Lose Weight Feel Great | Last updated November 2026

Vitamins and Minerals Guide for Beginners (UK)

Vitamins and minerals are nutrients your body needs in small amounts. This vitamins and minerals guide for beginners covers the six with specific UK advice: vitamin D, folate, iron, B12, iodine and calcium. It shows how much you need, who should take a supplement and how to check one before you buy.

Quick answer: Most adults should be able to get the vitamins and minerals they need from a varied, balanced diet. The exception is vitamin D: everyone in the UK should consider 10 micrograms a day from October to early March. If you could get pregnant, take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, and vegans need a reliable B12 source.

What each one does: a vitamins and minerals guide for beginners

Each one has its own job, so one tablet can't stand in for a varied diet. Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin. Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, and vitamin D contributes to normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorus.

Vitamin B12 contributes to normal red blood cell formation and normal functioning of the nervous system. Folate contributes to normal blood formation, and iodine contributes to normal production of thyroid hormones and normal thyroid function.

Some are stored and some aren't. Any vitamin A you don't need straight away is stored, so you don't need it every day. Vitamin C, thiamin and riboflavin can't be stored, so you need them in your diet every day.

Amounts are tiny, in milligrams (mg) or micrograms (µg); one microgram is a thousandth of a milligram. That's why a supplement can pass a safe level quickly.

Herbalife vitamin and mineral products we stock

You don't need any of these if your diet already covers you. If you're buying one, read the stacking check below first.

Herbalife Formula 2 Vitamin and Mineral Complex Women's, 60-tablet bottle

Formula 2 Women's, 60 tablets

Multivitamin for women, one or two tablets a day with meals.

£20.01

£0.67 a day

Buy now
Herbalife Formula 2 Vitamin and Mineral Complex Men's, 60-tablet bottle

Formula 2 Men's, 60 tablets

Men's version, one or two tablets a day with meals, with less iron.

£20.01

£0.67 a day

Buy now
Herbalife Xtra-Cal calcium tablets, 90-tablet bottle

Xtra-Cal, 90 tablets

Calcium tablet with vitamin D, three a day: one with each meal.

£14.81

£0.49 a day

Buy now
Herbalife Formula 1 Vanilla Cream shake mix, 550 g tub

Formula 1 Shake, Vanilla Cream 550 g

A meal replacement shake, not a vitamin pill. 21 servings.

£26.46

£1.26 a serving

Buy now

Cost per day is our own arithmetic: price divided by 30 days at the full label dose (two Formula 2 tablets or three Xtra-Cal tablets), or by 21 Formula 1 servings, milk not included.

Which vitamins and minerals do UK adults run short on?

In the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2019 to 2023), 18% of adults aged 19 to 64 had low vitamin D levels in their blood. The same survey found 83% of women aged 16 to 49 had folate levels below the threshold linked to a higher risk of neural tube defects in pregnancy.

Iron is the other big one: in the 2016 to 2019 survey, 25% of women aged 19 to 64 had low iron intakes.

Nutrient Adult daily need (19 to 64) Good food sources
Vitamin D 10 µg Oily fish, red meat, egg yolks, fortified spreads and cereals. Sunlight covers most people from late March to September.
Iron 8.7 mg (men; women 50+), 14.8 mg (women 19 to 49) Red meat, beans and chickpeas, nuts, dried apricots, fortified cereals
Folate 200 µg Broccoli, sprouts, leafy greens, peas, chickpeas, fortified cereals
Vitamin B12 1.5 µg Meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, some fortified cereals
Iodine 140 µg Cows' milk and dairy, eggs, sea fish, shellfish
Calcium 700 mg Dairy, kale, okra, soya drinks with added calcium, bread made with fortified flour

Daily amounts and food sources from the NHS vitamins and minerals guide, checked 2 November 2026.

Do you need a vitamin supplement? A five-step check

Check each step. If nothing after step 1 applies to you, step 1 is all you need.

Everyone, October to early March

Consider 10 µg of vitamin D a day. In those months we don't make enough from sunlight.

Vitamin D all year?

Yes if you're rarely outdoors, live in a care home or cover most of your skin outside. Consider it too if you have dark skin, for example an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background.

Could you get pregnant?

Take 400 µg of folic acid a day before you stop contraception and until you're 12 weeks pregnant.

Vegan?

Get B12 from fortified foods or a supplement. For iodine, use fortified plant drinks or ask about a supplement.

Tired, breathless or tingling?

Don't self-treat. Symptoms of iron deficiency or B12 deficiency need a GP blood test first.

If none of these apply and you eat a mix of food groups, a daily multivitamin is optional, not something you need.

If you're not sure you need a supplement, tell us what you eat in a normal day and we'll say honestly what's worth buying, if anything. No obligation to buy.

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Worked example: a vegan planning a baby

Priya is 32, vegan, and hopes to get pregnant next spring. It's November.

  • Vitamin D: 10 µg a day now, at least until March.
  • Folic acid: 400 µg a day starting now, not when she gets a positive test.
  • B12: a fortified soya drink and cereal each day, or a supplement.
  • Iodine: she checks her oat drink label, because only some plant drinks are fortified.
  • Iron: as a woman under 50 she needs the higher amount in the table, so beans, chickpeas, nuts and fortified cereal go on the shopping list. She eats vitamin C foods at the same meal and keeps tea and coffee away from main meals, which helps her absorb plant iron.

The catch: the Formula 2 Women's label gives 324 µg of folic acid per two tablets. That's 76 µg short of 400 µg.

It also contains vitamin A as retinyl palmitate, and you should not take supplements containing vitamin A (retinol) when pregnant. So Formula 2 isn't for Priya; a pharmacist can suggest a pregnancy supplement.

Can you take too much? The stacking check

Yes. If you take a multivitamin, a calcium tablet and a fortified shake, the doses add up. The table sets the safe levels for supplements against the daily dose of two products we sell (two Formula 2 Women's tablets, three Xtra-Cal tablets).

Nutrient Limit F2 Women's Xtra‑Cal
Vitamin D 100 µg 20 µg 2.3 µg
Iron 17 mg 13 mg 0
Zinc 25 mg 8.7 mg 7.5 mg
Magnesium 400 mg 113 mg 120 mg
Calcium 1,500 mg 300 mg 999 mg

Limits from the NHS pages on vitamin D, iron, zinc and magnesium and calcium. For calcium, more than 1,500 mg a day is linked to stomach pain and diarrhoea. Product figures from the Formula 2 Women's and Xtra-Cal labels.

Totals in this section are our own arithmetic from the labels.

Taken together, the two products stay under every limit, though calcium reaches 1,299 mg of the 1,500 mg.

Add a Formula 1 shake made with semi-skimmed milk, which gives 423 mg of calcium and 5.8 mg of iron (label). That takes calcium to 1,722 mg, counting the milk in the shake, past the 1,500 mg level. Counting the shake, iron reaches 18.8 mg with Formula 2 Women's, above the 17 mg guide for iron supplements.

Our verdict: if you drink a Formula 1 shake and eat dairy, Xtra-Cal on top rarely makes sense. Pick the one product that fills your gap. If you take prescribed medicines, ask a pharmacist before adding any supplement.

Where Herbalife fits, and where it doesn't

Either Formula 2 covers the winter vitamin D advice, and neither suits pregnancy because both contain vitamin A as retinol. The men's version has 6 mg of iron, less than half the women's, in line with men's lower iron needs.

Our Formula 2 review covers cost per day, and our Xtra-Cal guide explains who the calcium tablet suits.

What to do this week

  • From October to early March, consider a 10 µg vitamin D supplement if you don't already take one.
  • If you could get pregnant, start 400 µg of folic acid now.
  • Vegans: check you have a daily B12 source and an iodine plan. Our vegan and plant-based options guide lists the plant-based Herbalife range.
  • Already taking two or more products? Add up the label figures against the stacking table.
  • Always tired? See a GP before buying tablets. Our guide to why you feel tired covers the everyday causes.

If you're short on time to plan meals, the busy person's nutrition blueprint helps you eat a wider mix of foods without much cooking.

Vitamins and minerals questions

Do I need to take a multivitamin every day?

Not if you eat a varied, balanced diet; most people should get what they need from food. A multivitamin is a back-up, not a replacement, so check its label against the stacking table if you take anything else.

When should I take vitamin D?

Consider 10 micrograms a day from October to early March. Take it all year if you're rarely outdoors, live in a care home or cover most of your skin outside, and consider it all year if you have dark skin.

How much vitamin D is too much?

Don't take more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) a day. For most adults, 10 micrograms a day is enough.

Is Formula 2 enough folic acid if I'm trying for a baby?

No. The women's label gives 324 micrograms of folic acid per two tablets, short of the 400 micrograms advised before pregnancy until week 12. It also contains vitamin A (retinol), which you should avoid in supplements when pregnant, so ask a pharmacist for a pregnancy supplement.

Do vegans need to take supplements?

Usually for vitamin B12, which isn't found naturally in fruit, vegetables or grains, unless you eat enough fortified foods. Vegans should also think about iodine, and consider vitamin D in winter like everyone else.

What are the signs of low iron?

Tiredness and lack of energy, shortness of breath, noticeable heartbeats, paler skin and headaches. See a GP for a blood test rather than guessing with tablets.

Does a Formula 1 shake give me enough vitamin D?

No. One shake made with semi-skimmed milk gives 2.1 micrograms on the label, about a fifth of the 10 micrograms a day by our arithmetic, so it doesn't replace a winter supplement.

Should I take vitamin tablets with food?

The Formula 2 and Xtra-Cal labels both say to take them with meals. For other brands, follow the directions on the pack.

Send us a photo of the supplements you already take and we'll check the doses against the stacking table for you. No obligation to buy.

Message us on WhatsApp Contact form

Related guides

Formula 2 multivitamin review Xtra-Cal calcium tablets Herbalife vegan options Herbalifeline Max omega-3 Why you feel tired Formula 1 Vanilla Cream nutrition

Sources

Lose Weight Feel Great, The Retreat, 406 Roding Lane South, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8EY. info@lose-weight-feel-great.co.uk. Sources and prices checked on 2 November 2026; prices above load live from our shop.

This is general nutrition information, not medical advice. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking supplements if you're pregnant, take medicines or have a medical condition.

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