What Vitamins Do Women Over 50 Need?

Turning 50 undeniably marks a whole new era for most women. While the end of the reproductive years can certainly mean a whole new beginning, it is often overshadowed by unpleasant menopause-related symptoms, as well as the increased risk of numerous health conditions.

Whether undergoing the menopausal transition or being already in menopause, the aging body has different requirements to function healthily than it did before. In this article, we review the vitamin needs of women over 50 and answer the question of when supplements can come in handy.

Why are vitamins important for women over 50?

Getting adequate amounts of essential vitamins is crucial throughout the entire lifespan. However, we face unique health problems at each stage of life. As people age, they become at a higher risk of certain illnesses, such as arthritis, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Osteoporosis — a disease defined by bone loss and a higher risk of bone fractures — is four times more common in women than men (people assigned male at birth; AMAB). Its risk increases significantly as estrogen levels decline with menopause, making it one of the biggest health concerns in people assigned female at birth (AFAB) over 50.

Adequate intake of essential vitamins might be associated with a lower risk of some diseases and conditions commonly faced with age. On top of that, people over 50 may need more vitamins than their younger counterparts, and some become more likely to have vitamin deficiencies with age due to chronic illnesses or insufficient intake.

These factors combined make it very important to ensure that all the nutritional needs, including vitamin requirements, are met.

Essential vitamins for women over 50

Essential vitamins include vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, biotin, B6, and B12. All of them are crucial for normal cell functioning, and each vitamin does its unique job.

Though all of these vitamins are necessary, knowing which ones tend to run low as we get older is especially important.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps absorb phosphate and calcium, a mineral our bodies need in order to keep the bones strong. Adequate intake of vitamin D is important for helping avoid bone loss, which is incredibly relevant to women over 50 regarding the high risk of osteoporosis.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin D for women under 70 is 600 IU (15 mcg). For those 70 and older, it increases to 800 IU (20 mcg) per day.

Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to the sun and is found in a small number of foods including liver, fatty fish, and egg yolks.

Vitamin C

Another vitamin that may be deficient later in life is vitamin C. Though the effects of low vitamin C levels in older people are still uncertain, it’s known that this vitamin plays a major role in many bodily functions and acts as a powerful antioxidant. Therefore, it’s important to ensure adequate consumption.

Women aged 51 and up are advised to consume 75 mg of vitamin C per day. The main food sources are citric fruits and vegetables.

B vitamins

Among numerous other functions, B vitamins are involved in cell metabolism and red blood cell formation. Some of them, including vitamin B12 (cobalamin), are known to decrease with age, and low intake of folate (B9) may be associated with increased frailty.

Deficiency of B vitamins may lead to various diseases. For example, insufficient B6 and B12 levels may cause anemia (a lack of red blood cells).

Vitamin B-rich foods include leafy greens, fish, meat, eggs, fortified bread, and cereals.

For women over 50, the recommended daily doses of B vitamins are:

• Vitamin B2: 1.1 mg
• Vitamin B6: 1.5 mg
• Vitamin B9: 400 mcg
• Vitamin B12: 2.4 mcg

Do I need to take vitamins?

Whether to take vitamins or not seems like an eternal debate. While there’s not much evidence that vitamin supplementation could lead to improved health outcomes in people without deficiencies, it’s important to know which vitamins are more likely to be depleted in the years to come.

Individuals post-menopause are more likely to be vitamin D deficient due to age and changes in body composition, low dietary consumption, and/or insufficient sun exposure.

Inadequate dietary intake of vitamins C and B is not uncommon in older people. For example, one study has shown that as many as 42% of women aged 70–80 have vitamin B6 deficiency.

It’s undeniable that it’s best to get all the nutrients from a balanced diet; however, in some cases, it can get tricky. For instance, some people over 50 may have difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 from foods, and naturally occurring vitamin D is limited in many diets. Additionally, sun exposure may contribute to a higher risk of skin cancer.

In cases like this, supplementation might come in handy. The signs of a vitamin deficiency might not be obvious, so consulting your healthcare provider for tests can help determine if supplements could deliver any benefit in your case.

Are there vitamins that I need less as I get older?

There is no evidence that would allow us to think that. However, there are important considerations to keep in mind regarding vitamin supplementation as we age.

As chronic illnesses and subsequent medication use become more common with age, the risk of side effects and interactions with drugs also increases. For example, vitamin K might lower the effectiveness of a blood thinner warfarin. Others may increase the risk of bleeding.

Can I mix different vitamins together?

Various ingredients in meals contain different kinds of vitamins, so it’s natural that vitamins are often consumed together.

Most vitamin supplements can be taken together if needed. However, it's important to ensure that daily upper limits are not exceeded when taking a multivitamin in addition to other individual vitamin supplements.

What vitamins should women over 50 take in different seasons?

To our knowledge, there are no established guidelines supporting vitamin supplementation at different times of the year for any age group.

However, as the body naturally produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun, limited evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be a good idea in the darker months.

A 2023 meta-analysis has also concluded that vitamin C supplementation might decrease the severity of common colds, suggesting it might be beneficial during the winter season, especially to people with frequent contact with children.

Further studies are needed to draw definite conclusions.

What is the most important vitamin for women over 50?

Though all essential vitamins are called so for a reason, vitamin D deserves special attention for women over 50. As it cannot be found widely in foods, and obtaining it from sun exposure comes with its risks, vitamin D deficiency is widely prevalent; it’s calculated that up to 50–80% of menopausal women lack vitamin D.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), consuming recommended amounts of vitamin D and calcium daily is crucial for bone health and lowering the risk of osteoporosis in menopause.

It’s important to note that the evidence regarding vitamin D supplementation in people without deficiency is inconsistent. Consulting a healthcare professional will help you decide whether you’re the right candidate to benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

What should I consider before buying vitamins?

The first and likely most important thing to consider before purchasing vitamins is finding out whether you actually need them.

While having a certain vitamin deficiency might be a self-explanatory reason for vitamin supplement use, it’s important to note that according to the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board, all people over 50 should consume recommended amounts of B12 from fortified foods or supplements. This is due to the possibility of being unable to absorb it from meals.

People with some conditions that affect the digestion and metabolism of certain nutrients might also benefit from vitamin supplementation. In this case, it’s likely to be recommended by a healthcare provider.

Let’s look into other factors to consider if you’ve decided to purchase a vitamin supplement.

Multivitamins vs. individual vitamin supplements

Though lacking a standard definition, multivitamins are a type of supplement that offers a variety of vitamins combined. They might be a great choice for those who consume low-calorie diets, are following restricted eating plans (e.g., vegan or vegetarian), or have poor nutritional vitamin intakes from their diet. Look for formulations specifically designed to target the needs of women over 50.

On the other hand, individual vitamins can be beneficial for addressing specific deficiencies, particularly when recommended by a doctor.

Menopausal complaints

Limited evidence suggests that those bothered by menopause-related symptoms could potentially benefit from vitamin E supplementation as it might have a positive impact on menopausal vaginal changes, hot flashes, and lipid levels. Folic acid, which is a synthetic version of vitamin B9, may also play a role in reducing hot flashes.

However, more studies are needed to draw final conclusions, and there are no guidelines on the dosing of these nutrients and their long-term safety.

Dietary restrictions

People with certain dietary restrictions — including vegans and those with food allergies or lactose or gluten intolerance — should look for vitamin supplements labeled according to their specific needs.

Quality of the supplement

Since the FDA does not evaluate the efficacy and safety of dietary supplements, including vitamins, it’s important to scrutinize the products you consider. Look for supplements that are produced according to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP-certified) and are third-party tested.

Check the labels to ensure the supplement contains vitamin doses within the daily allowance limits and note the form of the vitamins, as different forms may have varying levels of bioavailability.

Healthcare providers’ recommendations

This is definitely the most important aspect to consider before buying vitamins. Providers can run tests to diagnose vitamin deficiencies, look into your personal health history, and evaluate whether you have certain risk factors for vitamin shortage — ultimately helping you decide which vitamin supplements you’re more likely to benefit from.

Top vitamins for women over 50

Our team has recently conducted a list of the best multivitamins for women over 50. Below are a few products that caught our attention due to their impressive ingredients.

1. Ritual — overall best multivitamin for women post-menopause

Try Ritual now

Thoughtfully formulated and third-party tested, Ritual multivitamins aim to support the aging process by targeting heart health, immunity, bone health, and muscle function.

Innovative delayed-release capsules provide both oily and dry ingredients, which might be the reason behind some of the customer reviews stating they have finally found a supplement that is ‘easy on their stomach.’

Users mostly disagree on the added mint flavor in the supplement. Some emphasize that it’s a huge plus that allows to hide that fatty fish oil flavor; others complain that the unpleasant aftertaste persists regardless of mint.

With a rating of 4.5 and an impressive list of ingredients including vitamins D, K, E, and B12, Ritual offers 30 servings of vegan capsules for a reasonable price of $31.20 for a monthly subscription.

2. Vous Vitamin — best personalized vitamins for women over 50

Try Vous vitamins now

The thing that we loved the most is that Vous Vitamin designs the supplement according to you personally. After taking a detailed quiz, the website offers you a custom all-in-one multivitamin designed to meet your individual needs, which is very important at this age. However, it is not a substitute for a healthcare provider’s consultation.

There are still very few user reviews on third-party websites, which makes it difficult to review user experiences with Vous Vitamin. However, according to the reviews on Amazon, one user stated that the personalization actually makes sense and they’ve felt that their personal needs have been targeted successfully.

Made in a cGMP-certified facility, these personalized non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy-free vitamins start at $30.00 for a monthly subscription.

3. GEM — best vitamin for women over 50 with a unique flavor

Try GEM now

This must be the one with the most extensive list of ingredients. GEM bites not only contain vitamins D, K, E, and B group vitamins but also minerals, probiotics, and prebiotics. Aiming to support energy, bone, skin, nail, and hair health, this supplement is a great choice for helping maintain general well-being after 50.

Citrus and ginger flavor seems to be the number one reason for five-star reviews, along with users noticing improved gut health and better mood.

With 28 monthly servings, GEM Bite is available for $55.00 per month. Currently, the website offers a 50% discount code.