Eating enough and getting enough sleep are two of the most important factors when it comes to feeling energized throughout the day. However, if you’re still lagging, taking a supplement for energy may be worthwhile. These supplements may also be beneficial if you struggle to eat a varied diet or have dietary restrictions that limit your intake of certain nutrients needed for energy, like vitamin B12 or iron.
Supplements for energy can help cover your nutritional bases and correct nutrient deficiencies linked with low energy. They can also help your body efficiently convert food to energy. To get our top picks, we spoke with three registered dietitians to get their product recommendations and advice for picking the best supplements for energy. We also read the latest research on popular supplements for energy and selected ones that are evidence-backed, third-party tested, and come in an appropriate dosage and form.
Our team of registered dietitians reviews and evaluates every single supplement we recommend according to our dietary supplement methodology. From there, a registered dietitian on our Medical Expert Board reviews each article for scientific accuracy. Always speak with a healthcare professional before adding a supplement to your routine to ensure that the supplement is appropriate for your individual needs and which dosage to take.
Amazon
Serving size: 1 tablet | Noteworthy Ingredients: B-complex vitamins, iron, vitamin D3, ashwagandha | Vitamin B12 Per Serving: 100 mcg (4167 %DV) | Vitamin D Per Serving: 20 mcg (100 %DV) | Iron Per Serving: 8 mg (44 %DV) | Vegan: N/A | Third-Party Tested: Yes
Nordic Naturals Women’s Multivitamin One Daily is third-party tested for purity and potency. It contains a blend of nutrients that can specifically support energy, including vitamin D and B12, iron, and ashwagandha. B vitamins help convert food to energy; vitamin D and iron deficiency can cause fatigue. While research is mixed, some studies suggest that ashwagandha—an adaptogen widely used in traditional Indian medicine systems—improves fatigue symptoms.
One tablet provides B-complex vitamins, vitamins A, D, E, and K, iron, folate, biotin, choline, calcium, ashwagandha, ginger, and more for 20 essential nutrients. We also like that the most absorbable forms of vitamins are used for folate and B12 (they don’t need to be altered for the body to use). This single-tablet multivitamin can help fill nutrient gaps in the diet, preventing deficiencies that can cause energy fatigue.
Amazon
Serving size: 1 softgel | Noteworthy Ingredients: Vitamin D3 | Vitamin D Per Serving: 25 mcg (125 %DV) | Vegan: No | Third-Party Tested: No, strong in-house testing
For a vitamin D supplement you can trust, we recommend NOW Foods Vitamin D3 1,000 IU. This dosage ensures you’ll meet the recommended daily intake of 600 IU for adults without exceeding the safe daily upper limit of 4,000 IU. Plus, NOW Foods is a trusted and affordable supplement company with strong in-house testing for ingredient accuracy, so you can be sure the label is accurate.
But why vitamin D for energy? If you’re feeling fatigued, it’s worth checking your vitamin D levels. Research shows that low vitamin D levels and vitamin D deficiency is linked with fatigue. For example, one study found that 77% of fatigued patients also had low vitamin D levels. Their fatigue levels improved significantly once their vitamin D levels were corrected through supplementation.
Zolis explains that vitamin D supports muscle function and immune health, so even though it doesn’t directly impact energy metabolism, it can still impact your overall energy levels. Since not many foods contain vitamin D, it’s a good supplement to consider adding to your routine.
If you have limited exposure to the sun, have dark skin, or have malabsorption issues, perhaps due to gastric bypass surgery, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, or inflammatory bowel disease, you are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency. You may especially benefit from a vitamin D supplement for energy.
Amazon
Serving size: 2 capsules | Noteworthy Ingredients: Niacin, vitamin B12, folate, biotin, calcium | Vitamin B12 Per Serving: 300 mcg (12500 %DV) | Niacin Per Serving: 100 mg (625 %DV) | Vegan: Yes | Third-Party Tested: Yes
Life Extension’s BioActive Complete B-Complex supplement is third-party tested and contains high doses of all eight essential B vitamins. In the case of B vitamins, high doses are generally safe because they’re water-soluble, so you excrete any excess in your urine. Plus, the dose is split into two capsules so it’s easy to halve the dose by only taking one capsule daily.
All B vitamins except folate are required for cellular energy production. Therefore, if you don’t get enough of them, it can interfere with energy production and have serious health consequences. You may be at higher risk of a deficiency and benefit from this supplement if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, have an alcohol use disorder, or have a malabsorption syndrome like short-bowel syndrome.
B vitamins are typically found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, explains Zolis, so she recommends a B-complex supplement if you otherwise struggle to eat these foods regularly. Plus, Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES, a dietitian based in Washington, DC, says that people with high-stress levels may benefit from a B-complex vitamin supplement since stress can deplete the body of these energy-producing nutrients.
Amazon
Serving size: 1 quick dissolve tablet | Noteworthy Ingredients: Vitamin B12, mannitol | Vitamin B12 Per Serving: 2,500 mcg (104,167 %DV) | Vegan: N/A | Third-Party Tested: Yes, ConsumerLab.com
Nature’s Bounty Vitamin B12 is ConsumerLab.com tested and approved, and it comes in an easy-to-take dissolvable tablet. You’ll get a whopping 2500 milligrams of vitamin B12—over 100,000% of the DV in just one tablet. There’s no upper limit for this vitamin since the risk of toxicity is low, so even high doses are generally considered safe. This is because your body can easily excrete whatever it doesn’t need, and not all 2500 mg are absorbed. This dissolvable form is easier to take, particularly if you struggle to swallow pills, and it’s just as effective as pill forms.
Studies show that if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, you have a higher risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency because most dietary sources of this vitamin are animal foods. You also have a higher risk of a deficiency if you’re taking a gastric acid inhibitor (e.g., omeprazole and lansoprazole) and/or metformin since these medications can decrease vitamin B12 absorption.
Getting enough vitamin B12 is important since it helps convert food into energy. So, if you’re a part of the estimated 12.5% of U.S. adults with vitamin B12 insufficiency, this supplement may help increase your energy levels.
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Serving size: 1 capsule | Noteworthy Ingredients: Iron | Iron Per Serving: 25 mg (139 %DV) | Vegan: N/A | Third-Party Tested: Yes, NSF Certified for Sport
Iron deficiency is the most common global nutrient deficiency, affecting about 30% of the global population. One of the telltale signs of iron deficiency is fatigue since iron is required for making hemoglobin—a protein that transports oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Ensuring you consume enough iron to prevent a deficiency can help prevent this associated fatigue.
For a highly absorbable iron supplement that’s NSF-Certified for Sport, Thorne’s Iron Bisglycinate is our top choice. Many iron supplements use a different form of iron called ferrous sulfate, which can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms like digestive upset, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. On the other hand, the form of iron used in this supplement is less likely to cause these GI side effects but still effectively increases iron levels.
Thorne’s 25-milligram iron supplement is a good way to meet your daily iron needs without overdoing it. It has enough iron to meet the recommended daily intake of 8 milligrams for adult men and 18 milligrams for adult women but less than the daily upper limit of 45 milligrams per day. Note that iron needs to increase to 27 milligrams per day during pregnancy.
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Serving size: 1 capsule | Noteworthy Ingredients: Magnesium | Magnesium Per Serving: 120 mg (29 %DV) | Vegan: Yes | Third-Party Tested: Yes
Magnesium is yet another nutrient that’s required for energy production. A few small studies have found that magnesium improves sleep, and it’s no secret that a good night’s sleep helps you feel energized the next day. Other studies have found that higher magnesium intake is linked with lower oxygen needs and better exercise performance, likely due to its role in energy metabolism.
Pure Encapsulations Magnesium is third-party tested and contains a moderate dose of magnesium—120 mg, 29% Daily Value per capsule. Only about half of Americans get enough magnesium, so a supplement like this can help fill in dietary magnesium gaps without exceeding the upper limit of 350 milligrams per day from supplemental magnesium.
This magnesium supplement is vegan and has an easily absorbed form of magnesium glycinate.
Amazon
Serving size: 2 capsules | Noteworthy Ingredients: Nicotinamide riboside chloride | Niagen Per Serving: 1,000 mg | Vegan: N/A | Third-Party Tested: Yes, Alkemist Assured
Tru Niagen is backed by over 30 clinical studies, is third-party tested, and was created by two Nobel Prize winners. It includes patented nicotinamide riboside (NR), a precursor to NAD+—a coenzyme critical for converting food into energy for your cells. In fact, your body needs a constant supply of NAD+ for your cells’ mitochondria to generate energy. Research suggests that supplementing with NR can improve cellular functioning, energy production, and metabolic health.
Boosting NAD+ levels through an NR supplement may help boost your energy levels, particularly if your NAD+ levels are declining due to age or metabolic stressors like overtraining, excess sun exposure, excess alcohol intake, or a sedentary lifestyle.
Tru Niagen features a patented NR, the most efficient NAD+ precursor. Studies have shown that this product boosts NAD+ levels up to 150% in just three weeks.
The benefits of energy supplements are those that correct nutrient inadequacies or deficiencies. A multivitamin can act as a safety net to ensure you fill any gaps in your diet, explains Thomason. They may support your energy levels by ensuring you meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs.
That being said, if you have a deficiency or deficit in a specific nutrient, adding a targeted supplement can help correct the deficiency or deficit. Each one has a different role in the body and will have different benefits on energy levels.
For example, a B-complex vitamin can promote energy metabolism, while getting enough iron ensures your body can make enough hemoglobin to move oxygen from the lungs to the rest of your body. An iron deficiency and a vitamin D deficiency can cause fatigue. Therefore, each supplement for energy on our top picks lists uniquely benefits the body to promote energy levels.
To select the best supplements for energy, we spoke with three registered dietitians, who shared their recommendations for the most important nutrients for energy and the products they recommend. We also looked at research on which products have been proven to benefit energy levels and which popular supplements lack adequate research. Qualities we looked for when picking the best supplements for energy include:
While we primarily included vitamins and minerals on our top picks list, there are some herbs, adaptogens, or stimulants you may also see in supplements for energy.
To select the best supplements for energy and understand what to look for in a supplement for energy, we spoke with three registered dietitians. They shared their recommended supplements, how certain nutrients influence energy levels, who would benefit from taking one of these supplements, and how long it takes to see results. The experts we spoke with are:
Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN is a registered dietitian, experienced freelance health and nutrition writer, and the founder of Nourishing Narratives LLC. Her work is especially focused on helping individuals divest from a one-size-fits-all approach to health and connect with their unique needs. In her work as a dietitian, she regularly examines supplements to ensure they are high-quality before recommending them to her patients, clients, and readers.
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