The Short Answer
Care/of is permanently out of business. The popular personalized vitamin brand abruptly ceased operations and canceled all subscriptions in June 2024 after their parent company, Bayer, pulled their funding.
Even if you could still buy them, our verdict is to avoid quiz-based vitamin subscriptions. An online questionnaire cannot diagnose nutrient deficiencies or replace clinical blood work. You are almost always better off buying high-quality, targeted supplements based on actual lab results rather than algorithmic guesswork. Do Multivitamins Work
Why This Matters
For years, Care/of was the poster child for the "personalized nutrition" boom. They convinced millions of consumers that a five-minute lifestyle quiz was a valid medical assessment. How Know Supplement Safe
The reality is that these algorithms are designed to upsell you on a bloated daily pack of pills. If you checked a box saying you felt tired, the system would automatically add an extra herbal supplement or vitamin to your cart, driving up your monthly subscription cost. Supplements Waste Money
Ultimately, the personalized vitamin model is more about marketing than precision health. You cannot tell if someone needs more iron, vitamin D, or magnesium without looking at their blood. Relying on an app to tell you what your body needs is a fundamentally flawed approach to wellness. Supplements Everyone Needs
What's Actually In Care/of Vitamins
When they were operating, Care/of offered a massive catalog of pills that their algorithm mixed and matched into daily packets.
- Basic Vitamins and Minerals — They heavily pushed standard nutrients like Vitamin C, D, and magnesium. While these are useful, you can get them much cheaper from established brands. How Much Vitamin D
- Adaptogens and Herbs — Their algorithm frequently recommended trendy ingredients like ashwagandha and rhodiola for stress. These were often unnecessary additions that spiked the monthly price. Is Ashwagandha Safe
- Proprietary Blends — Some of their targeted "boosts" used proprietary blends where you couldn't see the exact amount of each active ingredient. Are Supplements Fda Regulated
What to Look For
Green Flags:
- Third-Party Testing — Look for brands that clearly display their Certificates of Analysis (COAs) and independent lab results. Third Party Tested Meaning
- Blood Work Basis — The best personalized nutrition comes from your doctor analyzing actual lab panels, not an online survey.
- Transparent Sourcing — Good brands tell you exactly where their raw materials come from and what form of the nutrient is used.
Red Flags:
- Diagnostic Quizzes — Any brand claiming to know your exact cellular nutrient needs based on a multiple-choice web form is misleading you.
- Proprietary Blends — If a supplement label groups ingredients together under a "complex" without listing individual doses, they are hiding something. Supplements Contain Claims
- Excessive Daily Pills — If your daily packet has 8 to 10 different pills, you are likely taking redundant or unnecessary supplements. Get Everything From Food
The Best Options
Since Care/of is no longer an option, it is time to pivot to brands that prioritize clinical dosing and transparent testing over personalized gimmicks. Here are the best alternatives on the market.
| Brand | Product | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thorne | Basic Nutrients 2/Day | ✅ | Practitioner-trusted brand with elite quality control. Is Thorne Good |
| Ritual | Essential for Women | ✅ | Transparent supply chain and targeted essential nutrients. Is Ritual Good |
| Care/of | Daily Packs | 🚫 | Company is permanently shut down. |
The Bottom Line
1. Stop taking internet health quizzes. A web form cannot look inside your body or measure your actual micronutrient levels.
2. Get baseline blood work. Ask your doctor to test your Vitamin D, B12, iron, and magnesium before starting any daily regimen.
3. Buy targeted supplements. Once you know what you are actually deficient in, buy those specific, high-quality supplements instead of generic packets. Supplements Worth Taking
FAQ
Why did Care/of vitamins shut down?
Care/of ceased operations in June 2024 because their parent company, Bayer, pulled their funding. The brand could no longer sustain its expensive direct-to-consumer packaging and distribution model without outside capital.
Are personalized vitamin quizzes accurate?
No, online lifestyle quizzes cannot diagnose nutrient deficiencies. They are marketing tools designed to sell you more products, and they lack the scientific validity of a simple clinical blood test. Do Multivitamins Work
What should I take instead of Care/of?
You should focus on high-quality, third-party tested core nutrients from brands like Thorne or Ritual. If you suspect a deficiency, get blood work done rather than relying on a subscription box algorithm. Third Party Tested Brands
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- 2. healthline.com
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- 8. conceiveplus.co.za
- 9. youtube.com