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Nutritionists and doctors weigh in.
Your nutritional needs change over time and, with that, the right multivitamin for someone in their 20s is very different from the best multivitamin for women over 50. Plus, there are so many vitamins for women to choose from!
“As you age, you need to be more mindful of your nutritional requirements and get essential vitamins and minerals through diet—preferably—and supplementation,” says Gina Keatley, a certified dietitian-nutritionist practicing in New York City. Meaning, while it’s best to fill your nutritional needs through eating the right foods, you may need to add a multivitamin to the mix to help cover gaps in your diet.
Bone and heart health are “of utmost importance” to focus on as you age, says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of The Small Change Diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S, and the International Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that one in three women worldwide will develop the condition.
If you’re in the 50+ age group, experts say there are certain nutrients you want to make sure your multivitamin contains. Those include:
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. Those include:
One A Day Women’s 50+ Healthy Advantage Multivitamin is packed with nutrients you need, including vitamins to support your bone health, joint health, heart health, eye health, immune health, and even energy levels. It’s also free of potential allergens like gluten, wheat, soy, and dairy.
Not everyone is comfortable swallowing horse pills on a daily basis. Centrum Minis allow you to get your vitamins with a pill that’s 50% smaller than standard multivitamins. These vitamins are also non-GMO, gluten-free, and are made without any artificial flavors or sweeteners.
Want to take a multivitamin you’ll actually enjoy? These gummies have a mixed berry flavor that'll go down easy. They’re also packed with eight different B vitamins to help support your brain and cellular health.
Centrum Silver Women’s Multivitamin is incredibly popular for a reason. This pill contains important micronutrients like vitamin D3, B vitamins, calcium, zinc, and vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene, all designed to support your heart, brain, eye, and bone health. The vitamins are also non-GMO and gluten-free.
Everyone and their nutritional needs are unique, so it makes sense to have a multivitamin that’s specially tailored for you. That’s where Persona comes in. You answer a few questions about your health and your personal needs, and Persona creates a custom multivitamin for you.
This SmartyPants multivitamin is packed with 17 essential nutrients, including omega-3 EPA/DHA from fish oil, lutein/zeaxanth for eye health, CoQ10 for heart health, vitamin D3 for immunity, and vitamin B12 for energy. Just take four small berry-flavored gummies a day to reap the benefits.
Ritual is known for creating clean vitamins, and its 50+ multivitamin is no exception. This vegan vitamin is specially designed for post-menopausal women and includes crucial ingredients like vitamin D3, vitamin B12, and omega-3 DHA from microalgae. The vitamins are also sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and created without stevia, sugar alcohols, and artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.
In general, experts say you want to look for a multivitamin that will meet the nutritional needs we listed out above. You’ll also want to consider your individual needs, like whether you’re OK swallowing a large pill and if you prefer a vitamin that’s vegan. Dr. Boling suggests buying from a company that does a lot of business. “The vitamin industry is largely unregulated,” she points out. “A company that makes a lot of vitamins has a lot to lose if they don't do what they claim to do.”