Over 50

Vitamins for the over 50s: a UK guide

Written by the NATURELO nutrition teamReviewed by Milan ShahLast reviewed 26 September 20262 min read

The short answer

After 50 a handful of specific changes occur, and knowing which ones helps. Your skin makes vitamin D less efficiently, so the case for taking it strengthens. Your body tends to absorb vitamin B12 from food less well. And bone maintenance, which depends on calcium and vitamin D, becomes more of a focus. That is most of the real list. No supplement slows ageing or extends life, whatever the packaging implies, so the useful goal is steady, sensible cover.

  • Vitamin D becomes more of a year-round consideration with age.
  • B12 absorption from food declines, so the form you get matters.
  • Bone maintenance, built on calcium and vitamin D, comes to the front.
  • Ignore anything promising to slow ageing. That is not what a supplement does.
An older couple smiling together in the sunshine

Start here

The guides in this section

1
What changes in your nutrition after 50The real nutritional shifts after 50: less vitamin D from skin, less B12 from food, sometimes lower intake, and what you do not need more of.
2
Bones after 50: vitamin D, calcium and K2The bone-health trio after 50: vitamin D and calcium for maintenance of normal bones, where K2 fits, and getting calcium from food first.
3
Vitamin B12 and absorption with ageWhy B12 absorption from food declines with age, how food-bound and free B12 differ, who is most at risk, and how much you need.

What changes after 50

The changes are real but modest, and they take specific forms.

What changes What it means
Skin makes less vitamin D The year-round case gets stronger
B12 absorbed less well from food The free form in supplements absorbs more readily
Bone maintenance matters more Calcium and vitamin D come to the front
Appetite and intake can dip A one-daily helps cover small gaps

Vitamin D

Everyone in the UK is advised to consider 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day through autumn and winter. With age, and especially if you are less often outdoors, the case for taking it all year strengthens, which is why older adults who are rarely outside are among the groups the NHS advises to supplement year-round. Our vitamin D guide has the doses.

B12 and absorption

Absorbing B12 from food depends on stomach acid and a protein called intrinsic factor, and that process becomes less reliable with age. The free form in fortified foods and supplements does not need that first step, so it is absorbed more readily. B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the nervous system, and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Our page on B12 and absorption with age covers it.

Bones

Bone is living tissue that is maintained throughout life, and calcium and vitamin D are central to that maintenance: vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, and calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones. The UK reference intake for calcium is 700 mg a day, mostly from food. This is where a bit of attention after 50 is well spent, alongside staying active. Our guide to bones after 50 goes into vitamin D, calcium and K2.

Eating enough

One quiet change is that appetite and intake can dip with age, which makes it easier to fall short on the everyday vitamins and minerals even with a decent diet. This is where a one-daily helps at this stage, covering the small gaps a lighter diet leaves. If you want cover tuned to this age, our over-50 routine is built around it. In an over-50 one-daily, calcium and magnesium contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism, calcium and vitamin D to the maintenance of normal bones, thiamin to the normal function of the heart, and iodine and zinc to normal cognitive function.

FAQ

Questions people ask

What vitamins should over 50s take?

Vitamin D is the key one, B12 deserves attention as absorption declines, and calcium and vitamin D matter for bones. A varied diet does the rest.

Do you need more vitamin D as you age?

The case for taking it year-round strengthens with age, particularly if you are rarely outdoors. Everyone should consider it through winter.

Do over-50 multivitamins help you live longer?

No supplement extends life or slows ageing. An over-50 formula tunes everyday levels to this stage.

Is B12 a problem after 50?

Absorption from food declines with age, so the readily-absorbed form in supplements and fortified foods is worth knowing about.

Keep reading

Related guides

Vitamins for women: a sensible UK guideWhat vitamins women actually need in the UK, by life stage: vitamin D for everyone, iron for many, folate in the childbearing years.
Read the guide →Vitamins for men: a sensible UK guideWhat men actually need in the UK: vitamin D for everyone, why men rarely need iron, omega-3 if you skip fish, and what to ignore.
Read the guide →

The NATURELO nutrition team

Reviewed by Milan Shah, Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition, T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies (eCornell).

This guide is general information, not a substitute for advice from your GP, midwife or pharmacist.