Vitamins for women over 50: what matters and how to choose

Do women over 50 need a multivitamin?

For many, no. A varied, balanced diet still gives most people what they need, which is the NHS's position, and turning 50 is not on its own a reason to start one. Some do benefit from a supplement, though, and it helps to know when.

It can be sensible cover in a few situations. If you are eating less than you used to, or your appetite has softened, it is easier for the odd nutrient to fall short. If you eat little or no animal food, vitamin B12 is the one to make sure of, since plant foods are not a reliable source, and a multivitamin that includes it covers that. And if whole food groups are off the menu for a while, a daily one smooths over the gaps until things settle.

What matters after 50

Iron. This is where needs shift. The daily reference for women is 14.8 milligrams between 19 and 49, and 8.7 milligrams from 50 onwards, the same as for men, because many women stop losing iron through periods around this age.

Vitamin D. The NHS suggests 10 micrograms a day, and a supplement at that level through autumn and winter when there is little sunlight, with a ceiling of 100 micrograms. So look for one that covers that 10 microgram mark and stays well short of the 100, and if you already take a vitamin D drop, count it in so you do not double up. Our vitamin D guide has the full picture if you want it.

Calcium and bones. With bones, most of the work is done at the table and on your feet rather than in a capsule. The NHS puts calcium at 700 milligrams a day for adults, which a balanced diet usually covers, and points to weight-bearing exercise and enough vitamin D alongside it. Vitamin D and vitamin K contribute to the maintenance of normal bones, and our guide to bones after 50 goes into the rest.

Iron-free or with iron?

For most women over 50, this is the decision that matters, and it turns on whether you still have periods.

If your periods have stopped and you have no separate reason to take iron, an iron-free 50+ multivitamin can be a sensible fit. The NHS daily iron reference for women aged 50 and over is 8.7 mg, and most people should be able to get the iron they need from a varied and balanced diet.

If you are still having periods after 50, your iron needs may remain higher. In that case, compare our standard women's formulas, which contain iron, with the iron-free 50+ formulas. If you are unsure whether extra iron is appropriate for you, ask a GP or pharmacist.

If a GP has prescribed or recommended iron, follow that advice and do not rely on a multivitamin as a substitute for prescribed iron.

Our guide to iron for women goes further into when iron matters.

Women's or Women's 50+?

The practical difference between our standard women's range and the 50+ range is iron. The standard formulas in our women's multivitamins contain it, 9 milligrams in Daily Essentials and 14 in Complete, while both 50+ formulas leave it out. (If you are not yet 50, our guide to vitamins for women is the one to start with.)

Daily Essentials or Complete?

If a 50+ formula fits, it comes down to one capsule a day or four.

The Women's 50+ Daily Essentials is the one to reach for if you want a single capsule and the basics covered. The Women's 50+ Complete is for a broader formula if you are happy taking four capsules a day. Both are vegan and iron-free.

Staying safe

• Add up your totals. If you take more than one supplement, read across them, especially for vitamin D and vitamin A, so nothing doubles up without you noticing.
• Vitamin A. If you have been through menopause, NHS advice is to keep total vitamin A from food and supplements below 1.5 mg a day. Count any other supplements that contain vitamin A.
• Warfarin. Both 50+ formulas contain vitamin K. If you take warfarin, check with a GP or pharmacist before changing your vitamin K intake.
• Botanicals. Women's 50+ Complete contains botanicals including ginkgo. If you take HRT or regular medicines, check with a GP or pharmacist before use.
• Medicines or a medical condition. If you take any medication or have a condition you are managing, a quick word with a GP or pharmacist first is worth it.

Choose yours

• Periods stopped, and you want one a day: Women's 50+ Daily Essentials.
• Periods stopped, and you are happy with four: Women's 50+ Complete.
• Still having periods: compare with our women's multivitamins, which contain iron.
• Unsure about iron: ask a GP or pharmacist before choosing.