Healthnews24South Africa's supplement answer desk

What is the best multivitamin in South Africa?

Healthnews24 editorial deskUpdated 3 min read
Answer first

There is no single best multivitamin in South Africa; the best value is a once-a-day product close to 100% of daily needs, with iron matched to who is taking it. As of October 2026, Dis-Chem Gold Multivitamin Supreme Active costs about R3.33 a day, Viridian High Five about R7.50 and Solgar Formula VM-2000 about R16.63.

  • Prices for South African multivitamins in our October 2026 sample run from R3.03 to R18.33 a day (Dis-Chem Living Fit, Faithful to Nature).
  • Dis-Chem Gold Multivitamin Supreme Active costs about R3.33 a day and has 10 mg iron, 10 µg B12 and 200 IU vitamin D3 per softgel.
  • Viridian High Five has 1 mg iron per capsule, against 10 mg in Dis-Chem Gold Supreme Active.
  • NIH adult iron RDA is 8 mg for men and 18 mg for women aged 19 to 50.
  • The AIS lists multivitamins as Group B (emerging evidence).

Which multivitamins give the best value in South Africa?

Price per day ranges more than fivefold, while the doses on the label differ in smaller ways. Prices below are from Dis-Chem Living Fit and Faithful to Nature, October 2026.

Product Daily dose Key amounts per daily dose Price per day
Tony Ferguson Multivitamin Mineral Complex (60 tablets, R182) 1 tablet Per-tablet amounts only in the package insert R3.03
Dis-Chem Gold Multivitamin Supreme Active (60 softgels, R200) 1 softgel D3 200 IU, zinc 1 mg, iron 10 mg, B12 10 µg, vitamin C 60 mg R3.33
Dis-Chem Gold Multivitamin For Woman (60 capsules, R133) 2 capsules D3 400 IU, zinc 10 mg, iron 9 mg, B12 25 µg, folate 400 µg R4.43
New Leaf Multivitamin Plus Iron (90 tablets, R409) 1 tablet Amounts not shown on the listing R4.54
Viridian High Five (90 capsules, R675) 1 capsule D3 400 IU, zinc 5 mg, iron 1 mg, B12 50 µg, vitamin C 100 mg R7.50
Solgar Formula VM-2000 (60 tablets, R499) 2 tablets D 400 IU, zinc 15 mg, iron 10 mg, B12 100 µg, vitamin C 300 mg R16.63
MuscleTech Platinum 100% Multi Vitamin (90 capsules, R550) 3 capsules Amounts not listed R18.33

We could not read the full per-serving amounts for Tony Ferguson, New Leaf or MuscleTech, so we do not rank them on dose.

What should you check on the label?

  • Iron. The adult RDA is 18 mg for women aged 19 to 50 but only 8 mg for men and for women over 50 (NIH). A 10 mg iron softgel is therefore more than many men need before food. Viridian High Five, with 1 mg, suits men and postmenopausal women better.
  • Vitamin D. Most multivitamins carry 200 to 400 IU. That is a top-up, not a vitamin D supplement (see the best vitamin D3 in South Africa).
  • Doses near 100% of needs. Megadoses add risk, not benefit; see whether you can take too many vitamins.
  • Capsule and allergen details. Dis-Chem Gold capsules use bovine gelatine, the Supreme Active softgel contains soy, and the Tony Ferguson page says it contains phenylalanine and is not for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Who should buy a multivitamin at all?

Evidence for general-population benefit is weak (do multivitamins actually work?). They make most sense for people on restricted diets, vegans needing B12, some older adults and pregnancy, where a prenatal formula with folic acid is the right product, not a standard multivitamin. The AIS places multivitamins in Group B (emerging evidence).

What is our pick?

  • Lowest cost, general adult use: Dis-Chem Gold Multivitamin Supreme Active, with the iron caveat above.
  • Low-iron, whole-food style: Viridian High Five.
  • Higher-dose option: Solgar Formula VM-2000, at roughly four to five times the daily cost of the Dis-Chem Gold options.

None of these multivitamins publishes third-party sport certification in the sources we read, and SAHPRA has not registered any complementary medicines as of August 2026, so athletes subject to drug testing remain strictly liable for what they take (SAIDS). For a full comparison table, see our best multivitamin in South Africa page, and for pricing detail see how much a multivitamin costs.

Products mentioned, with dated prices

ProductSizePriceServingsR per servingSweeteners
Dis-Chem Gold Multivitamin Supreme Active 60 softgels60 softgelsR200Dis-Chem Living Fit, Oct 202660R3.33glycerol (132 mg sugar source per capsule)
Viridian High Five Multivitamin and Mineral 90 capsules90 capsulesR675Faithful to Nature, Oct 202690R7.50none
Solgar Formula VM-2000 60 tablets60 tabletsR499Faithful to Nature, Oct 202630R16.63mannitol, maltodextrin
Dis-Chem Gold Multivitamin For Woman 60 softgels60 softgelsR133Dis-Chem Living Fit, Oct 202630R4.43sorbitol 70% and glycerine in capsule fill
Tony Ferguson Multivitamin Mineral Complex 60 tablets60 tabletsR182Dis-Chem Living Fit, Oct 202660R3.03not stated

Compare the options

Sources

  1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Multivitamin/mineral supplements, health professional fact sheet
  2. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron, health professional fact sheet
  3. Australian Institute of Sport Supplement Framework, Group B
  4. Spotlight (14 Aug 2026): Inside the Box with Dr Andy Gray, are complementary medicines effectively regulated in South Africa?
  5. SAIDS (South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport) FAQ: supplements, strict liability, medication check

Educational information only, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease.

Cite this page: Healthnews24, “What is the best multivitamin in South Africa?”, updated 27 October 2026, https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/best-multivitamin-in-south-africa-2026/. Plain-text version: /answers/best-multivitamin-in-south-africa-2026.md