A vegan or vegetarian diet can be healthy, balanced and deeply nourishing, but some nutrients can be easier to miss when animal products are limited or excluded. The best multivitamin is not necessarily the one with the longest list of ingredients, but one that helps cover the nutrients most likely to be lacking in your diet and fits easily into your daily routine.
A nutrient deficiency occurs when the diet does not provide enough of one or more essential vitamins or minerals to meet the body's needs. Some nutrients can be harder to obtain or absorb in sufficient amounts when animal products are limited or excluded. The potential gaps depend on the type of diet you follow, which is why vegans and vegetarians may have slightly different nutritional considerations.
Vitamin B12 is essential for normal nerve function, red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis and is one of the clearer places where supplementation can make sense. Vegans need to pay particular attention to B12 because reliable natural sources are limited in plant foods. Vegetarians who eat eggs or dairy may get some B12 from their diet, although intake can still vary.
Vitamin D belongs on the watch list too. This is not only a vegan or vegetarian issue — many of us are vitamin D deficient due to low or inconsistent sun exposure, regardless of dietary pattern.
Omega-3s, particularly EPA and DHA, are worth considering on both vegan and vegetarian diets. EPA and DHA are predominantly found in oily fish. Plant foods such as flax and chia provide ALA, which the body can convert to EPA and DHA, but this conversion is limited. Algae-based supplements provide a direct plant-based source of EPA and DHA.
Iodine, iron and zinc can all be obtained from a varied vegan or vegetarian diet. Dairy and eggs can provide some of these nutrients for vegetarians, while plant foods such as legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds are important sources too. However, intake and absorption can vary, so these are nutrients worth keeping an eye on.
The goal is to make a few smart decisions, know the basics are handled, and move on.
If your routine feels like work, it usually does not last. If you already eat mostly plant-based, you do not need a complicated system. You need something boringly repeatable that still makes sense next week, not just on the day you decide to “get serious” about nutrition.
That is why many plant-based or vegetarian eaters start with a foundational option first. A broad based supplement can make sense when the goal is to cover several of the nutrients that are easier to miss in one simple routine, then get more specific when there is a real reason to do so.
Vegan Multivitamin Checklist:
We compared Complement Essential to Ritual Essential and Future Kind Foundations multivitamins. Complement Essential provides the broadest overall cover of your daily nutrient needs, while also offering the greatest transparency on sourcing, ingredient list, doses and testing.
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|---|---|---|
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Vitamin B12 |
300 mcg |
8 mcg |
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Vitamin D3 |
50 mcg |
50 mcg |
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Omega-3 |
470 mg DHA + EPA |
330 mg DHA |
|
Iodine |
150 mcg |
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Magnesium |
200 mg |
30 mg |
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Zinc |
8 mg |
2.4 mg |
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Selenium |
50 mcg |
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Vitamin K2 |
50 mcg |
90 mcg |
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Iron |
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|
|
Third-party testing |
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Both Complement and Ritual provide a vegan multivitamin with B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, zinc, K2 and omega-3s, but they take different approaches. Complement is specifically formulated around nutrients that can be harder to obtain on a vegan or vegetarian diet, including iodine, selenium and both DHA and EPA. Ritual takes a more selective approach, with a lower dose of several nutrients and no iodine or selenium in its Essential formula. Complement also provides significantly more magnesium, zinc and B12 per serving, while Ritual provides more K2. Neither contains iron, so iron would need to be addressed separately if your diet or individual needs require it.
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|
|---|---|---|
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Vitamin B12 |
300 mcg |
400 mcg |
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Vitamin D3 |
50 mcg |
|
|
Omega-3 |
470 mg DHA + EPA |
|
|
Iodine |
150 mcg |
|
|
Magnesium |
200 mg |
|
|
Zinc |
8 mg |
|
|
Selenium |
50 mcg |
|
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Vitamin K2 |
50 mcg |
|
|
Iron |
|
|
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Third-party testing |
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Complement and Future Kind Foundations take a very similar approach, both focusing on nutrients that can be harder to obtain on a vegan or vegetarian diet rather than simply providing a long list of vitamins and minerals. Both include B12, vitamin D3, omega-3s, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium and K2, while neither contains iron. The main difference is transparency around amounts: Complement clearly states the dose of each of its key nutrients and publishes batch-level testing results, while Future Kind does not disclose all of the amounts in the product information available. Future Kind provides slightly more B12, at 400 mcg compared with Complement's 300 mcg.
In conclusion, a well-planned vegan or vegetarian diet can provide everything your body needs, but some nutrients deserve more attention than others. The goal isn't to supplement everything—it is to identify the nutrients that may be harder to get from your diet and cover those gaps simply and consistently.
Complement Essential is designed to make this easier, bringing several of the key nutrients commonly considered on a predominantly plant-based diet into one daily supplement. It provides a simple foundation alongside a varied diet and offers breadth of coverage, appropriate dosing and higher transparency than other vegan multivitamins available on the market.
COMPLEMENT® Essential
60 Servings
COMPLEMENT® Essential
180 Servings
The ultimate multivitamin to optimize plant-centered diets, with critical vitamins, minerals, and sustainably-sourced omega-3s.
COMPLEMENT® Balance
60 Servings
COMPLEMENT® Balance
180 Servings
Science-backed health solution for women, combining the eight essential nutrients for plant-based eaters
COMPLEMENT® Essential Balance System
180 Servings
Science-backed health solution for women, combining the eight essential nutrients for plant-based eaters
Complement Essential is a vegan multivitamin designed to provide key nutrients that can be harder to obtain on a plant-based diet, including vitamin B12, vitamin D3, iodine, zinc, magnesium, selenium, vitamin K2 and vegan omega-3s.
It is built as a simple foundation alongside a varied diet: breadth of coverage, appropriate dosing, and batch-level testing results you can actually look up.
It is backed by a 100-day guarantee. Try it, and if it's not right for you, send it back, no questions asked.
“Essential provides all the essential missing nutrients — so that my family can eat plant-based and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm setting us up for long-term health.”
— Matt Frazier
NYT Bestselling Author and COMPLEMENT® Co-Founder
Still not sure? Find answers to your questions here...
Vitamin B12 is the most important nutrient to supplement reliably on a vegan diet. Vitamin D, iodine, iron, zinc and omega-3s may also require particular attention depending on your diet and individual needs.
Not necessarily. A well-planned predominantly plant-based diet can provide many essential nutrients through food. A multivitamin can be a convenient way to cover nutrients that are easier to miss, particularly B12.
Vitamin B12 is generally the most important vitamin for vegans to supplement because reliable natural plant sources are limited.
Vitamin B12 is naturally found mainly in animal-derived foods. Because unfortified plant foods are not reliable sources, vegans generally need B12 from fortified foods or supplements. Vegetarians who eat eggs or dairy may get some B12 from their diet, although intake can still vary.
Not necessarily because of their diet. Vitamin D can be low in people following any type of diet, particularly when sun exposure is limited. Diet, sunlight and individual vitamin D status all matter.
Not necessarily. Vegan and vegetarian diets provide ALA from foods such as flax and chia, while EPA and DHA are less readily available. An algae-based supplement provides a direct vegan source of EPA and DHA.
Not always. Some vegan multivitamins contain iron, while others deliberately leave it out because individual iron needs vary. Iron supplementation is best based on dietary intake and individual requirements rather than assumed deficiency.
Look at the nutrients included, their doses and forms, the quality and testing of the product, and whether the formula complements your existing diet. A simple supplement that you can take consistently is often more useful than an unnecessarily complex one.
Yes. Complement Essential is a vegan multivitamin designed to provide key nutrients that can be harder to obtain on a plant-based diet, including vitamin B12, vitamin D3, iodine, zinc, magnesium, selenium, vitamin K2 and vegan omega-3s.
We stand behind our products 100%. If you’re not happy with the results, taste, or experience, we’ll fix it.
You have a full 100 days after receiving your product to try it out and see if it’s the right fit for you.
And if you don’t love it within the first 100 days, we’ll issue a full refund. No questions asked. No fine print. That’s the COMPLEMENT® guarantee.
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