Vitafem: A Clinically Researched Fertility Multivitamin Formula

When you're trying to conceive, choosing the right fertility multivitamin matters more than people often realise. Not all forms of the same nutrient are equal, and the form used determines how much your body actually absorbs, and how well you tolerate taking it every single day.

Vitafem, our fertility multivitamin for women trying to conceive, has been formulated with this in mind. Every ingredient is chosen in its most bioavailable, best tolerated form, making it one of the most carefully considered fertility formulas available today. If you want the full picture of what a well rounded conception supplement routine should cover, it's worth reading alongside this.

Every ingredient form has been chosen for a specific, evidence based reason: better absorption, gentler digestion, or cleaner sourcing. Here's what's inside, why it matters, and the questions we know people are asking about these ingredient forms.

What ingredients are in Vitafem, and why does form matter?

Vitafem also includes Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), N-Acetyl L-Carnitine, Choline Bitartrate, Coenzyme Q10, Beta Carotene, Nicotinamide (B3), Calcium D-Pantothenate (B5), Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate (B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (B1), Menaquinone-7 (Vitamin K2), Quatrefolic® (active folate), Chromium from Picolinate, Biotin (D-Biotin), Methylcobalamin (B12), Lutein from Marigold, and Iodine from Potassium Iodide, each already in a well evidenced, high quality form.

What forms do ingredients in Vitafem use?

Iron: Ferrous Bisglycinate

Ferrous bisglycinate is a chelated form of iron that may be easier on the digestive system, while maintaining effective absorption, making it the preferred form for daily preconception use. It is one of the most talked about ingredients in any fertility multivitamin because many common forms cause constipation, nausea and stomach cramps, which puts people off taking their supplement consistently.

Vitafem uses iron bound to two glycine molecules, known as ferrous bisglycinate. This chelated structure allows it to absorb through a different route in the gut. Research shows this form causes fewer digestive side effects than other common iron forms, while still improving iron status well, even at a lower dose. Read more on why iron matters for fertility.

Magnesium: AquaminTG®

AquaminTG® is a naturally mineralised marine magnesium, delivering magnesium alongside naturally occurring trace minerals. This natural matrix may support bioavailability and mimic the body's own mineral balance. Magnesium supports energy metabolism, muscle and nerve function, and how your body handles stress, all relevant on a preconception journey that can be as mentally demanding as it is physical.

Vitafem uses AquaminTG®, a naturally mineralised marine complex derived from red algae harvested off the Irish coast. It delivers magnesium alongside a broad range of naturally occurring trace minerals in a food matrix form, offering meaningfully higher bioavailability.

Calcium: Citrate Malate

Vitafem uses calcium from citrate malate, a form that is pre solubilised and doesn't depend on stomach acid to dissolve. Comparative studies consistently show citrate based calcium absorbs considerably better, particularly without food or with lower stomach acid levels.

Zinc: Bisglycinate

Zinc bisglycinate is a chelated form that may offer increased bioavailability with gentle daily tolerance. Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction, an authorised EFSA health claim. Vitafem uses zinc bisglycinate, a chelated form that uses the same absorption pathway as protein digestion, offering excellent absorption with gentle tolerance. More on zinc and fertility here.

Vitamin E: Natural d-alpha Tocopherol Succinate

Natural d-alpha tocopherol is the single isomer form of vitamin E that the body's transport protein is built to recognise and retain, treated by food labelling standards as roughly twice as bioavailable as the synthetic dl-alpha version. Many vitamin E supplements use a synthetic blend of eight isomers, of which only one matches this form. Vitafem uses natural d-alpha tocopherol, that single isomer your liver's transport protein is built to recognise. Food labelling standards treat it as roughly twice as bioavailable as the synthetic version.

Selenium: Selenomethionine

Selenium supports normal spermatogenesis and thyroid function, relevant to fertility for both partners. Vitafem uses selenomethionine, the organic, food form of selenium also found naturally in Brazil nuts, which is consistently shown to be retained and used more efficiently than inorganic forms like sodium selenite. Read more about selenium's role in fertility.

Riboflavin, manganese, copper and boron

Vitamin B2 appears as riboflavin-5-phosphate, the active coenzyme form that needs no conversion step. Manganese and copper appear as bisglycinate chelates, chosen for excellent absorption. Boron is Albion® Boron, a patented glycinate chelate known for being clean and well tolerated.

Vitamin D3: Algae Sourced

Vitafem's D3 is sourced from algae, rather than the lanolin (sheep's wool) used in most vitamin D3 supplements. It's chemically identical cholecalciferol, equally effective at raising and maintaining vitamin D status, but suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Learn more about vitamin D and fertility.

Lycopene: Tomato Sourced

Lycopene is the antioxidant that gives tomatoes their colour, studied for its role in protecting reproductive cells from oxidative stress. Vitafem's lycopene is tomato sourced.

What else should I take alongside Vitafem?

Vitafem is designed as a broad based daily foundation. It isn't meant to cover every fertility specific nutrient on its own, and it works best alongside a wider supplement routine built around your stage of trying. A few complementary additions are worth knowing about:

Zita West Vital DHA

Vitafem doesn't contain omega 3. Vital DHA delivers molecularly distilled DHA and EPA, one of the most consistently recommended additions for egg quality and reproductive health. This is the one addition we'd recommend to everyone taking Vitafem.

Shop Vital DHA

Zita West Femceive

A probiotic supporting vaginal and gut microbiome health, hormonal balance and implantation. A different, complementary category to a daily multivitamin.

Shop Femceive

Zita West N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)

Worth a note of clarity: NAC is a different compound to the N-Acetyl L-Carnitine already in Vitafem. NAC replenishes glutathione, the body's master antioxidant, through a separate pathway, making it a genuine addition rather than a duplicate.

Shop NAC

Zita West Fertility Collagen Pro

A collagen based addition supporting egg and sperm quality, in a different category to Vitafem's vitamin and mineral base.

Shop Fertility Collagen Pro

Does the form of an ingredient in a fertility supplement actually matter?

Yes, ingredient form affects how much of a nutrient crosses the gut wall and reaches circulation. Two supplements can list identical doses of magnesium, iron or selenium and deliver very different amounts to your cells, depending on whether they use high-bioavailability forms or lower-cost alternatives. Form is where the meaningful differences between supplements lie.

The form of a nutrient affects delivery, not outcomes. Fertility is influenced by a wide range of factors, and no supplement changes that regardless of its formulation quality. What a well-formulated supplement can do is ensure the nutritional foundation you are building is based on what your body can actually use, rather than what the label says is there.

The decision to use chelated minerals, active coenzyme vitamins, and food-form trace elements throughout Vitafem reflects over 20 years of clinical practice in specialist fertility nutrition.

Frequently asked questions about Vitafem's formulation

What makes one fertility multivitamin different from another?

The most meaningful difference between fertility multivitamins is not the ingredient list, it is the forms those ingredients appear in. Two supplements can both list magnesium, iron and selenium and deliver very different amounts to your cells, depending on whether they use high-bioavailability forms or lower-cost alternatives.

Can I get the same nutrients from a standard pregnancy multivitamin plus separate supplements?

You can get similar nutrients, but the form of each one matters as much as the presence of it. A standard pregnancy multivitamin may list the same minerals but use forms with lower absorption rates. Adding separate CoQ10 or selenium on top addresses quantity but not form quality in the base supplement.

Does it matter which form of magnesium or iron a fertility supplement uses?

Yes. The AquaminTG® marine magnesium complex used in Vitafem has much higher bioavailability. Iron forms vary similarly: they may be effective but may cause digestive side effects in many people, while ferrous bisglycinate absorbs through a different gut pathway which may help reduce this.

Is folate the same as methylfolate?

Not quite. Folate is the umbrella term for vitamin B9 in its many natural forms. Methylfolate (5-MTHF) is the specific, already active form the body can use directly, without converting it first. Quatrefolic®, the form used in Vitafem, is a highly absorbable methylfolate. There's a full explainer on folate's role in fertility here.

What's the difference between methylfolate and folic acid?

Folic acid is synthetic and has to be converted by the body, via the MTHFR enzyme, before it can be used. Methylfolate is already active, which matters most for people whose MTHFR gene variants make that conversion less efficient. We've written more on why folate over folic acid.

Ferrous bisglycinate vs ferrous fumarate, which is better for fertility?

Both deliver iron, but ferrous bisglycinate causes significantly fewer digestive side effects. In practice, that makes it easier to take consistently, and consistency is what matters for a daily preconception supplement.

Zinc bisglycinate vs zinc citrate, what's the difference?

Both are well absorbed chelated or organic forms. Bisglycinate uses the amino acid transport pathway and tends to be very gently tolerated, making it a good choice for daily long term use.

What does CoQ10 do for egg quality?

CoQ10 supports the mitochondria inside egg cells, which supply the energy needed for healthy cell division. Levels decline with age, and clinical research has found CoQ10 pretreatment can improve ovarian response and embryo quality in IVF settings. We go into more depth in optimising egg health with CoQ10.

Does the form of choline bitartrate matter?

Choline bitartrate is a well absorbed, standard form of choline, an often overlooked nutrient that supports normal liver function and cell membrane structure.

What is vegan or algae sourced vitamin D3?

It's cholecalciferol produced from algae rather than lanolin. Chemically it's the same active vitamin, the difference is entirely in the source, which makes it suitable for vegans.

Natural vitamin E vs synthetic vitamin E, is there a real difference?

Yes. Natural d-alpha tocopherol is a single isomer the body's transport protein recognises and retains. Synthetic dl-alpha tocopherol is a mix of eight isomers, most used far less efficiently.

Potassium iodide vs potassium iodate?

Both supply iodine. Potassium iodide is the more established, commonly used form in supplements, including Vitafem.

Is D-biotin different from regular biotin?

D-biotin is the naturally occurring, biologically active form of biotin. It's what "biotin" refers to in virtually all supplements, named specifically here for label clarity.

Is ascorbic acid the same as vitamin C?

Yes. Ascorbic acid is the chemical name for vitamin C in its most common supplement form. More on vitamin C and fertility here.

Is beta carotene the same as vitamin A?

Not quite. Beta carotene is a plant derived precursor the body converts into vitamin A as needed, considered a safer approach when trying to conceive since it avoids the risk of excess pre formed vitamin A.

Calcium citrate malate vs calcium carbonate, which absorbs better?

Calcium citrate malate, consistently, across comparative absorption studies, particularly for anyone with lower stomach acid or taking it without food.

Methylcobalamin vs cyanocobalamin, which B12 form is better?

Methylcobalamin is the active, coenzyme form of B12 the body can use directly. Cyanocobalamin is a stable synthetic form that must be converted first. Vitafem uses methylcobalamin. More on B12 and fertility here.

What's the difference between N-acetyl L-carnitine and NAC?

They're easily confused but functionally distinct. N-Acetyl L-Carnitine supports cellular energy production and is included in Vitafem. NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) supports glutathione production through a different pathway, and is available separately, as detailed in this guide to NAC for female fertility.

In summary: Vitafem's formulation uses chelated minerals, active coenzyme B vitamins, food-form trace elements, and Quatrefolic® active folate throughout, not as a premium positioning choice, but because these are the forms clinical evidence supports for absorption and daily tolerance. The ingredient table above shows each form used and why it was chosen.

Not sure which supplements are right for you?

If you're not sure which combination of supplements is right for where you are in your fertility journey, our experts offer a free one to one product consultation. It's a straightforward way to get a plan tailored to you, rather than guessing from a product page.

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Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet. If you are trying to conceive, pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking any medication, speak to your GP or a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement.