Bioavailability

What is bioavailability and why is it important when it comes to vitamins and minerals our body needs?

Not all supplements are created equal - just because you take it doesn’t mean your body actually uses it. That’s where bioavailability comes in. It’s the measure of how much of a nutrient your body can absorb and put to work. If a supplement has low bioavailability, a good chunk of it just passes through without doing much (aka expensive pee).

Then there’s the active vs. inactive ingredient situation. Active forms are ready to go — your body can immediately recognize and use them. Inactive forms? They need to be converted first, and not everyone’s body does this efficiently. Take B12, for example: methylcobalamin (active) is instantly usable, while cyanocobalamin (inactive) requires conversion — and some people’s bodies aren’t great at this step.

Moral of the story? Absorption matters. Choosing supplements with the right form of nutrients means getting more benefits and fewer wasted pills. Because if you’re investing in your health,, you should get more than just expensive urine.

Smart Supplementing: What to Look for in Your Essentials

  • Top Vitamins & Minerals in Multivitamins

    ✔️ Vitamin A – Retinyl palmitate, Retinyl acetate, Beta-carotene (for those who convert well)

    ✔️ Vitamin C – Ascorbic acid, Calcium ascorbate, Magnesium ascorbate

    ✔️ Vitamin D – D3 (Cholecalciferol) (way better absorbed than D2)

    ✔️ Vitamin E – D-alpha-tocopherol (Natural form, better absorbed than synthetic DL-alpha-tocopherol)

    ✔️ Vitamin K – K2 (MK-4, MK-7) > K1 for bone & heart health

    ✔️ Calcium – Calcium citrate, Calcium malate (better than carbonate for absorption)

    ✔️ Magnesium – Magnesium glycinate, Magnesium malate, Magnesium citrate (avoid oxide—poor absorption)

    ✔️ Zinc – Zinc picolinate, Zinc citrate, Zinc bisglycinate (better absorbed than zinc oxide)

    ✔️ Iron – Iron bisglycinate, Heme iron (gentler & better absorbed than ferrous sulfate)

    ✔️ Selenium – Selenomethionine (more bioavailable than selenite or selenate)

  • B-Complex Vitamins

    ✔️ B1 (Thiamine) – Thiamine mononitrate, Benfotiamine (fat-soluble, higher absorption)

    ✔️ B2 (Riboflavin) – Riboflavin-5’-phosphate (active form, better absorption)

    ✔️ B3 (Niacin) – Niacinamide (non-flushing), Nicotinic acid (flushing but effective for cholesterol support)

    ✔️ B5 (Pantothenic Acid) – Pantethine (active form, better utilized than calcium pantothenate)

    ✔️ B6 (Pyridoxine) – Pyridoxal-5’-phosphate (P5P, active form, better absorbed than pyridoxine HCl)

    ✔️ B7 (Biotin) – D-Biotin (the only active form)

    ✔️ B9 (Folate) – 5-MTHF (methylfolate, better than folic acid, especially for those with MTHFR gene mutations)

    ✔️ B12 (Cobalamin) – Methylcobalamin, Adenosylcobalamin, Hydroxocobalamin (better absorbed than cyanocobalamin)

  • Fish Oil Omega-3

    ✔️ EPA & DHA (Omega-3s) – Re-Esterified Triglyceride (rTG), Triglyceride (TG) form (better absorbed than ethyl ester form)

    ✔️ Phospholipid Omega-3s – Krill oil (contains phospholipid-bound EPA & DHA, more bioavailable than standard fish oil)

THORNE Basic Nutrients 2/Day Multivitamin

Why we love it: this supplement is packed with highly bioavailable nutrients that your body can actually absorb and use. With active B vitamins (like methylfolate and P5P), chelated minerals (TRAACS®), and vitamin D3 +K2, it maximizes nutrient uptake for better energy, immunity, and overall health.

Bioavailability Recommendations

We research products for you and provide recommendations based on our findings. Using science-backed data, we offer top product recommendations to help you achieve better sleep, and we continuously update our suggestions as new data becomes available.

THORNE Basic B-Complex

Why we love it: another winner from Thorne - this delivers highly bioavailable, active forms of essential B vitamins—methylfolate (5-MTHF), methylcobalamin (B12), and P5P (B6)—ensuring optimal absorption and utilization. With riboflavin-5’-phosphate and choline citrate, it supports energy, brain function, and metabolism more effectively than standard forms.

Sports Research Omega-3 Fish Oil

Why we love it: this fish oil stands out for its superior bioavailability thanks to its natural triglyceride (TG) form, which the body absorbs more efficiently than synthetic alternatives. With high EPA (690 mg) and DHA (260 mg) levels, it delivers maximum benefits for brain, heart, and joint health—all sources from wild, sustainable Alaska Pollock for purity and potency.

Why This Matters:

Choosing the right form means better absorption, fewer side effects, and more benefits. Because your supplements should actually work—not just pass through.


While we are deeply rooted in the sciences, it's important to note that we are not medical professionals. Rather, we are passionate individuals committed to empowering you with knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about your health and wellness journey.