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Nutrition Reviews

Head to head · Vitamins & Minerals

Nature Made Vitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels vs PreserVision AREDS 2 Formula MiniGels

Nature Made scores higher overall (9.0 vs 7.7 out of 10) and leads on four of the five factors we score.

Updated October 2026 from our full reviews · How we score

Higher score
Front of Nature Made Vitamin D3 2000 IU 250-softgel bottle
Nature MadeVitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels
9.0
Excellent

A USP Verified 2,000 IU vitamin D3 softgel in soybean oil for about 6 cents a day, the no-frills benchmark for daily vitamin D.

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Front of the PreserVision AREDS 2 Formula carton and bottle, 120 mini soft gels
PreserVisionAREDS 2 Formula MiniGels
7.7
Good

The exact NEI AREDS2 doses in small MiniGels: worthwhile for intermediate AMD, no help for healthy eyes, and 80 mg of zinc is double the adult upper limit.

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The short answer

Choose Nature Made if…

  • Adults with limited sun exposure
  • Budget shoppers who want USP verification
  • People who prefer a small, easy-to-swallow softgel
  • You care most about quality & purity, value, experience, transparency

Choose PreserVision if…

  • Adults with intermediate AMD, or advanced AMD in one eye, whose eye doctor recommends AREDS2
  • Current or former smokers who need a beta-carotene-free AREDS formula
  • People who want the exact NEI-tested doses in small softgels

Side by side

Vitamin D3 2000 IU SoftgelsAREDS 2 Formula MiniGels
Our score9.0 / 107.7 / 10
Efficacy (30%)8.68.4
Quality & Purity (25%)9.07.4
Value (20%)9.87.0
Experience (15%)9.07.8
Transparency (10%)9.07.3
FormSoftgelSoftgel
Serving1 softgel250 servings per container1 Soft Gel (MiniGel)120 servings per container
Price per servingSee retailer$0.26
Testing & certifications
USP Verified
None verified
DietaryGluten-free—
Key ingredients
  • Vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol)50 mcg (2,000 IU)
  • Soybean oil (carrier)
  • Zinc (from zinc oxide)80 mg per day (40 mg per MiniGel)
  • Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)500 mg per day
  • Vitamin E (dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate)180 mg (400 IU) per day
  • Lutein (marigold flower extract, OcuSorb)10 mg per day
  • Zeaxanthin2 mg per day
  • Copper (from cupric oxide)2 mg per day
Flavors——
Creator video reviews46

Pros and cons

Vitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels

  • USP Verified for ingredients, potency and manufacturing
  • 2,000 IU of D3 is half the adult upper limit
  • About $0.06 per day
  • Small softgel with an oil base that supports absorption
  • Gelatin shell, so not vegetarian
  • Soybean oil base may not suit people avoiding soy-derived ingredients
  • No vitamin K2 for those who want a combined formula

AREDS 2 Formula MiniGels

  • Matches the NEI AREDS2 formula dose for dose: 500 mg C, 400 IU E, 80 mg zinc, 2 mg copper, 10 mg lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin
  • Backed by large NEI trials: about 25% lower risk of advanced AMD over five years in higher-risk patients
  • Beta-carotene free, so it suits current and former smokers
  • Small MiniGels that buyers find easy to swallow
  • 80 mg of zinc is twice the 40 mg adult upper limit, and AREDS2 found 25 mg worked as well
  • No proven benefit for healthy eyes, early AMD or cataracts
  • About $0.52 a day at the brand's price, more than store-brand compare-to versions
  • Contains gelatin, carmine and titanium dioxide; the only published OcuSorb absorption study was funded by its maker

Our verdicts

Vitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels

For most adults who want a daily vitamin D supplement, this is the benchmark: a sensible 2,000 IU dose, USP verification and a price that is hard to beat. Vegetarians should choose a gelatin-free option, and people who already have adequate levels should not expect broader health effects.

Full review

AREDS 2 Formula MiniGels

For someone whose eye doctor has found intermediate AMD, or advanced AMD in one eye, it delivers the NEI-tested AREDS2 formula dose for dose, in a small, easy MiniGel. It does nothing proven for healthy eyes, early AMD or cataracts. Because the 80 mg of zinc is double the adult upper limit and AREDS2 saw no loss of benefit at 25 mg, ask your doctor whether a lower-zinc AREDS2 formula suits you.

Full review

What creators say

Questions people ask

Is Nature Made better than PreserVision?
In our scoring, Nature Made Vitamin D3 2000 IU Softgels rates higher overall (9.0 vs 7.7 out of 10). Nature Made leads on quality & purity, value, experience and transparency. Scores weigh efficacy, quality, value, experience and transparency.
Are Nature Made and PreserVision third-party tested?
Nature Made carries USP Verified; PreserVision has no independent certification we could verify.
Who should choose Nature Made over PreserVision?
Our reviews suggest Nature Made is best for adults with limited sun exposure, budget shoppers who want USP verification and people who prefer a small, easy-to-swallow softgel, while PreserVision is best for adults with intermediate AMD, or advanced AMD in one eye, whose eye doctor recommends AREDS2, current or former smokers who need a beta-carotene-free AREDS formula and people who want the exact NEI-tested doses in small softgels.

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