Alice Ball
We've tested the best vitamins for women over 50 to help you find the right supplements to support your body as you age. These differ from standard multivitamins as you have different nutritional requirements later in life.
These are usually due to hormonal changes, like a decrease in estrogen, and these tablets and softgels are designed to help improve your sleep, protect your bones, and boost your immune system.
We've taste and swallow tested all of the options here, so you can find the best vitamin for women over 50 to suit your needs. We've also selected a range, from softgels and gummies to vegan-friendly capsules.
The best vitamins for women over 50
This is an easy swallow, one-a-day pill from reputable supplement brand Centrum. Designed specifically for women in their later years, Centrum Silver Women 50+ contains higher levels of vitamins A, D, C, E, K, B6, B12, as well as calcium, zinc, chromium, molybdenum and lutein than the brand’s standard Centrum Silver Adults.
This is because your nutritional needs change as you age, and the amount of nutrients that you can absorb from the food in your diet also decreases. Vitamin D should absolutely be your first port of call when looking for a multivitamin if you’re aged 50+.
Known as the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, we often get vitamin D from dietary sources such as oily fish, egg yolks and enriched mushrooms. Sunlight is the primary source, however.
Vitamin D has an important role in helping to absorb calcium and prevent age-related bone fractures, as well as being very strongly linked to mood. In fact, it's often considered to be related to seasonal affective disorder.
It can be difficult to get enough vitamin D through your diet alone, and women over 50 might benefit from a higher dose than most people. According to the American National Osteoporosis Society, women over 50 should aim for 800-1000IU of vitamin D per day.
Centrum’s Silver Women 50+ contains 1000IU of vitamin D, as well as 1050mcg of vitamin A and 300mg calcium. A 200 tablet supply will also last you 200 days, which makes this product a highly affordable option.
Nature’s Way Alive! Women’s 50+ Gummy Multivitamins are gluten-free and vegetarian, and will set you back just $10 for a month’s supply. This makes them a wallet-friendly option to make sure you’re meeting your nutritional needs.
However, while they contain no dairy, wheat, yeast-derived ingredients, peanuts or eggs, it’s unclear whether or not they are suitable for vegans. They contain slightly less vitamin D than some other brand’s women’s vitamins, at 800IU compared with 1000IU.
But this still provides 100% of your recommended intake for this vitamin. They also pack in 2500IU of vitamin A (50% of your daily intake), as well as the full B-vitamin complex (including high potency B6 to support healthy brain function) and a host of other vitamins and minerals for this stage of life.
For an extra vitamin kick, they also contain a blend of powdered fruits and vegetables. Being a chewable gummy, Nature’s Way Alive! Women’s 50+ is a great option for those who dislike swallowing large pills too.
The brand does offer a tablet version though, if you prefer this. If you’re looking for an affordable, no-frills vitamin for women over 50, you can’t go far wrong.
As well as containing a host of essential vitamins and minerals targeted for this stage of life, New Chapter Every Woman 55+ contains an array of herbal ingredients. These include astaxanthin, from the Haematococcus Pluvialis algae, turmeric, a digestive support blend (including aloe, peppermint and coriander) and a hormone support blend (including chaste tree and red clover).
New Chapter claims to formulate its products for maximum absorption, so your body gets the most from the nutrients it contains. Another benefit is that you don’t have to take the pills with food, so you can have them on an empty stomach if you prefer.
There's also a host of phytonutrients (found naturally in plants, these can help fight disease), and the product meets Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines in terms of pesticides, heavy metals, and allergens. Its ingredients are non-GMO and vegetarian too.
The tablets come in a glass jar, which gives the product a 'premium' feel. Although, 72 tablets only take up half the jar, which feels like a waste of packaging. While there is a slight herbal smell to the container, it's not unpleasant and we couldn't taste it.
However, note that the tablets are on the larger side so those who have trouble swallowing tablets may prefer a smaller, coated capsule. While it has good levels of bone boosting vitamin D and K2, this supplement only contains low levels of magnesium, which is important for bone health.
It also contains a low level of calcium (supplying just 40mg of the recommended 1,200mg intake for women aged 50+). As a result, you may need to take an additional calcium supplement or make sure you are eating enough oily fish, dairy products and green leafy vegetables in your diet.
New Chapter Every Woman 55+ comes at a price, but what you get for your money are ethically sourced, vegetarian capsules covering most vitamin and mineral requirements for women over 50.
If healthy digestion is a priority for you as you age, Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code 50 and Wiser Woman contains live probiotics and enzymes designed to support this. The product is also made from whole foods, so if you’re someone who is looking for a more natural product, this could be a great option for you.
Another benefit is that if you don’t like swallowing capsules, these can be opened and the contents may be added to water or juice. However, note that the recommended dosage is two capsules, twice daily. If you struggle to remember to take your supplements, you may prefer an all-in-one product instead so that you can simply take it in the morning and not have to set a reminder for the afternoon.
In terms of nutrition, Vitamin Code 50 and Wiser Woman contains a whopping 2000IU of vitamin D, which supports bone and joint health. It also packs in 100% of your daily intake of vitamin C, E, B-vitamins, selenium and manganese.
Note that it doesn’t contain calcium or magnesium, however, so you may need to take an additional supplement alongside this if you’re looking to top up your levels of these nutrients.
Vitamin Code 50 and Wiser Women also comes in a glass jar that can be recycled. Overall, this is a high-quality product for those who prefer a more natural supplement, and has the added draw of supporting digestion too.
Whilst certainly not the cheapest vitamin for women over 50, you get what you pay for with True Grace’s Women’s Multivitamin 40+. As well as including many of the key nutrients that are important as you age, it includes a blend of mushrooms, designed to support healthy aging, immunity, heart and brain health.
If you’re prone to stress or menopause and anxiety, it also includes holy basil and ashwagandha — two Ayurvedic herbs which studies have found to help the body adapt to stress. This product is also for you if you want an ethical-friendly option.
The tablets are non-GMO, gluten-free, soy free and vegan. Plus, you only need to buy one bottle of this supplement, because the company offers refill pouches instead of you buying a new bottle each time. The pouches are also made of sustainably produced sugarcane and are recyclable at designated facilities.
If you don’t mind paying a bit more, True Grace’s Women’s Multivitamin 40+ is a high-quality product that not only provides over 100% of your recommended intake for 14 key nutrients (plus lower amounts of others), but also provides a probiotic blend, mushroom blend and adaptogens to support healthy aging.
If you eat a varied diet, you may prefer a supplement that contains just one vitamin to support your health, rather than several. These chewable vitamin D tablets from NOW Foods are a great option if you're looking for a product that's efficient but affordable.
Each chewable contains 1,000 IU of vitamin D3, which is 125% of your daily value. This is important, as after menopause, women are at an increased risk of osteoporosis due to a decline in estrogen levels.
In fact, according to a Nature Reviews Disease Primers review, up to 50% of women over the age of 50 are at risk of fractures. Vitamin D is essential as it helps the body absorb and use calcium, strengthening bones and increasing their hardness.
The tablets are free from wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, and tree nut ingredients, making them an excellent choice for people with allergies. However, the vitamin D is sourced from lanolin (sheep's wool), which means it's a vegetarian but not a vegan-friendly choice.
Due to the fact that the tablets are chewable, they're great for people who hate swallowing. The fruity flavor is also pleasant, without tasting synthetic.
During menopause, progesterone declines, and this can affect your sleep. Thyroid hormones can also be lower than optimal at this time, making you feel sluggish. According to one clinical trial, a nightly magnesium supplement improved "sleep efficiency, sleep time and early morning awakening" compared with a placebo.
So, it's handy that Vital Nutrients' magnesium glycinate/malate supplement is a gentler form of magnesium, which makes it suitable for those with sensitive stomachs.
In this formula, magnesium is bound to glycine, a non-essential amino acid that functions as a calming neurotransmitter, and malic acid, a natural fruit acid present in most cells in the body which plays a crucial role in energy production.
Two capsules provide 240 mg of magnesium (50% as glycinate and 50% as dimagnesium malate) which is 57% of your daily value. The capsules aren't exactly small, but they are coated, which makes them easy to swallow.
And for those with specific dietary requirements, they're free from gluten, dairy, peanut, tree nut, soy, and eggs and are vegetarian-friendly. They don't contain any artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners either.
Do women over 50 need different vitamins?
You may wonder how the best vitamins for women over 50 are any different from the vitamins or multivitamins you might have been taking during your life so far.
However, our nutritional needs change as we get older: there are certain nutrients that we don’t need in such high amounts, and some that we need to get more of to support our health as we age. Here are some to consider.
Iron content
If you decide to opt for a multivitamin, check the iron content. After menopause, most women retain iron more easily, so unless your doctor suggests otherwise, you don't need to overload on iron. This is why most multivitamins designed for women aged 50+ will not contain iron.
Calcium content
Our calcium needs change as we get older, with the recommended daily intake rising to 1,200mg for women aged 50+, compared with 1,000mg for most adults. You might be surprised then, that many of the best vitamins for women over 50 don’t contain calcium.
This is because many of the women in this age group are advised to take separate calcium supplements. Don’t worry if your multivitamin does contain calcium — just make sure that this, combined with any additional calcium supplements you’re taking, doesn’t exceed 1,200mg.
Vitamin D
Post-menopausal women also need to ensure they get enough vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis. This vitamin is crucial for helping your body to use calcium properly, and if you’re deficient, you may be more at risk of weak bones.
Like calcium, vitamin D requirements tend to increase with age. The American Geriatric Society recommends older individuals take 1,000IU per day. Take this into consideration when choosing your supplement, especially if it is a multivitamin.
Additional ingredients
Some of the best vitamins for women over 50 contain other ingredients that may be beneficial for aging, such as probiotics or medicinal herbs. Make sure you talk to a nutrition professional before taking any supplement, especially if you are on other medication such as estrogen replacement therapy.
Form
Does it matter if you take your vitamins in a tablet, capsule, spray or even a tea? Many experts believe that’s down to personal choice. However, other experts believe that form can make a difference, thanks to the changes our bodies go through as they get older.
“Stomach acid decreases with age, which can lead to more digestive issues,” says nutritionist Caroline Sherlock. “I normally recommend powders, capsules and sprays, which are easier to absorb than tablets.” But you should always speak to your doctor before starting to take any supplement, to make sure it’s safe for you.
Lifestyle choices
Choosing a vitamin really narrows down to what vitamins you feel like your diet or lifestyle may be lacking in. For example, you may not eat things like red meat or eggs, in which case you could be lacking in B vitamins which are important for energy, especially in older adults.
If you live in a colder climate where sunshine is limited, your body will require vitamin D supplementation in order to regulate the calcium and phosphate in your body. If you have certain dietary preferences, such as following a vegan diet or being gluten-free, you will also need to consider this.
Alternatively, you might more specifically be looking for vitamins best suited to easing menopause symptoms, in which case our guide to the best menopause supplements can help with this.
Caroline Sherlock is a British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) registered nutritionist and holds a Diploma in Nutritional Therapy from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION). She is also a co-founder of Eat Drink Live Well, a virtual nutrition clinic.
How we test the best vitamins for women over 50
Each of the products included in this guide have been tested by the Fit&Well team. Supplements will affect each and every person slightly differently so we’ve been using these vitamins to give you a better idea of what they contain, and anything you need to be aware of before taking them. Below are the criteria we tested each product for.
Ingredients
It’s super important to us that you know exactly what we tested and why and our first starting point is always to find out exactly what ingredients are in the best vitamin for women over 50. We then compare how these ingredients relate to nutrient reference values for women over the age of 50.
Recommended dosage
We made sure to note how much of each supplement you are required to take and how much often. This gave us a clear indication of whether a product offered good value for money or not.
Suitability
Not all vitamins and supplements will be suitable for everyone which is why we take note of whether a supplement is suitable for vegans or those taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Cost and value for money
Getting the nutrients you need shouldn’t have to cost any more than necessary so we compared pricing across all the supplements we tested to see whether the more expensive capsules were worth the money and if the cheaper supplements still contain everything you need.
Easiness to swallow & taste
For some, taking capsules or tablets can be very challenging so we test each and every menopause supplement by taking them ourselves and observing how easy they are to swallow.
The taste, while subjective, is another important factor we test. We try each capsule and note down whether they taste like the intended flavor or anything else you may need to know about after tastes too.
Features
When we test vitamins for women over 50, we note anything that makes one supplement stand out over the others. We ask if any of the supplements claim to do something that others don’t, and we also consider the overall aesthetics of the product.
