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The vitamin B complex fam is basically a “Full House” of characters: Meet thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folate, and cobalamin!

For ideal health, you need to get your fill of all eight. These MVPs support brain function, sex and stress hormones, immune system health, and so much more.

While you can get plenty of these essential vites from foods like fish, meat, and dairy, a vitamin B complex supplement can help you pick up the slack if your diet is lacking. Vegans and vegetarians in particular tend to need vitamin B12 supplementation, while pregnant and breastfeeding folks need B12 as well as extra B6 and folate.

Want to know which vitamin B supplements are the best around? Have a look.

Editor’s picks:

  • Integrative Therapeutics Active B-Complex
  • Douglas Labs B-Complex with Metafolin and Intrinsic Factor
  • Nordic Naturals Vitamin B Complex

Best budget:

  • Amazon Elements Vitamin B12

Best liquid:

  • Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Liquid

Best vegan:

  • Garden of Life Vitamin B Complex

Best without B12 and folate:

  • Seeking Health B-Minus

Best organic:

  • New Chapter Fermented Vitamin B Complex

Best for those with allergies:

  • Thorne Research Basic B Complex
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Product Review, Nutrition, Vitamin, health, supplement

Here’s how we narrowed down the best B supplements of the batch:

Testing and certs

We looked for supplements that are third-party tested to ensure they truly do what the company claims.

We chose products that are tested in a facility that follows the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or that have other promising certifications.

Some of our picks are NSF Certified for Sport, which means they’re free of 270+ substances banned by many athletics orgs.

Ratings and reviews

We scoured pages and pages for top-rated supplements. We then dug through all those reviews (even those page 1 babies) to give you the most accurate info possible.

Dietary considerations

In case you’d like to avoid things like gluten, dairy, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or unnecessary preservatives, we found supplements to suit every nutritional lifestyle.

Let’s do a deep dive on our fave vitamin B supplements.

Pricing guide

  • $ = under $18
  • $$ = $18–$28
  • $$$ = over $28

Side-by-side comparison

SupplementPriceTypeVitamin B typesThird-party tested?Dietary considerations
Integrative Therapeutics Active B-Complex$$capsule all 8yesvegan; free of gluten, soy, and dairy; no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Douglas Labs B-Complex with Metafolin and Intrinsic Factor$capsuleall 8no, but in-house testedvegetarian, free of gluten and soy, no artificial preservatives or GMOs
Nordic Naturals Vitamin B Complex$$capsuleall 8yesvegetarian; free of gluten and dairy; no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Amazon Elements Vitamin B12$capsulevitamin B12no, but made in an FDA-approved facility vegan; gluten-free; no artificial colors, flavors, or chemical preservatives
Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Plus$$$liquid6 of 8, excluding biotin and folateno, but in-house testedgluten-free; no artificial colors, GMOs, or preservatives
Garden of Life Vitamin B Complex$$capsuleall 8yesvegan, free of gluten and dairy, no GMOs or fillers
Seeking Health B-Minus$$capsule6 of 8, excluding folate and B12unclear vegetarian
New Chapter Fermented Vitamin B Complex$$capsuleall 8unclearvegan, free of gluten and dairy, no fillers
Thorne Research Basic B Complex$$capsuleall 8yesfree of gluten, dairy, soy, and yeast

Editor’s pick vitamin B supplements

1. Integrative Therapeutics Active B-Complex

Price: $$
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
all eight B complex vitamins, choline, inositol

Integrative Therapeutics is a trusted brand often recommended by docs.

They make their products in a CGMP-compliant facility, as outlined by the FDA. They also use in-house and third-party testing designed to ensure quality.

Bonus: This supplement is NSF Certified for Sport, meaning it’s free of 270+ substances that many major athletic orgs have banned.

This one’s a well-rounded winner that uses easily absorbed types of all eight forms of vitamin B. It also has choline and inositol, two more essential nutrients that play important roles in brain and metabolic health.

Some reviewers rave about the absorption quality of this one. Heads-up, though: A few claim they experienced unwanted effects, potentially from a vitamin B surplus, including anxiety, numbness, and tingling sensations. To avoid potential probs, always talk with a healthcare professional before taking a new supplement.

Another point of controversy: This supplement contains pyridoxine HCI (a form of vitamin B6), which a 2017 study found can paradoxically decrease vitamin B6 function. While we need more research to know what’s up for sure, some may want to skip this one or consult a pro just in case.

2. Douglas Labs B-Complex with Metafolin and Intrinsic Factor

Price: $
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
all eight B vitamins, intrinsic factor

Douglas Labs is another CGMP-compliant and NSF International-registered manufacturer that makes a popular B complex supplement. They’ve been in the biz for 65 years. Their testing is all in-house, but they are ISO-accredited, which helps ensure they operate efficiently and live up to testing claims.

This supplement has all eight B vitamins, including metafolin, a calcium salt of L-5 MHF. That may sound more like a “Star Wars” droid than an ingredient, but basically, it’s a type of folate (B9) with an absorption rate on par with folic acid.

This supp also has intrinsic factor, a protein that helps your bod absorb vitamin B12.

Reviewers who previously had fatigue say this one’s legit for a day-to-day energy boost. But some complain they haven’t noticed any effect.

These capsules are vegetarian and gluten-free. They’re also free of soy, artificial preservatives, and GMOs.

3. Nordic Naturals Vitamin B Complex

Price: $$
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
all eight B vitamins

Nordic Naturals is known for their trusted fish oil supplements, but they make a legit B complex combo too. Their supplements are third-party tested, and you can look up your bottle’s unique lot number (found next to the expiration date) to get a certificate of analysis (COA) to make sure it’s been properly tested.

Reviewers say these have good absorption and help address neuropathy symptoms and fatigue. But some people claim these give them a headache, so talk with your doc to make sure these are the right option for your needs.

These vegetarian capsules are gluten-, dairy-, and GMO-free. They don’t contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Best budget vitamin B supplement

4. Amazon Elements Vitamin B12

Price: $
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
vitamin B12

Amazon Elements is an Amazon-owned brand that tests their products for potency and purity. The products don’t seem to be third-party tested, but they are made in a CGMP-compliant facility in the States.

Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that supports healthy energy levels and is vital to brain function, thinking ability, and red blood cell production.

Reviewers say this supplement helped with issues like neuropathy symptoms and is a good value for the price. But heads-up that it contains the sugar alcohol mannitol, which can cause gas, bloating, or diarrhea if you’re sensitive to it.

Also, keep in mind that this supplement provides a high dose of 5,000 micrograms of B12 — that’s 208,333% of the Daily Value! Most people exceed the DV for B12 simply from diet alone. The usual recommended dose for folks diagnosed with deficiency is 1–2 milligrams (1,000–2,000 micrograms).

These capsules are gluten-free and vegan and don’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, or chemical preservatives.

Best liquid vitamin B supplement

5. Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Plus

Price: $$$
Type:
liquid
Key ingredients:
six B complex vitamins (excluding biotin and folate), stevia

Hate swallowing pills? Toss back some Pure Encapsulations liquid instead. It has six types of vitamin B, excluding biotin and folate. So if you have extra folate needs (like if you’re pregs), you might want to go with a different supplement.

Pure Encapsulations tests their own products, but it’s unclear whether the products are third-party tested as well. They are NSF- and CGMP-registered, though.

This liquid is sweetened with juice concentrates and stevia, which reviewers say makes it taste pretty dang good. Still, others complain the juiciness means this product has too much filler and not enough substance, especially for the price point. Ya win some, ya lose some.

It’s certified gluten-free and free of artificial colors, GMOs, and preservatives.

Best vegan vitamin B supplement

6. Garden of Life Vitamin B Complex

Price: $$
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
all eight B complex vitamins, probiotic + enzyme blend

Getting your daily dose of B through food alone can be tough for the vegans out there, making a supplement necessary. But finding a gelatin-free, vegan option is a whole ’nother deal.

Rejoice, vegans, because this one’s powered by plants. It also has some probiotics and enzymes meant to aid in smooth digestion.

While Garden of Life is known as a trusted vegan supplement brand, the company was sold to Nestlé in 2017. Some reviewers are understandably pretty disappointed about this due to some questions about the conglomerate’s ethics. The website says the products are still third-party tested, however. They’re also made in CGMP-compliant facilities.

Reviewers note that this product has synthetic folic acid, which some say causes headaches.

In addition to being vegan, this one is free of gluten, dairy, GMOs, and fillers. It’s also certified kosher.

Best vitamin B supplement without B12 and folate

7. Seeking Health B-Minus

Price: $$
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
six B complex vitamins, excluding B12 and folate

Don’t tolerate folate or vitamin B12 well? This one’s for you. It’s also ideal for those who need separate, specialized supplementation of vitamin B12 or folate.

Reviewers say these are great for avoiding the jitters and other issues associated with supplemented B12 or folate sensitivity.

Some people don’t love that there’s synthetic niacin in this one, though. Others say they have to open up the capsules and take only a half dose, because a whole one’s too much. (If you’re not sure what the right dose is for you, we repeat: Consult a healthcare pro!)

Seeking Health follows CGMP practices. If you contact them directly, you can also request a COA to confirm that your specific bottle has been properly tested.

This one’s vegetarian.

Best organic vitamin B supplement

8. New Chapter Fermented Vitamin B Complex

Price: $$
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
all eight B complex vitamins, organic gum acacia, organic brown rice, orange peel powder

If you’re wholeheartedly devoted to the organic section of the grocery store, this one’s for you.

Reviewers love its organic, fermented contents, saying this supplement better jibes with their bodies and absorbs more efficiently.

Heads-up that this product contains cyanocobalamin, a synthetic form of vitamin B12 that’s been known to cause allergic reactions in some people, resulting in shortness of breath or even anaphylactic shock. As with any other supplement, run this one by a healthcare pro first.

The company says they do extensive testing and are committed to sustainable sourcing and organic and climate-friendly farming.

This vegan option is free of gluten, dairy, and fillers. It has soy, though.

Best vitamin B supplements for those with allergies

9. Thorne Research Basic B Complex

Price: $$
Type:
capsule
Key ingredients:
all eight B complex vitamins, choline

If you have severe allergies, you know that scanning the ingredient label just won’t cut it. This one could be a good option, since Thorne Research tests for hundreds of contaminants in every bottle. Their facility is also NSF– and CGMP-compliant, and their products are third-party tested.

Reviewers with the MTHFR gene mutation say this supplement is among the best for their needs.

This hypoallergenic queen B is free of gluten, dairy, soy, and yeast.

Here are a few tips on finding your new BFF B supplement:

  • Check the forms. Some people can’t tolerate supplemented B12, while others really need folate in their life. Whatever your specific needs are, make sure your vitamin hits all the (capital B!) bases.
  • Review testing and certs. Check to see what testing a supplement undergoes and what certifications it has from third parties like the FDA. Bonus points if you can find a COA, but even if none is available, you can usually find this info on the brand’s website or with a quick Google search. Your body deserves the real deal!
  • Consider dietary needs. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll need a supplement made without gelatin. If you’re allergic to gluten or other allergens, check out the ingredient list (or check our handy chart) so you can play it safe.

Still debating on the best vitamin B supplement for you? Here are our takes on some of the common questions.

What’s the best form of vitamin B to take?

That depends on your needs and your convo with a healthcare professional. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you might need some more vitamin B12 in your life, while those who are pregnant or breastfeeding need B12 in addition to B6 and plenty of folate.

Which brand makes the best vitamin B capsules?

We think all the brands on this list are pretty legit, but your MVP will depend on your unique situation. Those looking for certified organic will prob love New Chapter, while those looking for the best bang for their buck might look to Amazon Elements.

Can I take vitamin B every day?

Yes, you can take vitamin B supplements every day as directed. Vitamin B toxicity is very rare. Since it’s a water-soluble vitamin, you’ll pee out what your bod doesn’t use (in a very fluorescent hue!).

That being said, toxicity can still happen. So, not to sound like a looped TikTok vid or anything, but once again: To avoid any potential issues, always talk with a healthcare professional before taking a new supplement.

Do vitamin B complex supplements really work?

Anecdotally, people have reported a number of positive effects like better mood, increased energy, and improvements in neuropathy symptoms.

In a 2019 review, researchers concluded that vitamin B supplementation may provide a consistent mood boost both for folks who have suboptimal nutrition or mood issues and for those who don’t.

How do I know if I need more vitamin B?

A balanced diet can usually satisfy all your vitamin B needs. But some people, including those who are vegetarian, vegan, pregnant, or breastfeeding, may need a little extra support.

In general, vitamin B deficiencies may lead to issues like:

If you have any of these symptoms, consult a healthcare professional to see if you might benefit from a supplement.

Whether you’re a vegan who needs to get more B12 or you’re pregnant and in need of folate, a B complex vitamin might be what you need.

Considering any of our recs would be a good place to start, but let your health needs be the driving force for which one you decide on. And always talk with a healthcare pro before inviting new supplements into your life.