A’s multivitamin may contain 50 mcg of vitamin K while Brand B’s multivitamin contains 100 mcg. If you take both of these, your total vitamin K intake would add up to 150 mcg.
Dosages also vary significantly between standalone supplements and multivitamins. For example, a calcium supplement may contain up to 1,200 mg per serving, while a multivitamin contains 100-200 mg.
Again, you’ll want to pay attention to your overall dosage if combining products to avoid surpassing the Upper Tolerable Intake Levels (UL) for certain vitamins and minerals. We’ll discuss these levels and toxicity risks next.
Toxicity Risks of Excessive Doses
While many people take a “more is better” approach to vitamins, this can backfire and lead to adverse effects if intake becomes excessive.
Each vitamin and mineral has an established Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), which is the maximum daily amount considered safe in healthy adults (2).
Consuming above the UL over long periods increases the risk of toxicity and adverse effects. Potential outcomes include:
- Vitamin A toxicity can lead to liver damage, bone loss and birth defects.
- Excess vitamin B6 can cause peripheral neuropathy.
- Too much vitamin D causes hypercalcemia and calcification of soft tissues.
- Excessive vitamin C intake can trigger gastrointestinal upset and kidney stones.
- High folate intake can mask vitamin B12 deficiency.
- Too much iron causes nausea, vomiting and liver damage.
- Excess zinc impairs immune function and copper absorption.
Here are the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) for some common vitamins and minerals that people may take in supplemental form (3):
| Vitamin/Mineral | UL |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 3000 mcg RE/day |
| Vitamin B6 | 100 mg/day |
| Vitamin C | 2000 mg/day |
| Vitamin D | 4000 IU/day |
| Vitamin E | 1000 mg/day |
| Folate | 1000 mcg/day |
| Calcium | 2500 mg/day |
| Iron | 45 mg/day |
| Zinc | 40 mg/day |
As shown above, you can easily exceed these limits if you combine high-dose supplements or multiple products containing the same nutrients.
This is especially important for fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) which are stored long-term in your body, versus water-soluble vitamins that are regularly flushed out in urine.
Should You Alternate Brands Over Time?
Due to the potential for toxicity, it’s not recommended to take different vitamin brands or high-dose supplements simultaneously over a long period.
However, alternating your choice of brands over time as you finish bottles is generally considered safe.
This ensures you get all the nutrients you need while avoiding excess intake of any given vitamin or mineral. It provides variety in terms of the specific forms and dosage.
One thing to keep in mind is that switching back and forth may make it harder to pinpoint the cause if you experience any side effects. If tolerability issues arise, you may not know if it’s brand A or B that’s causing problems.
For this reason, it may be smarter to find one reputable brand whose formulation agrees with you and stick with it long term. But alternating every so often to get different formulations of key nutrients is unlikely to cause harm.
combing a multivitamin and standalone supplements
Many people take a daily multivitamin as a nutrition insurance policy along with targeted standalone supplements like vitamin D, fish oil or probiotics.
This approach is generally safe and effective, as long as you verify that the dosages don’t exceed the UL when combined.
Multivitamins provide a solid nutritional foundation with close to 100% of the daily values for most vitamins and minerals.
Then the standalone supplements “fill in the gaps” and give higher doses of select nutrients you need more of or want additional benefits from.
Just be sure to check the labels thoroughly so you know exactly how much of each nutrient you’re getting from all sources combined. As always, consult your doctor with any concerns.
Who Should Be Extra Cautious?
While moderate intake from a variety of vitamin brands is unlikely to cause problems for most healthy adults, certain populations should take extra precautions.
Pregnant women need to be very careful to avoid excessive doses of vitamins A, D, E and K, which can cause birth defects (4).
Individuals taking blood-thinning medications like Coumadin (warfarin) should limit intake of vitamin K, which plays a key role in blood clotting.
Those taking medications to lower blood sugar or cholesterol levels should be mindful of niacin or vitamin B3, which may impact efficacy (5).
Anyone with a history of kidney stones may want to limit high doses of vitamin C, which can increase kidney stone risk in susceptible people (6).
Of course, the best approach is to discuss your supplementation routine with your doctor, especially if you take medications or have any underlying health conditions.
The Bottom Line
At moderate doses, alternating or combining different reputable vitamin brands is unlikely to cause harm in healthy people. However, taking more than one multivitamin per day or combining multiple high-dose single supplements can increase your risk of toxicity.
The key is to assess your total intake from all sources, keep amounts within the UL and consult a healthcare professional if you have any concerns. While mixing and matching brands may help diversify nutrients, identify any issues with tolerability and give you more options, finding one great brand you can stick with long term is often the simplest approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you take multiple multivitamins?
It’s not recommended to take more than one multivitamin per day, as this can easily provide excessive amounts of certain vitamins and minerals when combined long term.
Is it bad to alternate prenatal vitamins?
Pregnant women should not alternate different brands of prenatal vitamins unless approved by their doctor, as dosages and nutrient forms are designed to complement one another. Suddenly alternating may lead to imbalanced intake.
Can you combine vitamin brands?
It’s generally fine to combine different vitamin brands or take a multivitamin along with standalone supplements, as long as you verify that the total dosage of each nutrient does not exceed the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL).
Is it better to take vitamins all at once or spread out?
For optimal absorption, it’s best to split up your dosages and take vitamins throughout the day rather than all at once. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are best absorbed with meals that contain fat. Water-soluble vitamins can be taken anytime.
Are more expensive vitamins better?
Not necessarily. Price is not always an indicator of quality when it comes to vitamins. Many affordable options from reputable retailers are high quality. Pay more attention to the nutrient forms, Quality Certifications and manufacturing practices.
Is it bad to take vitamins on an empty stomach?
Some vitamins are best taken with food, while others can cause stomach upset on an empty stomach. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K should be taken with a meal containing fat or oil. B vitamins and vitamin C are generally fine on an empty stomach.