6 min read
Even if you pride yourself on eating whole foods and cooking healthy meals, it can still be super hard to get all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. That’s when it can be helpful to pop a capsule or two (or three?) juuust to make sure.
To make things a bit harder, your nutrient needs change as you age. For instance, “as women navigate through the wonderful world of the menopause transition, there are changes, health-wise, that happen,” says Leslie Bonci, RD, a sports dietitian based in Pittsburgh. As your hormone levels start to decrease, you may be more likely to lose bone density and muscle mass. When these changes happen, “there are certain nutrients that are going to be needed more than others,” she adds.
Meet the experts: Leslie Bonci, RD, is a sports dietitian based in Pittsburgh. Navya Mysore, MD, is a primary care physician, women’s health expert, and WH advisor based in New York City.
Knowing which supplements you should take in each stage of life may be complicated, but we found the right experts to simplify everything. Consider this your supplement roadmap.
What to Know Before Starting a Supplement
First, have a conversation with your primary care physician—they should know about all of the medications and supplements you’re currently taking or are considering. Your doc will help you ensure supplementation is the best course of action after considering your holistic healthcare plan. Then, they can rule out any potential medication interactions and decide which dosage is best, says Navya Mysore, MD, a primary care physician, women’s health expert, and WH advisor based in New York City.
Here are some of the most common interactions, per Dr. Mysore and Bonci:
Iron or calcium with thyroid medications and certain antibioticsMagnesium with antibiotics and bone medicationsVitamin K with blood thinners like warfarinSt. John’s Wort with many meds, from antidepressants to birth controlFish oil with blood thinners or aspirinGinseng or ashwganda with diabetes meds
You also might want to get bloodwork done before starting a supplement, especially if you think you may have a deficiency. “Checking things like iron stores (ferritin), vitamin D, or B12 can tell you if you actually need a supplement and how much,” says Dr. Mysore. However, you don’t need bloodwork if you’re just taking a basic prenatal or multivitamin.
Just remember: “Supplements are a complement to—not a replacement for—eating,” Bonci says. They’re just one piece of the puzzle; in order to live your healthiest, longest, best life, you’ll want to make sure you’re eating nutritiously and exercising consistently.
The Top Supplements for Women in Every Decade20s and 30sVitamin D is important at every age, but it’s “especially important in your 20s because it supports peak bone mass development and immune health,” says Dr. Mysore. However, “there aren’t that many foods that have vitamin D in them,” says Bonci. The foods with the most are fatty fish like salmon, swordfish, and mackerel (a three-ounce serving of each contains between 250 and 560 IU), and mushrooms and pasteurized American cheese (one cup of both has just over 100 IU). So, most adults should try to get 1,000 to 2,000 IU daily through a supplement.Prenatal vitamins are important in your 20s to support nutrient stores if you want to have kids in these decades. Folate in specific can “help prevent any health issues with the baby [and] help to decrease the risk of premature birth,” Bonci says. Prenatal vitamins can also improve maternal health during the pregnancy, per a 2023 review in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.Iron is a pretty common nutrient to be deficient in, especially for women, and especially for those who exercise regularly and/or are plant-based, says Bonci. “It’s really difficult” to get enough iron through your diet alone, she says, so if your values are low, talk to your doctor about taking it as an individual supp or as part of a multivitamin.Calcium is very important for bone health, and you reach peak bone mass before 30, says Bonci. You can keep your bones healthy by eating enough protein and doing weight-bearing exercise, but “calcium is also right there on the list as an integral part of bone mineral density,” she adds. If you’re lactose intolerant or don’t consume dairy because of dietary restrictions, your values may be low—which means a supp may be a good idea.B12 helps with nerve function and nervous system health, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But it’s primarily found in animal foods, so if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you may want to look into a supplement, says Bonci.Magnesium is important across all decades, but it “is particularly helpful in your 30s as rising stress and lifestyle demands can deplete levels,” says Dr. Mysore. “Most people are deficient to some degree in magnesium, especially for individuals who are exercising frequently and having a lot of muscle breakdown.” It can help the muscles relax and rebuild, and can help improve sleep and general relaxation. Dr. Mysore says magnesium bisglycinate is generally well-absorbed, and to aim for around 400 milligrams per day.40sOmega-3s are important in the 40s because that’s when many women see their cholesterol levels start to increase as estrogen and progesterone levels decrease, says Dr. Mysore. This supplement can “help reduce inflammation and support cardiovascular, brain, and joint health,” she adds. If you consume a lot of salmon, avocado, olive oil, and other sources of omega-3s but your cholesterol is still high, try an omega-3 supp.Vitamin K, especially in conjunction with vitamin D and calcium, is “the trifecta for bone mineral density” in your 40s, Bonci says. A 2023 review in Food Science & Nutrition found that it’s specifically helpful for osteogenesis, or bone formation. Vitamin D and K2 can also help “proper calcium metabolism during hormonal transitions,” adds Dr. Mysore.CalciumVitamin B12MagnesiumPrenatal50sCholine “is really rising to the forefront,” says Bonci. It’s not in many food sources, but it’s important for brain health. A 2023 review in Frontiers in Endocrinology found that choline supplementation may improve cognitive function and also be protective for the heart, which are imperative to start thinking about in your 50s.Multivitamins may be helpful in this decade because they can help fill in nutrient gaps “to give the body what it needs consistently every day,” Bonci says. She recommends looking for one specifically for older women, as it may have different amounts of nutrients than one for younger people.MagnesiumVitamin DCalciumOmega-3sVitamin B1260s and upVitamin D is important for all decades, but especially “when you’re in your 60s and if you’re trying to prevent osteoporosis or you have osteopenia,” says Dr. Mysore. So, make sure to have plenty of vitamin D and calcium on deck.Protein supplements should “never replace balanced meals and strength training, but they become especially important in your 60s to help preserve muscle mass, strength, and mobility,” says Dr. Mysore.CoQ10 is an enzyme that can help produce ATP, improve blood flow, and increase the production of antioxidants, per the NIH. You should especially consider taking it if you’re on a statin, because statins can lower your CoQ10 levels, Bonci says.Creatine has a ton of benefits: It may help increase strength and exercise performance, specifically for women, and has some research behind improvements in mood and cognitive function, and according to a 2025 review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. So, it’s a good idea to start taking it during (or before!) your 60s, Bonci says.B12MagnesiumCalciumOmega-3sMultivitaminCholineWhat’s the most effective form of supplement?
Sorry to our gummy lovers out there: “Capsules usually win—they tend to absorb better and have fewer fillers,” says Dr. Mysore. “Tablets are fine but a bit more variable.” Unfortunately, gummies are often under-dosed and may not include key nutrients like iron, she adds. So, your safest bet is a capsule.
Shop the Best Expert-Approved Supplements for Every Decade:
Dining and Cooking