As we all start to age, meeting healthy nutritional needs becomes more important than ever.
Because although we might not feel any different to when we were 30— let's just say... things aren't working as efficiently as they used to.
This is especially true when it comes to nutrient absorption.
As we move through our 50s, 60s and 70s, our body has a harder time absorbing and utilizing vitamins and minerals in the same way. Resulting in us requiring more of them to maintain good health.
In this article, we look at the specific vitamins and minerals that may benefit women over 70.
We'll also go through symptoms to keep an eye out for. The ones that could simply be down to not getting enough vitamins and minerals.
Finally, we'll look at what the best multivitamin is for women over 70. What nutrient forms to look out for, how to check bioavailability, and how to know if it's a quality supplement.
Let's get to it!
Key Takeaways
- Women over the age of 70 require higher intake of some vitamins and minerals to best maintain bone strength, sharp cognition, good vision and other healthy functions.
- During the aging process, our ability to absorb and utilize nutrients decreases. Meaning women over 70 face a greater risk of deficiency or low nutritional status.
- Some key nutrients women in their seventies should focus on include vitamin D, vitamin K, B-complex, calcium, iron and magnesium.
- Women in the age range of 70+ should look for clean, quality multivitamin products with a focus on easy-to-absorb nutrients calibrated for women's distinct needs.
- NutriGenesis® is the best form of essential vitamins and minerals to support women in their seventies. These cultured nutrients are clean, easy on the stomach and highly absorbable.
- Performance Lab® NutriGenesis® Multi for Women is the best multivitamin that a woman over 70 can buy. We discuss it in detail towards the end of this article.
- A prebiotic supplement nourishes the gut microbiome, which then helps us better absorb nutrients and synthesize vitamins. Performance Lab® Prebiotic is today's top formula to buy.
- With combined heart health and bone strength benefits, Vitamins D and K further support the special nutritional needs of women over 70. Performance Lab® D3+K2 is a top product to buy.
- Consult with your doctor first: It's important to discuss any supplementation with a healthcare provider to address specific health needs and avoid interactions with medications.
Why Multivitamins for Women Over Age 70?
First off, pretty much everyone in every age group can benefit from a good quality multivitamin supplement. But getting enough nutrition is especially important for women over the age of 50.
Women typically start having more difficulty absorbing and utilizing dietary nutrients around the age of 45-50. Often coinciding with perimenopause, menopause and age-related physiological changes.(1)
Dietary absorption and utilization of nutrients may worsen as women age through their 60s and 70s.
This has been attributed to further declines in digestive efficiency and other changes, including:
Age-Related Changes
- Stomach acid production decreases: Stomach acid is needed to digest food, release enzymes that aid with digestion, and generally keep pathogens out of the GI tract. But optimal stomach acid is also necessary to absorb certain nutrients like calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron, folate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin B12.
- Microbiome Loses Efficiency: The gut's colony of beneficial bacteria (microbiome) can decline as we age, weakening the gut's ability to break down and absorb nutrients. Probiotic supplements and prebiotic supplements can help restore a healthy microbiome and support nutrient breakdown and synthesis in the gut.
- Some medications: Some prescription drugs can negatively impact nutritional status in women over 70 by interfering with nutrient absorption and utilization, contributing to deficiencies, or altering metabolism.(2)
- Stress and Mood: Stress can be a big issue when it comes to depleting nutrients. Things like B vitamins are especially susceptible to depletion during periods of stress, not to mention they can't be stored in the body, so replenishing them regularly is important.
- Less caloric intake: Women over 70 often have suboptimal nutrient levels partly due to lower overall caloric intake, which can lead to insufficient consumption of essential nutrients.(3)
Women's Nutritional Needs Change After 70
Citing reductions in both absorption and utilization, in 2006 the National Institute of Medicine's 2006 nutrition guidelines were updated to include specific recommendations for those aged 70 and above.
Today, the U.S. government recommends that women over the age of 71 increase their intake of several essential nutrients compared to earlier ages to address age-related changes and maintain optimal health.
These important vitamins and minerals include:(4)
- Calcium: Increase daily intake from 1,000 mg per day (for ages 19-50) and 1,200 mg per day (for ages 51-70) to 1,200 mg per day to support bone health and overall skeletal strength.
- Vitamin D: Increase from 600 IU per day (for ages 19-70) to 800 IU per day to enhance calcium absorption, fight bone loss and maintain bone health. Bonus benefits for skin health, immune function, mood balance and more.
- Vitamin B6: Increase from 1.3 mg per day (for ages 19-50) and 1.5 mg per day (for ages 51-70) to 1.7 mg per day to support brain health and cognitive function.
- Vitamin B12: While the recommended intake remains at 2.4 mcg per day across all adult ages, the emphasis on B12 increases after age 70 due to decreased absorption efficiency with age. This vitamin assists with cell energy, cardiovascular health, brain health and more in senior years.(5)
These adjustments to mineral and vitamin amounts help address specific health concerns such as bone density, cognitive function, and overall nutrient absorption in women over 70.
Why Age-Related Nutrient Problems Affect Women More than Men.
As we age, our bodies naturally change. And with each stage, our nutritional needs have changed right along with them.
For this reason and others, it's important to buy a multivitamin that is customized for women's specific nutritional needs. These are some of the key vitamins and minerals for women in their 70s and beyond:
- Calcium: Women, especially postmenopausal women, are more prone to osteoporosis due to a decline in estrogen levels, which affects calcium absorption and bone density. This makes adequate calcium intake crucial for older women to maintain bone health.
- Vitamin D: One of the best vitamins for women over 70. Women are more likely to have lower levels of vitamin D as they age. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and strong bones, and deficiencies can lead to an increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
- Iron: Iron oxygenates red blood cells. After menopause, women’s iron requirements decrease, but some older women may still struggle with iron deficiency anemia if their diets are not well-balanced. They may feel fatigued, unmotivated and diminished in overall health.
- Vitamin B12: Both men and women experience a decline in the absorption of vitamin B12 with age due to reduced stomach acid production. However, women are often more susceptible to B12 deficiency, which can affect overall energy.
- Magnesium: Older women are more likely to have lower magnesium levels, which can affect muscle function, heart health, and bone density.
- Folate: Although folate needs are generally similar for older men and women, women may have a slightly higher risk of deficiency due to differences in diet and absorption efficiency.
Addressing these nutrient declines through diet, supplementation, and attention to bioavailability is particularly important for women as they age.
Multivitamins Support Healthy Aging in Women
Women over 70 can choose many different pathways to get the essentials they need for overall health. They can consume more wholesome and nutrient-dense foods, and eat foods fortified with the essentials.
Women over the age of 70 may need to pay closer attention to their essential nutrient intake to stay ahead of age-related health concerns linked to suboptimal nutrient status. Some of these concerns:
Energy
To maintain a fun and active lifestyle, we need to have the basics for cell energy metabolism. But many women in their seventies fall short on vitamins for energy like the B-Complex, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin A, plus mineral magnesium.
Immune Support
A woman's immune system can weaken with age. Vitamins C and E, along with zinc and selenium, are essential nutrients in multivitamins that nourish the immune system throughout the aging process.
Bone Health
As women turn 70 and beyond, essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, and magnesium become increasingly crucial for maintaining bone health and providing crucial structural support against weak bones. Calcium and vitamin D in particular have been suggested to help prevent osteoporosis.(6)
Heart Health
Vitamins C, D, and E, along with minerals like magnesium, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids, support overall cardiovascular health. B vitamins, particularly B6, B12, and folic acid, help regulate homocysteine levels, making them top vitamins for 70 year old woman with heart concerns.
Eye Health
Nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E (plus plant antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin) support eye health and can help with age-related macular concerns.
Cognitive Function
Many older adults over age 70 may have health concerns related to memory, mood and mental sharpness. Vitamins B6 (pantothenic acid), B12, vitamin D and E are all beneficial for brain health and cognitive function, as is the mineral magnesium.
Did you know? Omega-3 fatty acids, often from fish oil but also now from plant sources, are additional supplements for women over 70 to consider for long-range brain health and mood balance.
Muscle Mass
For women over 70 looking to maintain lean body mass, helpful essential vitamins and minerals include vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and protein (amino acids), as well as omega-3 fatty acids.
Top Essential Nutrient Form for Women Over 70
As women age, particularly those over 70, their bodies face unique challenges in absorbing and utilizing essential nutrients. NutriGenesis® understands these needs and offers a specialized range of high-absorption vitamins and minerals tailored for this demographic.
NutriGenesis® stands out for its innovative lab-cultured process that ensures nutrients are efficiently absorbed and utilized by the body—a great benefit for women over 70.
The Best Multi For Women Over 70
The best multivitamin for women in their seventies must tick all the boxes. Superior quality. Clean and natural, for easy digestion. Highly bioavailable nutrients. Precisely balanced gender-specific dosages. What's the best formula with this design?
Performance Lab® NutriGenesis® Multi for Women
Performance Lab® NutriGenesis® Multi for Women is the cleanest, healthiest and easiest-to-absorb multivitamin supplement for a woman over age 70 to buy.
It supplies 24 vitamins and minerals presented as easy-to-absorb NutriGenesis®, with dosages customized just for women.
NutriGenesis® is completely free of hard-to-absorb synthetic nutrients and isolated nutrient forms -- just clean, natural nutrients, complete with cofactors, just like nutrients from food sources.
Ultraclean Performance Lab® design, too: Vegan, gluten-free, with no synthetic additives, colors or preservatives of any kind.
Shop Performance Lab® NutriGenesis®
Boost Nutritional Status: Performance Lab® Prebiotic
Prebiotic fiber feeds gut probiotics (good bacteria) to build a thriving microbiome that supports digestion, mood, energy, nutritional status and more.
Prebiotic boosts probiotic Bifidobacterium in the gut, which enhance calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc absorption; as well as supporting natural synthesis of B-vitamins and vitamin K in the gut.
Prebiotic's key is Orafti® Synergy1: Oligofructose-enriched inulin (Inulin-FOS) from chicory root. Research shows taking 10g of Orafti® Synergy1 per day boosts calcium absorption by 20% and magnesium absorption by 10% in post-menopausal women.(7)
Shop Performance Lab® Prebiotic
Performance Lab® D3+K2
Performance Lab® NutriGenesis D3+K2 combines plant-based vitamin D3 (from algae) with vitamin K2 (as NutriGenesis®) for an extra shot of two key essentials for to help keep bones strong, the heart healthy, and immune system in tip-top shape.
Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2: two dietary supplements paired into one due to their synergistic effects on bone and cardiovascular health.
Vitamin D3 helps the body absorb calcium from the diet, while vitamin K2 directs this calcium into the bones and teeth, while helping to keep it out of blood vessels.
For older women seeking an extra boost of the sunshine vitamin for their heart health and bone health, this is a clean vitamin K + vitamin D supplement that works.
Performance Lab® Omega-3
Today's most advanced Omega-3 supplement: Ultra-clean and vegan "good fats" sourced from eco-friendly marine algae -- not fish.
Ingredients: Each serving of vegan-friendly, carrageenan-free NutriGels® supplies 1800 mg algal oil (540 mg DHA [Docosahexaenoic Acid]) and 270 mg EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid).
We've mentioned Omega-3s at a few points in this article, and with good reason: They perfectly complement a good multivitamin for women over 70. Omega-3s are among the most versatile nutrients for human health, assisting with brain function, joint comfort, bone density, eye wellness, immune performance and more. But they are often sourced from fatty fish.
Performance Lab® Omega-3 instead supplies Omega-3s from algae -- not fish -- so you get all those great benefits without "fish burps," gastric distress or concerns about toxic contaminants.
Conclusion
Many foods can help women over age 70 to stay healthy. A daily diet of green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, fortified breakfast cereals and other fortified foods, whole grains and wholesome staples in our diet can lay a good foundation of all the nutrients we all need for health.
But women over 70 may want to reinforce that structure with a good multivitamin. Consider the ones we talked about in this article. And always consult with a healthcare provider to tailor supplement choices to individual needs and health conditions.
- Kassis A, Fichot MC, Horcajada MN, Horstman AMH, Duncan P, Bergonzelli G, Preitner N, Zimmermann D, Bosco N, Vidal K, Donato-Capel L. Nutritional and lifestyle management of the aging journey: A narrative review. Front Nutr. 2023 Jan 24;9:1087505. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1087505. PMID: 36761987; PMCID: PMC9903079.
- Mohn ES, Kern HJ, Saltzman E, Mitmesser SH, McKay DL. Evidence of Drug-Nutrient Interactions with Chronic Use of Commonly Prescribed Medications: An Update. Pharmaceutics. 2018 Mar 20;10(1):36. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics10010036. PMID: 29558445; PMCID: PMC5874849.
- Robinson SM. Improving nutrition to support healthy ageing: what are the opportunities for intervention? Proc Nutr Soc. 2018 Aug;77(3):257-264. doi: 10.1017/S0029665117004037. Epub 2017 Nov 27. PMID: 29173227; PMCID: PMC6064642.
- Li I. Nutrition for Seniors. Dela J Public Health. 2016 Jun 28;2(3):24-26. doi: 10.32481/djph.2016.06.012. PMID: 34466852; PMCID: PMC8396619.
- Vitamin B12 - Health Professional Fact Sheet (nih.gov)
- Calcium, vitamin D, and your bones: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
- Holloway L, Moynihan S, Abrams SA, Kent K, Hsu AR, Friedlander AL. Effects of oligofructose-enriched inulin on intestinal absorption of calcium and magnesium and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women. Br J Nutr. 2007 Feb;97(2):365-72. doi: 10.1017/S000711450733674X. PMID: 17298707.