Best Overall
Nature Made
Multi for Him
8.5Excellent
A USP Verified, iron-free men's multi dosed near 100% DV for about 11 cents a day; basic nutrient forms and gelatin are the trade-offs.
USP
2 videosMultivitamins
Basic Nutrients 2/Day
Two-capsule, iron-free multi with active B vitamins and chelated minerals, NSF certified; trade-offs are a strong smell and B-vitamin doses far above the DV.
8.2
Good
Nutrition Reviews score
Weighted across efficacy, quality, value, experience & transparency. See breakdown
- Form
- Capsule
- Serving
- 2 capsules
- Servings
- 30
- Per serving
- $1.20
NSF Certified for SportNSF Contents Certified
Gluten-freeDairy-freeSoy-free
Check price on AmazonShop on TikTok Shop199+ soldBuy from the brand$36.00
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Last reviewed September 29, 2026 by the Nutrition Reviews Editorial Team · How we review
Our verdict
Basic Nutrients 2/Day is one of the best-built compact multivitamins available: active nutrient forms, sensible vitamin D and zinc levels, and independent certification. It is expensive for what is still a basic multi, and its B6 and niacinamide doses are higher than most people need. It makes the most sense for athletes and label-conscious buyers who value testing over price.
Best for
- Athletes who need NSF-certified supplements
- People who prefer methylfolate and methyl-B12
- Men and postmenopausal women who don't need iron
- Anyone who wants a two-capsule routine
Skip it if
- Budget shoppers
- People on warfarin without medical advice (400 mcg vitamin K)
- Anyone who needs iron (it contains none)
How it scored
Our five-factor score out of 10. Factors are weighted by how much they matter to the outcome you’re paying for. Methodology
8.2
Goodout of 10
- Efficacy30%8.2
Key ingredients at clinically studied doses, and how strong the evidence is.
- Quality & Purity25%9.4
Third-party testing and certifications, manufacturing standards, contaminant testing, recall history.
- Value20%7.0
Cost per effective serving compared with category peers.
- Experience15%7.3
Taste, mixability, texture and tolerability from aggregated buyer and creator feedback.
- Transparency10%9.2
Full label disclosure (no proprietary blends), available COAs, honest marketing.
Our review
Basic Nutrients 2/Day is Thorne's compact daily multivitamin: two capsules cover 13 vitamins, 8 minerals and small amounts of boron, lutein and gamma tocopherol, with no iron and no proprietary blends. The ingredient forms are the main selling point. Folate comes as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (400 mcg, or 667 mcg DFE) instead of folic acid, B12 as methylcobalamin, B6 as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, and most minerals as TRAACS bisglycinate chelates.
Most doses are sensible. Vitamin D3 sits at 2,000 IU (50 mcg), half the 4,000 IU U.S. upper limit and a reasonable amount for people who get little sun. Zinc (15 mg) is balanced with copper (750 mcg), and selenium (200 mcg) is half its 400 mcg upper limit. The B vitamins overshoot: B6 at 20 mg is under the U.S. upper limit of 100 mg but above the 12 mg ceiling the European Food Safety Authority set in 2023 over nerve-related concerns, and niacinamide (80 mg) exceeds the 35 mg U.S. limit for supplemental niacin, a limit based on flushing that niacinamide does not cause.
Like most two-a-day formulas, it supplies little calcium (52 mg) or magnesium (20 mg), and its 400 mcg of vitamin K matters for anyone on warfarin.
Quality is the strongest argument. The 60-capsule bottle sold on Amazon is NSF Contents Certified, and Thorne sells an NSF Certified for Sport version that is screened for banned substances. At about $1.20 per day it costs several times more than mass-market multis. Buyers praise the nutrient forms but often mention a strong, sulfur-like smell and stomach upset when it is taken without food.
What’s inside
| Key ingredient | Per serving | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 250% DV; half the 100 mcg (4,000 IU) adult upper limit. | 50 mcg (2,000 IU) | 250% DV; half the 100 mcg (4,000 IU) adult upper limit. |
| Folate (as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate) Active folate rather than folic acid; not advised alongside methotrexate cancer therapy per Thorne. | 667 mcg DFE (400 mcg) | Active folate rather than folic acid; not advised alongside methotrexate cancer therapy per Thorne. |
| Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) 25,000% DV; no upper limit is set for B12, and only a small fraction of large oral doses is absorbed. | 600 mcg | 25,000% DV; no upper limit is set for B12, and only a small fraction of large oral doses is absorbed. |
| Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate) Below the 100 mg U.S. upper limit but above EFSA's 12 mg/day limit set in 2023. | 20 mg | Below the 100 mg U.S. upper limit but above EFSA's 12 mg/day limit set in 2023. |
| Zinc (as TRAACS zinc bisglycinate chelate) + copper Chelated zinc with copper to help keep the two minerals in balance. | 15 mg + 750 mcg | Chelated zinc with copper to help keep the two minerals in balance. |
| Selenium (as L-selenomethionine) 364% DV; half the 400 mcg adult upper limit, so watch other sources such as Brazil nuts. | 200 mcg | 364% DV; half the 400 mcg adult upper limit, so watch other sources such as Brazil nuts. |
| Vitamin K (K1 + K2 as MK-4) Relevant for anyone taking warfarin or other vitamin K antagonists. | 400 mcg (200 mcg + 200 mcg) | Relevant for anyone taking warfarin or other vitamin K antagonists. |
Supplement Facts
Serving Size Two Capsules
Servings Per Container 30
Amount Per Serving% Daily Value
Vitamin A (450 mcg from Beta Carotene and 600 mcg as Palmitate) 1.05 mg117%
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) 250 mg278%
Vitamin D (as Vitamin D3) (2,000 IU) 50 mcg250%
Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acid Succinate) 16.5 mg110%
Vitamin K (200 mcg as Vitamin K1 and 200 mcg as Vitamin K2 as MK-4) 400 mcg333%
Thiamin (as Thiamin HCI) 50 mg4,167%
Riboflavin (as Riboflavin 5'-Phosphate Sodium) 12 mg923%
Niacin (as Niacinamide) 80 mg500%
Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate) 20 mg1,176%
Folate (400 mcg as L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate† from L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid, Glucosamine Salt) 667 mcg DFE167%
Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin) 600 mcg25,000%
Biotin 500 mcg1,667%
Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium Pantothenate) 45 mg900%
Calcium (as TRAACS® Calcium Bisglycinate Chelate††, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Laurate, Calcium Pantothenate) 52 mg4%
Iodine (as Potassium Iodide) 75 mcg50%
Magnesium (as TRAACS® Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate)†† 20 mg5%
Zinc (as TRAACS® Zinc Bisglycinate Chelate)†† 15 mg136%
Selenium (as L-Selenomethionine) 200 mcg364%
Copper (as TRAACS® Copper Bisglycinate Chelate)†† 750 mcg83%
Manganese (as TRAACS® Manganese Bisglycinate Chelate)†† 3 mg130%
Chromium (as TRAACS® Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate)†† 400 mcg1,143%
d-Gamma Tocopherol (from Mixed Tocopherols) 24 mg*
Boron (as Bororganic™ Boron Glycinate Complex)††† 2 mg*
Lutein (from Aztec Marigold extract (flower) (Tagetes erecta)) 140 mcg*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. † Daily Value not established.
Other ingredients: Hypromellose (derived from cellulose) capsule, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Laurate.
Testing & quality
Many products are NSF Certified for Sport (listed in NSF's database); others carry NSF Contents Certified status. Thorne states it tests ingredients and finished products for identity, purity, potency and contaminants.
Goals it supports
Creator video reviews
Independent creators reviewing Basic Nutrients 2/Day on TikTok and YouTube.
4 positive1 mixed0 critical
Pros & cons
What we like
- Active forms throughout: L-5-MTHF folate, methylcobalamin B12 and P-5-P vitamin B6
- Chelated minerals, with 15 mg zinc balanced by 750 mcg copper
- 2,000 IU vitamin D3 plus vitamins K1 and K2 (MK-4)
- NSF Contents Certified; an NSF Certified for Sport version is sold by Thorne
- Short excipient list and no proprietary blends
Watch-outs
- About $1.20 per day, several times the cost of mass-market multis
- B6 (20 mg) exceeds the EU's 12 mg upper limit, and niacinamide (80 mg) is well above daily needs
- Frequent complaints about a sulfur-like smell and nausea on an empty stomach
- Minimal calcium and magnesium and no iron, so some people will still need separate supplements
Questions buyers ask
Which version of Basic Nutrients 2/Day is sold on Amazon?
The Amazon listing (ASIN B00FOTMGTU, model VM2NC) is the 60-capsule bottle that is NSF Contents Certified, meaning its contents are independently checked against the label. Thorne.com also sells an NSF Certified for Sport version for about $4 more, which adds screening for substances banned in sport. Athletes who are drug tested should buy the Certified for Sport bottle.
Why do some buyers complain about the smell?
Reviewers regularly describe a strong, sulfur-like odor when they open the bottle, which is common with B-vitamin-rich formulas; thiamin itself is a sulfur-containing vitamin. Thorne's own Amazon listing notes that odor complaints, nausea and stomach upset are common with multivitamins and recommends taking them with food, which buyers say also eases the stomach issues.
Is the 20 mg vitamin B6 dose a concern?
Each serving provides 20 mg of B6 as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. That is well under the U.S. upper limit of 100 mg per day but above the 12 mg limit the European Food Safety Authority set in 2023 after reviewing reports of peripheral neuropathy. If you also take a B-complex or B6-fortified products, add up your total intake and mention any tingling or numbness to a clinician.
Sources we checked (19)
- 1.thorne.com/products/dp/basic-nutrients-2-day
- 2.thorne.com/products/dp/basic-nutrients-2-day-vm2nc
- 3.swansonvitamins.com/p/thorne-basic-nutrients-2-day-60-caps
- 4.carewell.com/product/thorne-basic-nutrients-2day-dietary-supplement/?sku=VM2NC-EA6
- 5.amazon.com/dp/B00FOTMGTU
- 6.shop.tiktok.com/us/pdp/basic-nutrients-2-day-by-thorne-60-capsules-complete-multivita
- 7.nsfsport.com/certified-products/listing-detail.php?id=1301460
- 8.info.nsf.org/Certified/Dietary/Listings.asp?CompanyName=Thorne
- 9.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
- 10.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/
- 11.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Niacin-HealthProfessional/
- 12.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/
- 13.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/
- 14.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/
- 15.youtube.com/watch?v=lhgpj5lnmyw
- 16.youtube.com/watch?v=tzwP8XcaTls
- 17.youtube.com/watch?v=I8TpfAQzvFc
- 18.tiktok.com/@fitrxwellness/video/7397162463667555614
- 19.tiktok.com/@fatlossduringperi/video/7577836496435072270
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