IO Genix Multivit - Multivitamins and Minerals for Vitality and Sport

What is IO Genix Multivit?

It is a vitamin and mineral supplement in capsules, whose daily serving comes down to a single unit. That capsule brings together twelve vitamins and eight minerals, twenty micronutrients in all.

It is a classic multivitamin format: one serving in the morning, nothing to measure out, nothing to split. Its distinctive feature is that it contains iron at 100 % of the reference value, which not every formula does — and that point deserves reading before you buy, as we come back to below.

One point of composition to know straight away: the capsule coating is gelatine, coloured with calcium carbonate and starch sodium octenyl succinate. The product is therefore suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section.

What does a capsule contain?

NRV within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011. The exact number of capsules per box does not appear in the labelling data passed on to us; the manufacturer refers to a 60-day course corresponding to a full box, which suggests 60 capsules — check it on the packaging rather than taking our word for it.

An honest reading of this table yields three lessons. The first is good: five nutrients reach 100 % of the NRV (B2, B3, biotin, folate, vitamin D, plus iodine and iron), and zinc goes as far as 150 %. All of them are well above the 15 % threshold that permits the regulatory wordings to be used, which is not the case for every multivitamin on the market.

The second is more qualified. Vitamin D at 5 µg covers 100 % of a reference value that is itself very low: in winter, at our latitudes, that dose will not do much for your status. If that is your concern, a dedicated product from the vitamin D section will be far more useful. The same goes for vitamin B12 at 40 %, which is not enough on a vegan diet.

The third is the most important, and nobody writes it: this multivitamin contains 14 mg of iron, as ferrous fumarate. For a menstruating woman, that is relevant. For an adult man or a post-menopausal woman, diet generally covers the requirement, and iron is not easily cleared: it builds up. It is not a nutrient to be taken “just in case” all year round for no reason. If that is your situation, choose an iron-free multivitamin instead, and keep the iron section for cases where a blood test has justified it.

The regulatory wordings available here are numerous; the main ones are these: iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body, to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue; vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to the normal function of the immune system and increases iron absorption; iodine contributes to normal thyroid function; zinc contributes to normal protein synthesis and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

How do you take Multivit?

Serving: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of at least 60 days, with the option of a week off every three months.

The instruction to take it at breakfast is not a matter of convenience. Four of the nutrients in this formula — vitamins A, D and E and beta-carotene — are fat-soluble: they need fat in the stomach in order to be absorbed. A capsule swallowed on an empty stomach with a black coffee means part of what you paid for leaves again untouched. A breakfast containing a little fat — eggs, full-fat fromage frais, nuts — is more than enough.

Two points about combining. The iron and the zinc in this formula are present at a full dose: do not add a zinc or iron supplement on top without doing the sum first. And if you take magnesium or calcium as a supplement, leave two hours between them: these minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters.

On duration: do not judge it after a week. A multivitamin corrects intakes, it does not produce a sensation. That is in fact the best criterion for spotting a product that promises too much.

Who is this multivitamin for, and who is it not for?

It suits adults whose diet is irregular, periods of heavy training load, and phases of prolonged calorie deficit — three situations in which micronutrient intakes drop as a matter of course. It suits menstruating women particularly well, for whom iron at 100 % of the NRV is a real advantage.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and in case of allergy to any of the ingredients. Traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible. Store in a dry place, away from light, out of the reach of children.

It is not suitable for vegetarians and vegans, as the coating is gelatine. Nor is it suitable, and we will say so plainly, for an adult man who eats a balanced diet and has no reason to supplement with iron: in that particular case, an iron-free formula is more appropriate. Finally, two of the forms chosen here are not the best in their category — zinc oxide and calcium carbonate are among the least well absorbed salts.

What not to expect from it: a multivitamin does not replace vegetables, does not give energy to someone whose status is normal, and improves no performance. “Contributing to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue” means filling a gap, not powering up an ordinary day. It is a safety net, not an engine.

A multivitamin or separate supplements?

That is the real trade-off in this category, and it depends on how precisely you know what you need.

The multivitamin wins on simplicity and on coverage. One capsule, twenty nutrients, a single bottle to reorder, and the assurance of not leaving any one micronutrient at absolute zero. If you do not know what you are short of — which is true of most people — it is the rational choice, and by far the cheapest.

Separate supplements win as soon as the need has been identified. A dedicated vitamin D goes up to 25 or 50 µg where this multivitamin stops at 5. A vitamin C dosed at 1,000 mg bears no comparison with the 60 mg here. And above all, they let you avoid taking what you do not need — iron, once again, being the textbook case.

The advice we give most often: start with the multivitamin for two months. If a deficiency is suspected, have it measured, then target it. It is less spectacular than buying eight bottles, but it is how you avoid stacking three sources of zinc without noticing.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a multivitamin if you eat a balanced diet?

No, not as a matter of course, and nobody in the category will tell you so. A multivitamin makes sense when the diet is irregular, in a calorie deficit, or on a restrictive diet. In someone who eats a varied diet and eats enough, the extra intake brings nothing that has been demonstrated.

Why does this product contain iron?

Because it is a nutrient that is frequently insufficient in menstruating women. In an adult man or a post-menopausal woman, on the other hand, dietary intake is generally enough and iron builds up. If that is your case, an iron-free formula is more suitable, and a blood test will settle the question better than any product page.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The coating agent is gelatine, of animal origin. It is a point rarely highlighted on this type of product, and yet it rules out a proportion of buyers: check it as a matter of habit before buying a multivitamin, whatever the brand.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

Yes, provided you add up the totals. Zinc here is at 150 % of the NRV and iron at 100 %: a second product containing either will push you over with no benefit. Leave two hours, too, between it and any calcium or magnesium serving, as those compete with these minerals for absorption.

Why take it at breakfast rather than in the evening?

For two reasons. Vitamins A, D and E are fat-soluble and are absorbed far better in the presence of fat, so with a meal. And the B vitamins are involved in energy metabolism: the manufacturer prefers to place them at the start of the day, which is a sensible habit.

How long does a box last?

The manufacturer refers to a 60-day course for a full box, at one capsule a day. The exact number of capsules does not appear in our labelling data: check it on the packaging. It recommends a week's break every three months.

Is zinc at 150 % of the NRV too much?

Not in itself: 15 mg remains well below the safety benchmark of 25 mg a day set by EFSA for zinc from supplements. The risk is not this product on its own, but stacking — an evening ZMA commonly adds 15 to 30 mg, and you go over without meaning to.

Where can you buy IO Genix Multivit?

The box can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. One capsule a day, two months of it: this is the easiest supplement to fit into a routine.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this category prompts a question we always ask first: is there iron in what you are already taking? It is the micronutrient where invisible stacking is most common, and the one it is best not to pile up. The rest of the micronutrients can be compared in our sports nutrition selection.