In this review
In this review
Multivitamins help fill nutritional gaps as teenagers grow rapidly, and even healthy diets can’t keep up. More than 50% of U.S. teens fall short on key vitamins,1 leading to mood swings, concentration issues, and low energy2 – but deciding on the right multivitamin to address these deficiencies can be a challenge.
We enlisted the help of Megan DeChatelets (MS, RDN, CDN, IFNCP), an adolescent nutrition expert and Registered Dietitian, to understand when teens can benefit from a multivitamin and the factors that actually matter when choosing one.
Combining DeChatelets' expertise with hands-on reviews from TCD parents, we compared the leading teens' multivitamins on ingredients & formulation, age-appropriate dosing, safety & third-party testing, taste, and price. One brand was the clear winner.
Should My Teenager Take a Multivitamin?
According to Megan DeChatelets: most of the time, yes.
"Even adolescents who eat a 'normal,' varied diet fall short on several nutrients – not just picky eaters," she explains. “A multivitamin is not a substitute for a balanced and healthy diet, but it helps fill common nutritional gaps.”
What to Look For in a Teens' Multivitamin
According to DeChatelets, our Registered Dietitian, a good teens’ multivitamin is age appropriate and balances the right nutrients with taste that encourages consistency:
- On nutrients: Most US teens are not meeting daily requirements for certain micronutrients, especially vitamin D & magnesium.3 "Parents should look for multivitamins that focus on what’s missing from a typical diet instead of picking the option that has the most ingredients.”
- On sweeteners & fillers: Many “sugar-free” options use sugar alcohols like mannitol or xylitol - common causes of GI upset in kids. A small amount of real sugar is the less processed option.
- On age-appropriate dosing: “Most youth multivitamins use the same formula for children and teens. Look for a vitamin with a teen-specific formulation.”
- On safety and testing: The FDA doesn’t regulate supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold to the public, so third-party testing is essential.4
- On taste: The best vitamin is the one your teen will actually take! Look for a vitamin that is nutritious AND tastes good.
So how do First Day, Grüns, Hiya, EllaOla, and MaryRuth's compare? Let’s find out.
Teens’ Multivitamins Compared
Green = best, yellow = mid-pack, red = last.
Ingredients & Formulation: First Day Wins
Teens most often fall short on six key nutrients for overall health:
- Magnesium: plays a direct role in bone development, muscle function, and energy production.5
- Vitamin A: supports vision, skin health, and immune function.6
- Vitamin C: provides immune support and collagen production, important for the skin changes of puberty and iron absorption.7
- Vitamin D: supports bone development and mood regulation.8
- Vitamin E: supports immune function and cell protection.9
- B-Complex Vitamins (B12, folate, etc.): essential for energy production, nerve health, and cell growth.10, 11
🥇 First Day Teens' Multivitamin wins with all six keynutrients – magnesium plus vitamins A, C, D, E, and B-Complex (B1, B2, B6, folate, B12) – alongside K2 and zinc for healthy bones and immune function.12, 13 It also includes 21 organic superfoods like kale and spinach.
First Day contains zero sugar alcohols (synthetic sugar substitutes) and has one of the shortest, cleanest excipient lists (which can include binders, fillers and preservatives) in our test. First Day uses a small amount of real sugar (2g) in place of artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, avoiding the GI-tolerance issues these synthetic sweeteners can cause.14
🥈 EllaOla Teens' Unflavored Multivitamin also delivers all six key nutrients, but includes magnesium in a "Complete Vitamin Blend" shared with calcium, inositol, and choline - meaning there’s no way to know the actual dose. Split four ways among 5mg, it’s likely a trace amount, despite bone and muscle support being two of the bigger nutritional needs for a growing teen. EllaOla contains 0g sugar, no artificial sweeteners or fillers, and a blend of 15 fruits and veggies.
❌ Grüns Kids Superfoods Greens Gummies contains only five of these nutrients – it’s missing magnesium, which plays a crucial role in supporting teens’ physical, hormonal, and cognitive changes.5 While it has a blend of 20+ superfoods and no artificial additives, it contains 7g of sugar – significantly more than First Day’s 2g.
❌ Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin also misses magnesium. It contains 0g sugar, but its sweetener blend combines monk fruit with mannitol, a sugar alcohol capable of "causing GI upset in some kids at higher intakes,” per our dietitian. Hiya also uses maltodextrin in its formulation, a highly processed carbohydrate filler.
❌ MaryRuth’s Teens’ Multivitamin Gummies are missing magnesium and vitamins B1 & B2. With just B6, B12, and folate, it has the least B-Complex vitamins of the group, meaning less mood regulation and neuroprotection support.15 It’s sugar free, but includes 2 sugar alcohols (erythritol & xylitol) plus stevia.
Age-Appropriate Dosing: First Day & EllaOla Tie
A multivitamin should be age-appropriate, especially for adolescents. “Nutrient needs shift significantly around puberty,” explains DeChatelets. “A one-size-fits-all ‘kids’ formula either under-doses teens on the nutrients they need most or over-doses younger children.”
🥇 First Day Teens' Multivitamin & EllaOla Teens’ Essential Unflavored Multivitamin are both designed specifically for teens aged 13-17.
🥈 MaryRuth’s is designed for ages 12+.
❌ Hiya and Grüns are made for kids 2+, meaning most nutrients are under-dosed for teens.
Safety & Third-Party Testing: First Day, Hiya, MaryRuth’s, and EllaOla Tie
The FDA does not regulate supplements for safety or efficacy, so third-party safety testing is important.4
Third-party certifications like Clean Label Project (CLP) test for contaminants that do not appear on the label, such as heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers. In addition, Clinician’s Choice badging adds an additional seal of validation as licensed clinicians conduct unbiased safety reviews.
🥇 First Day "No Junk" Teens’ Multi, Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin, MaryRuth’s Teen Multivitamin Gummies, and EllaOla Teens' Essential Unflavored Multivitamin are all independently third-party tested and Clean Label Project certified. First Day is the only one with Clinician's Choice badging.
DeChatelets on what that certification means: "It's addressing contamination that isn't disclosed anywhere on a standard label and that federal supplement regulation doesn't require testing for."
❌ Grüns Kids Superfood Greens Gummies are third-party tested, but the brand doesn't disclose its testing partner. It does not have any Clean Label certifications or Clinician’s Choice badging.
Taste & Habit Formation: First Day Wins
The most effective multivitamin is one your teen will actually take. TCD mom Jessica taste-tested all five brands with her daughter Kylie (13), taking each according to package directions.
🥇 First Day "No Junk" Teens’ Multi ranked first for taste in our test. Kylie was looking forward to eating these by day two. The gummies have a soft, easy-to-chew texture and a strawberry-orange flavor Kylie compared to fruit snacks - but with much less sugar than the real thing.
🥈 MaryRuth’s Teen Multivitamin Gummies have a mild berry taste that Kylie enjoyed, but Jessica noticed a texture inconsistency between gummies in the same bottle – some were soft, while others were noticeably chewier.
❌ Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin is a chewable tablet instead of a gummy, and Kylie described it as “sour and chalky.”
❌ Grüns Kids Superfoods Greens Gummies have a bit of an earthy, prune-like flavor, according to Jessica. Kylie struggled to get through all 6 gummies because she didn’t like the taste.
❌ EllaOla Teens' Essential Unflavored Multivitamin is unflavored, but Kylie complained of a mild chalky taste and texture when mixed with water.
Price: First Day Wins
🥇 First Day "No Junk" Teens’ Multi is the most affordable at $23.40/month with TCD’s discount.
🥈 MaryRuth’s Teens Multivitamin Gummies are $24.95/month.
🥉Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin chewable tablets are mid-range at $30/month.
❌ EllaOla Teens' Essential Unflavored Multivitamin is $49/month – more than double the price of First Day and MaryRuth’s.
❌Grüns Kids Superfoods Greens Gummies are the most expensive option at $66.99/month.
Our Winner for Teens’ Multivitamins: First Day
Which teens’ multivitamin is actually best? After comparing ingredients, age-appropriate dosing, safety, taste, and price, we recommend the vitamin that delivers the top nutrients for teens with no fake sugars or fillers, strong safety checks, and the best taste. And that’s First Day.
Megan DeChatelets, our Registered Dietitian, agrees: "I recommend First Day. It uses active, bioavailable nutrients, has no artificial sweeteners, and has independent lab testing for safety and efficacy.”
Ready to try First Day? Use code DIGEST for 52% off:
