<p>Multivitamins can be a helpful way to fill in gaps in your diet, but supplements only work well when they meet your individual needs. The best multivitamin for women over 50 is specifically tailored for where you are in life right now, with a mix of nutrients that are designed to help you to look and feel your best. </p><p>The best multivitamin for you depends on your own needs—and any potential deficits you may have. But many women in their 50s will benefit from a specific mix of nutrients, says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of <em><a href=”https://www.amazon.com/Small-Change-Diet-Thinner-Healthier/dp/1451608888″ rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>The Small Change Diet</a></em>. “Calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium are important nutrients to help keep bones strong and decrease the risk for osteoporosis,” she says. That’s especially important since the natural decline in estrogen that happens with menopause can lead to bone loss, says women’s health expert <a href=”https://drwider.com/”>Jennifer Wider, M.D.</a> Other crucial nutrients to look for, per Gans: potassium and folic acid. These “play a crucial role in keeping our heart healthy,” she says. </p><p>Of course, you also want to make sure you’re eating a well-balanced diet, says <a href=”http://keatleymnt.com/” target=”_blank”>Gina Keatley</a>, a certified dietitian-nutritionist practicing in New York City. Meaning, it’s best to think of a multivitamin in your 50s as a way to cover your bases, but your diet should be the main way you get in important nutrients. <br> </p><p class=”body-tip”><strong>Meet the Experts:</strong> <a href=”https://drwider.com/”>Jennifer Wider, M.D.</a>, women’s health expert, <a href=”https://globalhealth.rutgers.edu/who-we-are/gloria-bachmann/” data-component=”link” data-source=”inlineLink” data-type=”externalLink” data-ordinal=”1″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Gloria A. Bachmann, M.D.</a>, associate dean for women’s health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey; <a href=”https://mdmercy.com/find-a-doctor/kathryn-boling-md” target=”_blank” title=”(opens new window)”>Kathryn Boling, M.D.</a>, a primary care physician at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center; Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of <em><a href=”https://www.amazon.com/Small-Change-Diet-Thinner-Healthier/dp/1451608888″ rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>The Small Change Diet</a>;</em> <a href=”http://keatleymnt.com/” target=”_blank”>Gina Keatley</a>, a certified dietitian-nutritionist practicing in New York City.</p><p>Shopping for the right multivitamin can be tricky, especially since <a href=”https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/fda-101-dietary-supplements” target=”_blank”>vitamins are not approved by the FDA</a> before they hit the market. Also, it’s best to consult with a doctor before adding a new supplement to your routine, just to be safe. With all of that in mind, these are the best multivitamins for women over 50, according to women’s health and nutrition experts. </p>”/>
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Best Overall
One a Day Women’s 50+ Multivitamins
Pros
Taken once a day
Inexpensive
Third-party tested
Cons
Some complain about the taste
The One A Day Women’s 50+ Multivitamins are designed to be a quick and easy way to cover your nutritional bases. These vitamins feature nutrients to support your bone health, heart health, eye health, and immune health. The vitamin includes calcium, zinc, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and E. It’s also taken once a day and is free of things you may not want in your vitamins, like gluten, wheat, soy, and dairy.
Form
Tablet
Dosage
1 per day
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Best Formulation Options
Nature Made Multivitamin For Her 50+
Gans suggests these pills from Nature Made. They contain 22 key nutrients, including vitamins to support bone health, immune health, and energy metabolism. “The dose is one pill per day, and it is third-party certified,” says Gans. While these are softgels, the same vitamin comes in tablet form if you prefer something you can chew.
Form
Softgel
Dosage
1 per day
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Best Full Spectrum
Centrum Silver Women’s Multivitamin for Women 50 Plus
Pros
Gluten-free
Good range of nutrients
Take one a day
Cons
Pills are larger
Centrum Silver Women’s Multivitamin is incredibly popular for a reason (it maintains a 4.8 rating from over 8,000 Amazon customers!). This pick contains important micronutrients like calcium, zinc, beta-carotene, and vitamins B, D3, C, and E, all designed to support your heart, brain, eye, and bone health. The vitamins are also non-GMO and gluten-free.
Form
Tablet
Dosage
1 per day
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Best Absorbable
Thorne Research Women’s Multi 50+
Pros
Contains highly absorbable forms of nutrients
Contains lutein to support eye health
Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free
Cons
Dosage is 3-6 per day
Thorne Research’s multivitamin features a slew of highly absorbable forms of nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B12, B6, and D to promote good bone health, skin health, and healthy immune function. It’s also free of gluten, dairy, and soy, and contains lutein for eye health. Just a heads up: You’ll need to take three capsules a day.
Form
Capsule
Dosage
3-6 per day
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Multivitamins for women over 50: Benefits
Generally, taking a multivitamin can supplement one’s diet and help fill in nutritional gaps, says Gans. As you age, however, there are more health issues that you might deal with.
So, a multivitamin specifically formulated for women over 50 can help ensure you’re getting the vitamins and minerals that your body requires, says Dr. Bachmann. Vitamins for women over 50 contain nutrients that women in this age group are at higher risk of deficiency in or may have increased needs for.
For instance, because women in this age group are at greater risk of osteoporosis, it may be a good idea to supplement with more vitamin D and calcium, which help support bone health.However, there is one nutrient of which your body might generally need less as you age and reach post-menopause: iron.
When you don’t have a monthly period, you don’t need to replace lost blood cells, Dr. Bachmann explains. Still, it’s important to consider your individual needs. If you’re anemic, you may want to consider a supplement that contains iron.
As always, talk with your doctor for individualized recommendations.
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How to choose the best multivitamin for women over 50
When you’re 50 and up, experts say there are a few nutrients you should be looking for in a multivitamin:
B12. This is important if you don’t eat a lot of meat, says Kathryn Boling, M.D., a primary care physician at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center. Vitamin B12 is good for your brain and “as you get older, your ability to absorb B12 drops,” Boling points out.
Calcium. Calcium is a crucial factor in building strong bones and having plenty in your diet lowers the risk of developing osteoporosis, Dr. Boling says. “Since women lose up to 1/5 of their bone [mass] in their first five to seven years after menopause, I tell all women that at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium is necessary on a daily basis,” says Gloria A. Bachmann, M.D., associate dean for women’s health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. If you don’t drink milk or eat dairy, supplementing with calcium is a must, Dr. Bachmann says.
Vitamin D. The decline in estrogen that happens naturally during menopause can lead to bone loss, says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D. Vitamin D plays an essential role in building strong bones, she points out.
Magnesium. Magnesium is also helpful at building strong bones and can help to lower the risk of leg cramps, Dr. Boling says.
Fiber. Fiber can help with several factors, including keeping your regular, Keatley says. It also can help to regulate your blood sugar and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, she adds. (Just don’t take your fiber with medications or other vitamins, as it may carry them out of your body.)
Riboflavin (B2). This is food for your eyes, skin, hair, and nails, Keatley says.
Vitamin E. This antioxidant can help support your immune system, Keatley says.
Folic Acid. “It’s good for the heart and proven to lower levels of homocysteine, which has been tied to heart disease,” Dr. Wider says.
But there are more factors to consider besides ingredients. Pill size and dosage matter, too. If swallowing big pills isn’t for you, look for small-sized options or chewables. “Ideally, look for a vitamin with a recommended dose of one pill per day, versus multiple pills, as it is more likely to be taken,” adds Gans.
If you’re able, look for a multivitamin that’s third-party certified. This makes sure that what the label says is actually in the bottle, Gans points out.
It’s also not a bad idea to go with a company that’s popular. “A company that makes a lot of vitamins has a lot to lose if they don’t do what they claim to do,” Dr. Boling says.
*Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.
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When is the best time to take multivitamins?
There’s no hard and fast rule on the best time to take a multivitamin. In fact, experts agree that the best time to take a multivitamin is whenever you’re most likely to remember it.
If you really want specifics, taking a multivitamin with a meal may be helpful, per Gans. “But since a multivitamin includes fat-soluble vitamins, it would be best to take it with a meal that includes some fat, so the vitamins are more absorbed,” she explains.
Some multivitamins are also designed to be taken twice a day, which makes it a natural fit to take one in the morning and one at night. (Just check the label before you purchase a multivitamin for more details.)
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How we chose the best multivitamin for women over 50
To choose the best multivitamins for women over 50, we analyzed the best-selling vitamins on the market and consulted several experts in nutrition and medicine, including: Jennifer Wider, M.D., women’s health expert, Gloria A. Bachmann, M.D., associate dean for women’s health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey; Kathryn Boling, M.D., a primary care physician at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center; Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of The Small Change Diet; and Gina Keatley, a certified dietitian-nutritionist practicing in New York City.
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Why trust us
For more than 70 years, Prevention has been a leading provider of trustworthy health information, empowering readers with practical strategies to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our editors interview medical experts to help guide our health-focused product selections. Prevention also examines hundreds of reviews—and often conducts personal testing done by our staff—to help you make informed decisions.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.