Update 9/2/20. Halo Beauty His and Her Body and Brain Booster Multivitamins are the latest in the list of supplements from YouTube star, Tati Westbrook. In this review, I'll compare the ingredients in the men's and women's multivitamins to each other to help you figure out if they are right for you. You'll learn where they are similar and different from each other too. Do they really boost brain activity as the name suggests? Do they enhance the effects of Halo Beauty or Kiwi Skin Booster? Do they have any side effects? Let's see what we can discover.
Halo Beauty His vs. Her Vitamins Ingredients
Here are the ingredients in the His and Her Body and Brain Booster multivitamins side-by-side:
| His Multivitamin (1 capsule) | Her Multivitamin (1 capsule) |
| Vitamin A 900 mcg RAE (100% DV) | Vitamin A 900 mcg RAE (100%DV) |
| Vitamin C 90 mg (100% DV) | Vitamin C 75 mg (100% DV) |
| Vitamin D3 25 mcg (125% DV) | Vitamin D3 15 mcg (100%DV) |
| Vitamin K1 120 mcg (100% DV) | Vitamin K1 90 mcg (100% DV) |
| Vitamin B2 2 mg (154%DV) | Vitamin B2 2 mg (182% DV) |
| Niacin 20 mg (125%DV) | Niacin 20 mg (143% DV) |
| Vitamin B6 2 mg (118%DV) | Vitamin B6 2 mg (133%DV) |
| Folate 400 mcg DFE (100% DV) | Folate 400 mcg DFE (100%DV) |
| Vitamin B12 9 mcg (375%DV) | Vitamin B12 6 mcg (250%DV) |
| Vitamin B5 10 mg (200%DV) | Vitamin B5 5 mg (100%DV) |
| Iodine 150 mcg (100% DV) | Iodine 150 mcg (100%DV) |
| Zinc 5 mg (45% DV) | Zinc 4 mg (32%DV) |
| Selenium 70 mcg (127% DV) | Selenium 50 mcg (91% DV) |
| Molybdenum 43 mcg (100% DV) | Molybdenum 100 mcg (233%DV) |
| Maca Root 100 mg | Rosehip powder 100 mg |
| C3G 60 mg | C3G 60 mg |
| Inositol 20 mg | Inositol 20 mg |
| Boron 2 mg | Boron 2 mg |
| Zeaxanthin 1mg | Zeaxanthin 1 mg |
| Astaxanthin 1 mg | Astaxanthin 1 mg |
As you can see, for the most part, both the male and female Body and Brain Booster vitamins have similar ingredients. The Ingredients in red tell you where the multivitamin versions differ from each other in both ingredients and amounts.
Other Ingredients
Both the His and Her vitamins contain these other ingredients
- HPMC vegetable capsule
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Silicon dioxide
- Vegetable magnesium stearate
These other ingredients are used in the capsule and to ensure the ingredients mix well together when you take them.
Vitamins vs. Minerals
Both His and Her supplements contain more vitamins than minerals. Neither supplement contains calcium. This may be because calcium is a bulky molecule and makes pills bigger. Also, calcium is controversial due to a possible link to heart disease and may have been another reason for its omission.
Next, let's review some of the unique ingredients. If you have any questions, leave a comment below.
Iodine
Both male and female multivitamins provide 100% of the daily value for iodine. The mineral iodine is needed for the production of thyroid hormone which helps regulate metabolism. Reductions in iodine intake could lead to hypothyroidism, although in the US, this is rare. Pregnancy may be an exception to this rule, however.
Vitamin K1
Both the Halo His and Her multivitamins contain vitamin K1. Vitamin K is one of the fat-soluble vitamins. While most people know it as the vitamin that helps blood clotting, vitamin K does more than this. For example, vitamin K also helps blood vessels stay healthy and can improve bone strength.
What we refer to as “vitamin K” is actually a family of related nutrients. The main types are:
- Vitamin K1 is also called Phytonadione
- Vitamin K2 is also called Menaquinone
Vitamin K2 can be further divided into different forms such as MK-4, MK-7, and MK-9.
- Vitamin K1 sources: green leafy vegetables like spinach. Kiwifruit is also a good source of vitamin K1.
- Vitamin K2 sources: our microbiome as well as foods such as egg yokes, and fermented foods like natto.
Halo vitamins do not contain vitamin K2 although we can convert vitamin K1 into K2.
Research shows vitamin K2 provides health benefits. For example, vitamin K2 may help bones strong and blood vessels healthy. Despite these potential benefits, remember all forms of vitamin K can interfere with blood thinner medicine. If you take blood thinners, speak to your doctor before using supplements containing vitamin K.
Maca Root
Maca root extract, also sometimes called “Peruvian ginseng” (and Lepidium meyenii) is only found in the Halo men's multivitamin. This may be due to the reputation maca has for augmenting testosterone and libido in men.
So, does maca really improve sex drive?
Various studies have noted maca may improve sexual desire in men after several weeks of use. Whether or not maca raises testosterone needs more study. Research showing maca extract helps libido often use 1000 to 3000 mg per day. This is more than the 100 mg found in the Halo men's multivitamin.
Here is a highly rated Maca supplement on Amazon
For more on Maca see these reviews:
Inositol
From the Halo website we are told inositol (vitamin B8) plays a role in the production of neurotransmitters, chemical messengers that allow brain cells to talk to each other. Some evidence suggests inositol may help depression but more research is needed to know for sure.
Research showing inositol helps depression have used up to 12 grams a day. This is more than the 20 mg found in Halo multi-vitamins. Various studies have also noted inositol supplementation may help reduce panic attacks. Ironically, other researchers note inositol may not reduce anxiety.
What Is C3G?
Cyanidin-3-glucoside (CG3) is an anthocyanin plant nutrient isolated from purple corn blackberries and other members of the berry family. The C3G ingredient is found in both the men's and women's multivitamins.
Preliminary evidence suggests CG3 may have a variety of functions such as:
- lowering blood sugar
- boosting brown fat production
- have anti-cancer effects
One mouse study has noted CG3 may prevent gaining weight but since people are not mice, this study needs to be replicated with humans.
Like many plant compounds, cyanidins have a variety of health benefits. The Halo website tells us C3G is used for eye health issues such as dry eyes and helping night vision. When researchers in Canada reviewed two previous studies, they noted while cyanadins might not improve night vision, they may help vision return after it was temporarily blocked.
Cyanidin-3-glucoside is an interesting compound that deserves further scrutiny. Keep in mind many of C3Gs reputed benefits stem from mouse and test-tube studies. As such its benefits need to be confirmed by human studies.
Zeaxanthin And Astaxanthin
Both zeaxanthin and astaxanthin are examples of plant compounds called carotenoids.
- Astaxanthin-rich foods: salmon, shrimp, krill oil supplements, and trout
- Zeaxanthin-rich foods: green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach
According to the Halo website, zeaxanthin is said to work like “internal sunglasses,” filtering out blue light which might damage the eye. Both astaxanthin and zeaxanthin may be found together in vision supplements because of research suggesting they play a role in eye health issues such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The Halo Beauty website mentions astaxanthin may also help the skin retain moisture. At least 2 human studies have noted astaxanthin seemed to reduce crows feet and wrinkles when it was taken for 6 weeks at a dosage of 4-6 mg per day.
Halo Beauty MultiVitamin Price
Both the women's and men's vitamins cost $24.95 for a 30 day supply. That prices them competitively with several other brands.
Multivitamins + Halo Beauty. Better Together?
Currently, there's no evidence Halo Beauty or Kiwi Seed Booster improves the effects of the Body and Brain Booster multivitamins. Likewise, there's also no evidence the multivitamins improve the results you might achieve with either Halo Beauty or Kiwi Seed Booster supplements. This is good news for those wondering if they have to take all of these supplements together to get the best effects. You don't.
Take whichever supplement you prefer.
Brain Boosters?
Despite the name, there is no evidence Halo Beauty multivitamins will help you think better or improve memory or cognition. While the argument can be made that all the ingredients would help a brain function better, if they work, the effects would likely be greatest in those who don't eat well, to begin with.
Could all the ingredients synergistically work together to boost mental clarity? It's possible, but it will take clinical research to prove.
Halo Vitamins vs. The Competition
So far, there isn't any direct head-to-head comparison between Halo Beauty vitamins and other multivitamin brands. While this can make it difficult to know which is best for you, it may also be seen as good for those who want to shop around. For what it's worth when Consumerlab reviewed multivitamins they liked these brands best:
To be fair, Consumerlab was also considering products that cost less too.
Halo Beauty Multi-Vitamin Side Effects
Like most multivitamins, I think both the Halo His and Her vitamins are safe. If you're healthy, I don't see any issues. Like all supplements, here are some general thoughts. This list is not complete.
- Start with less than suggested for the first week to see how you respond
- If you take any medications, show the ingredients to your pharmacist and doctor
- Stop taking the supplements at least 2 weeks before having surgery
- Talk to your doctor first if pregnant or breastfeeding
- The multivitamins contain vitamin K which can interfere with blood thinners
- The riboflavin (vitamin B2) in the multivitamins may turn your urine yellow. This is harmless.
Do They Work?
Overall, Halo His & Her Body and Brain Booster multivitamins have a lot of the same nutrients I see in other products. While both men's and women's formulas have some unique ingredients, I'll leave that to you to decide if that makes them better. If you are happy with Halo Beauty supplements and want to stick with this brand, great. If you're on the fence but want to add a multivitamin to your daily supplement routine, I'd say you could get by with any quality product such as these highly-rated brands