Did you know the best multivitamins for women are formulated differently from the best multivitamins for men? Because of female biological differences, women’s multis often have different (and higher) doses of calcium, folate, and iron.
Can you imagine not just taking a multivitamin based on the needs of your chromosomes, but a multivitamin personally designed for you? It’s now possible to use your own DNA to determine your nutrient requirements.
In this Rootine vitamins review, we’ll walk you through what it’s like to take the Rootine tests and what to expect on pricing, dosing, and consuming these innovative multivitamins.
When Garage Gym Reviews testers use dietary supplements, we follow the guidelines of an in-depth supplement testing methodology and score several categories on a 1-to-5-star scale including:
- Price per serving: How does the price per serving compare to similar products?
- Formulation: Is there transparency on both ingredients and dosage?
- Taste and swallowability: Can the supplement be swallowed easily and does it have an aftertaste?
- Side effects: Are there side effects or digestive problems after consuming?
- Third-party testing: Is the supplement third-party lab tested?
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.
Two Dozen Multivitamins Tested
You’ve trusted our GGR expert testers for honest reviews on everything from the best treadmills for home gyms to the best pre-workouts. Our expert testers are fitness industry professionals including certified nutrition coaches and certified personal trainers, which helps inform our fitness product and supplement testing process.
When it comes to the best biohacking products like customized multivitamins, we’re going to take the same rigorous approach to testing equipment and supplements so we can provide an unbiased take and let you know who Rootine supplements are actually ideal for.
Rootine
Rootine Smart Multivitamins
Product Highlights
- Individualized multivitamin supplement
- Formulated using results from blood tests
- Tests available for blood vitamin content, mineral content, hormones, and DNA
- Can use third-party DNA test results
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Personalized based on blood test results
- Slow-release microbeads
- Blood vitamin, mineral, and hormone tests available
- Can upload third-party DNA test results
Cons
- No robust evidence to back up DNA-based nutrition
- Expensive, starting at $94/month
- Subscription required
Bottom Line
Rootine Smart Multivitamins are personalized vitamin and mineral supplements based on your individual nutritional needs. Rootine uses tests for blood vitamin content, blood mineral content, some hormones, and DNA to determine your vitamin formula.
A Quick Look at Rootine Smart Multivitamins
Rootine is a high-tech vitamin company that produces personalized supplements that are tailored to your nutrient levels based on results from at-home DNA tests and blood work. These daily vitamins are not only personalized but come in the form of microbeads instead of capsules.
Before You Buy
- You can take Rootine-branded tests or use your previous DNA test results from other companies (like 23andMe and Ancestry.com) for data analysis.
- Slow-release microbeads should not be chewed and can be taken with liquid, added to smoothies, or sprinkled on foods like yogurt.
- Rootine tests are not available in New York state.
Are Rootine Smart Multivitamins Worth It?
Based on price alone, Rootine is going to be a hard sell if you’re a budget home gym owner or seeking to improve your overall well-being without it costing a fortune.
And if you’ve never used a DNA test service before, the basic Rootine test will cost you $195 to get started. On top of that, you’ll have a $94 monthly fee, which is about $3.13 per day. But, if you’re someone willing to spend about $100 per month on custom supplements, Rootine is one way to get a personalized dose of more than a dozen micronutrients like Omega 3s and Vitamin D.
Great for:
- Precise nutrient dosing
- Slow-release vitamins
- Folks with prior DNA test results
Not recommended for:
- Budget DNA test kits
- Budget vitamin packs
- Replacing balanced nutrition
Rootine Vitamin Specs
| Price per vitamin pack | $3.13 per day |
| Blood test required | Yes |
| Notable ingredients | Varies |
| Form | Microbeads |
| Third-party testing | Yes |
Experience Using Rootine Smart Multivitamins
Rootine personalizes the dose of up to 20 different nutrients (to the milligram or microgram) based on your DNA, blood, and lifestyle. According to the website, Rootine also uses scientific studies of RDA (recommended daily allowances) to create custom doses.
Expert product tester and GGR performance editor Anthony O’Reilly started the process with Rootine testing but is currently in a holding pattern because the lab didn’t have enough blood from Anthony’s finger prick to complete the vitamin and mineral test.
Looking on the positive side Anthony says, “This is an area that actually impressed me. I think a lesser company would’ve taken the ‘bad’ sample and still tried to sell me something based on the results.”
“Rootine, on the other hand, wants to ensure they have all the data possible to give me an accurate vitamin and mineral assessment,” Anthony adds.
However, he says the test is straightforward with a simple prick of the finger and putting a few (maybe more than a few) drops of blood on the testing card.
Rootine Subscription and Pricing
For the multivitamins alone, Rootine costs $94 per month. Once your DNA is tested, the supplement company will send you a 90-day supply of personalized vitamin and micronutrient packs.
To clarify: You’ll receive a 90-day supply, but you’ll be billed monthly (and your membership will auto-renew every three months). This works out to about $3.13 per day (or $282 per shipment).
Plus, you’ll also need your DNA tested from cheek swabs. And unless you’ve already done something like Ancestry.com or 23andMe you’ll need to buy an at-home test from Rootine.
You’ll see three options for lab testing on the website:
- DNA test: $195
- Blood vitamin and mineral test bundle (Analyzes B9, B12, D, hs-CRP, homocysteine, magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium, cadmium, and mercury): $338
- Complete nutrition test bundle (Includes the DNA test, blood vitamin test, and mineral test): $533
While the DNA test doesn’t need to be taken multiple times, the company encourages re-taking blood tests every three to six months to stay up-to-date with your nutrient absorption and changes to your test results. According to the help center on the Rootine website, the company offers a quarterly blood test subscription (and discounts on blood testing for active subscribers).
Formulation
Rootine does not offer a one-size-fits-all approach to health and wellness. Instead, your test results will indicate where you have micronutrient deficiencies in order to fill in gaps.
According to the website, there are 19 different available nutrients that may be included (in variable doses) in your personalized vitamin pack:
- Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
- Calcium
- Copper
- Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
- Folate (B9)
- Iron
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- MSM
- Omega 3s
- Phytosterols
- Selenium
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin E
- Zinc
Taste and Solubility
Rootine doesn’t offer traditional supplement powders or capsules. Instead, your multivitamins will be in the form of slow-release microbeads. It comes in a small rectangular pouch and quite honestly looks like Dippin’ Dots.
Rootine warns against biting, chewing, or blending the microbeads. The website notes intact microbeads have no flavor, but they do when a microbead is crushed. Therefore, the company suggests swallowing with water or stirring into foods like yogurt or pre-blended smoothies.
Third-Party Testing
Rootine has in-house third-party testing by Institut Kurz, which is a premier testing laboratory based in Europe. The supplement company also follows FDA Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and participates in an interlaboratory program to ensure accurate genetic testing results.
Speaking of genetic testing, according to the website Rootine protects personal data “with the same measures as your medical data is protected at hospitals.” The website also states it will not sell or share data with third parties “not associated with creating your personalized health products.”
Rootine vs Care/Of
C/O Men’s
Care/of The Men’s Care Pack
Product Highlights
- Subscription only
- Vitamin packs to help optimize health
- 30 individual packets with 4 capsules
Pros & Cons
Pros
- More than a multivitamin: astaxanthin, probiotic blend, multivitamin, and fish oil
- Can adjust the vitamin pack
- Personalized vitamin packs also available
- Free shipping
Cons
- Only available via company website as a subscription
- Relatively expensive at $1.80 per serving
- Dispenser fee of $1 not a part of advertised price
Bottom Line
Care/of The Men’s Care Pack provides you with more than just a multivitamin if you are looking to take care of all your supplement needs in one place.
Like Rootine, Care/Of aims to help you get personalized multivitamins and supplements delivered directly to your door. However, Care/Of uses lifestyle quizzes versus your actual genetic data to determine which customized supplements it sends you.
Care/Of uses its lifestyle questionnaire (based on your habits and health goals) to cater the vitamin pack it sends you to you. In most cases, you’ll receive a multivitamin and a few other supplements—all in the form of traditional capsules or pills.
Because Care/Of doesn’t require testing, there are no up-front costs and it’s under $2 per day.
| Rootine | Care/Of | |
| Price per vitamin pack | $3.13 per day | About $1.80 per day |
| Blood test required | Yes | No |
| Notable ingredients | Varies | Astaxanthin, probiotic blend, multivitamin, and fish oil |
| Form | Microbeads | Capsules and gel capsules |
| Third-party testing | Yes | Yes |
Customer Experience
If you need to get in touch with Rootine customer service, there is a live chat box on the lower right-hand corner of the website. When you open the chat the first prompt you’ll see is notice that if customer support is unavailable, you’ll get an email reply within one business day. It doesn’t, however, tell you official business hours.
You may also be wondering about return policies, since everything is so customized. Well, because of that Rootine cannot accept returns and does not issue refunds. You can cancel your subscription by emailing hello@rootine.co or request a cancellation in your user dashboard. You’ll want to plan ahead a little here, though, since if your vitamins are in production you’ll be charged for your next shipment.
Ordering Rootine Vitamins
Ordering your Rootine vitamins is a bit different than the average online purchase. You’ll either purchase and complete Rootine’s at-home testing or provide your personal data from 23andMe or Ancestry.com.
Rootine estimates your DNA or blood samples will take up to a week to ship to the Rootine lab. From there it can take anywhere from three to five weeks to analyze your data. Then another two to three weeks to prepare your custom vitamin mix and ship the 90-day supply to your door.
If you already own your DNA data, your DNA will still need to be analyzed and custom vitamins prepared. With either option, you’ll have several weeks before receiving your Rootine order.
Customer Reviews
On the Rootine website, there are nearly 150 customer reviews, all with 5-out-of-5-star ratings. For more variety in customer reviews, we headed over to Amazon.
On Amazon, you can find the Rootine Nutrigenetics DNA Test Kit, which has only 16 reviews but more variety in the ratings (which we think is important because even the best products have a few negative reviews).
There are tons of positive reviews on the simplicity of at-home testing and the Rootine multivitamins making a difference in how folks feel. Negative reviews were centered around price, testing accuracy, and customer service.
Final Verdict of Our Rootine Vitamins Review
Rootine Smart Multivitamins might be an excellent way for some folks to fill in gaps in your nutrition. Rootine Smart Multivitamins might be an excellent way for some folks to fill in gaps in their nutrition. However, Rootine’s advanced DNA and blood test techniques won’t substitute a balanced diet. There are also far less expensive options on the market for semi-personalized multivitamins if you’re not willing to spend $95 per month on supplements.
Full Rating
Rootine Vitamins
Rootine Smart Multivitamins are personalized vitamin and mineral supplements based on your individual nutritional needs. Rootine uses tests for blood vitamin content, blood mineral content, some hormones, and DNA to determine your vitamin formula.
Product Brand: Rootine
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 94.00
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.62
Rootine Vitamins Review: FAQs
How does Rootine work?
Rootine Smart Multivitamins work by using scientific research, blood tests, and DNA test results to determine your nutrient levels and where you need supplementation.
Who owns Rootine?
Rachel Sanders and Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer co-own and co-founded Rootine.
What happens when you start taking vitamins every day?
Depending on which vitamins you may have been deficient in, you could experience better energy levels, absorb food better, and reduce feelings of brain fog.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
