There is no single best multivitamin for everyone over 50. There is the one that fits your diet, your medicines and your budget. This guide gives you a way to compare labels on any shelf in Australia, using the Australian government's own reference values.
What changes after 50
Australia's Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) set daily amounts by age and sex. For a few nutrients, the amount goes up from age 51.
| Nutrient | Age 31–50 | Age 51–70 | Over 70 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D (AI) | 5 µg | 10 µg | 15 µg |
| Calcium, women (RDI) | 1,000 mg | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg |
| Calcium, men (RDI) | 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg | 1,300 mg |
| Vitamin B6, women (RDI) | 1.3 mg | 1.5 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Vitamin B6, men (RDI) | 1.3 mg | 1.7 mg | 1.7 mg |
Source: NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values, vitamin D, calcium and vitamin B6. The NRV site explains that the vitamin D amount rises from 51 because skin makes less vitamin D with age.
These are amounts from your whole diet, not targets a tablet has to hit. Food comes first.
How to read an Australian multivitamin label
1. The AUST number. Every vitamin sold legally in Australia carries one.
- AUST L: a listed medicine. Low-risk ingredients. The TGA does not assess its efficacy before sale; the sponsor certifies it holds evidence for its claims.
- AUST L(A): an assessed listed medicine. The TGA assesses the efficacy evidence for its claims before sale.
- AUST R: a registered medicine. The TGA evaluates safety, quality and efficacy before sale.
Source: TGA, AUST numbers on medicine labels.
Most multivitamins are AUST L. That tells you the product is on the register. It doesn't tell you it works better than another AUST L product.
2. Per tablet or per day. Labels list amounts per tablet. If the dose is two or four tablets a day, multiply before you compare.
3. Amounts against the NRVs. Put the daily amount next to the table above. Look at the nutrients you care about, not the length of the ingredient list.
4. Iron. Women's and men's formulas often differ on iron. Check the label, and ask your GP if you're not sure whether you need it.
5. Warnings. Some formulas carry warnings, for example about vitamin A in pregnancy or about taking the product with warfarin. Read them.
Compare cost per day, not price per bottle
Cost per day = price ÷ (tablets in the pack ÷ tablets per day).
An A$20 bottle at one tablet a day for 30 days is A$0.67 a day. An A$60 bottle at four tablets a day with 120 tablets is A$2 a day. The second one may still be the right choice, but now you're comparing like with like.
Who should check with a pharmacist or GP first
- Anyone taking prescription medicines, especially warfarin.
- Anyone with a medical condition or an upcoming operation.
- Anyone already taking other supplements, so amounts don't double up.
Where USANA CellSentials fits
Here's the same checklist applied to USANA CellSentials, using the Australian label and the USANA Australia price list.
| Check | CellSentials (Australia) |
|---|---|
| AUST number | Two products, both AUST L: Vita Antioxidant AUST L 319661, Core Minerals AUST L 388354 |
| Daily dose | Two tablets of each, twice daily, preferably with food: 8 tablets a day in total |
| Pack | Two bottles, 112 tablets each: 28 days |
| Cost per day | A$81 ÷ 28 days = about A$2.89 a day at the Preferred Customer price |
| Calcium | Core Minerals lists 56.25 mg per tablet: 225 mg a day at the label dose |
| Iron | Core Minerals doesn't list iron |
| Warnings | Includes a warfarin warning; read the full label |
The two-bottle format means more tablets than a one-a-day product, split across two meals. How to take CellSentials covers the routine. CellSentials vs a multivitamin covers the difference in format.
Prices for every product: USANA Australia price list.
A five-point checklist
- AUST number on the label.
- Daily amounts (per tablet × tablets per day) against the NRV table.
- Iron: in or out, and does that suit you?
- Warnings read, and medicines checked with a pharmacist.
- Cost per day worked out.
