Top Supplements for Women: 7 to Consider for Better Health
Updated on March 12, 2026
Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.
The seemingly endless selection of supplements for women makes it difficult to know which ones might benefit you. Most women don’t need a robust line-up, but some — like folic acid during pregnancy or calcium during menopause — may support you through various life stages. Other supplements help if you have a nutrient deficiency or a condition like osteoporosis.
“If you are unsure if a supplement you see on TikTok or your favorite celebrity is selling is worth it [or safe for you], ask your healthcare provider,” says Jennifer Lincoln, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn at Providence Health & Services in Portland, Oregon. “They can help you separate the fact from the fiction, and potentially save you quite a bit of money.”
If you feel you may need a supplement, work with your doctor, who can order blood tests to help determine if you’re lacking certain vitamins or minerals. And always buy quality supplements: Check the label for USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab Approved. This means the product has undergone third-party testing for quality and purity.
Here are seven supplements for women to consider taking daily.
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is beneficial for calcium absorption, bone growth, and overall health. Many foods contain it (either naturally or because they are enriched), and your skin uses the sun’s ultraviolet rays to produce it.
“[Vitamin D is] important for women because they have higher rates of osteoporosis as they age, particularly after menopause when bone loss accelerates significantly,” Dr. Lincoln says. Women account for 80 percent of the 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weak, brittle bones. It’s most common in older women.
Also at a higher risk of not getting enough vitamin D are people with dark skin and those who don’t get much sun exposure, have obesity, or have had gastric bypass surgery.
It’s important for all women to get enough vitamin D, especially if they’re pregnant, as it supports healthy fetal bone development.
A Chinese meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials involving 43,869 participants found that combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation modestly improved bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. Denser bones can be less prone to osteoporosis and fractures. This duo didn’t significantly reduce fracture risk, though, and further research is required to confirm their long-term effectiveness in preventing breaks.
Most people don’t have clear-cut symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, Lincoln adds, which are typically vague and may potentially be incorrectly linked to another condition. Symptoms may include muscle pain, increased pain sensitivity, muscle spasms or twitches, or muscle weakness.
Adult women generally need 15 micrograms (mcg) or 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily up to age 70, then 20 mcg (800 IU) daily after that. You can take vitamin D at any time of day, but take it with fat for the best absorption. Stick to your doctor's recommended dosage to avoid toxicity risks, which could result in neurological, gastrointestinal, or renal problems.
2. Calcium
Calcium makes up much of your bones and teeth, and is important for blood vessel contraction, muscle function, hormone secretion, nerve signaling, and blood clotting. Women’s calcium levels drop at the beginning of menopause due to decreased estrogen production and the resulting bone changes.
Sometimes, low calcium levels are due to a vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D aids calcium absorption). Other causes may include thyroid issues, kidney failure, pancreatitis, or certain medications.
People who have low levels of calcium, known as hypocalcemia, usually don’t have symptoms, though signs can include muscle cramps (particularly in the back and legs), dry skin, brittle nails, and coarser-than-usual hair. Untreated hypocalcemia may lead to confusion, memory problems, irritability, depression, seizures, muscle spasms, abnormal heart rhythms, and congestive heart failure.
Your doctor may test for hypocalcemia using a calcium concentration blood test. Hyocalcemia is considered a total blood calcium concentration of less than 8.8 mg per deciliter (mg/dL).
Your body absorbs calcium supplements best in small doses — 500 milligrams (mg) or less — and at mealtimes. Since you need vitamin D to absorb calcium, some calcium supplements also contain vitamin D.
“Calcium and vitamin D are essential together for building and maintaining strong bones, especially as bone weakens naturally with age,” says Jennifer Choe, MD, an ob-gyn at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care in New York City.
Adult women generally need 1,000 mg of calcium daily up to age 50, then 1,200 mg daily after that.
3. Iron
Iron is an essential mineral for growth, development, and the production of hemoglobin — the red-blood-cell protein that carries oxygen. It also supports muscle, bone, and organ health, as well as hormone production. Natural sources include lean meats, seafood, white beans, lentils, nuts, spinach, and fortified cereals.
Women need more iron than men — 18 mg daily because they lose iron during their periods. Pregnant women need 27 mg a day, and are at risk of being low in iron because their blood volume expands for the fetus. Women who are post-menopausal typically need only 8 mg, since they’re no longer menstruating or pregnant.
“Sufficient iron prevents maternal anemia, which has been linked with complications like preterm birth and babies born too small,” Lincoln says.
Other women also lose iron through their periods monthly. “If it's a normal flow, they tolerate that fine, but those with extended bleeding or heavy periods are particularly at risk,” Lincoln adds.
Iron deficiency doesn’t always cause symptoms at first, but it can eventually lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, and trouble with memory and concentration. However, taking too many iron supplements can also cause problems, such as constipation, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, ulcers, or serious complications like organ damage, coma, and death (in the case of extremely high iron levels).
Because iron levels fluctuate throughout the day, measuring iron in your blood isn’t very accurate. Instead, a blood test that measures ferritin, a protein that stores iron, is a more dependable measure of your iron status.
If your doctor recommends iron supplements, take them with a vitamin C food (such as orange juice) or supplement to improve absorption. Avoid taking iron with meals, coffee, tea, or calcium, which inhibit absorption.
4. Folic Acid
Folic acid (folate) is an important B vitamin (B9), particularly for women who may get pregnant. “Folate is crucial for women of childbearing age because it helps prevent certain birth defects,” Dr. Choe says.
Although foods like leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas, nuts, and enriched breads and other grain products have folate, many experts also recommend that women who may become pregnant take it as a supplement. This helps ensure healthy folate levels — essential for avoiding major birth defects in the baby’s brain or spine.
“The critical window is often before women know they're pregnant, which is why women of reproductive age who could become pregnant should take a folic acid supplement,” Lincoln says. “You can't feel if you're getting enough folic acid.”
In other words, folic acid deficiency doesn’t typically cause symptoms at first. Symptoms may appear or worsen as the deficiency worsens, and may include tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness, pale or yellow skin, irregular heartbeats, weight loss, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, or muscle weakness.
Your doctor may check for folate deficiency with a blood sample. Normal values are 2.7 to 17 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), but test results can vary slightly between labs, so ask your doctor about what your results mean.
Adult women generally need 400 mcg per day, or 400 to 800 mcg if they could become pregnant.
5. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 supports a healthy nervous system, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis. Levels tend to temporarily drop during pregnancy for several reasons, including that the mother’s blood becomes more diluted, the fetus requires more nutrients from the mother, and there’s greater loss of vitamin B12 in the mother’s urine. Vitamin B12 is particularly important in pregnant and breastfeeding women because deficiencies can cause issues like neural tube defects, developmental delays, and anemia in their children.
The risk of B12 deficiency is higher in those who don’t eat meat. It can cause symptoms like fatigue, a swollen tongue, heart palpitations, and low counts of red and white blood cells.
“B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products,” Lincoln says. “Plant-based diets don't provide reliable B12, and deficiency is extremely common among vegetarians and vegans who don't supplement.”
The body stores large amounts of B12, and it can take a long time to use up those reserves, so signs of B12 deficiency may take years to appear. Severe deficiency that causes clear blood or nerve issues is rare, but low or borderline B12 deficiency that is symptom-free may affect up to 40 percent of people in Western countries.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to vitamin deficiency anemia, resulting in having too few healthy red blood cells.It’s often asymptomatic or mimics other conditions like fatigue, so doctors typically use blood tests to confirm a diagnosis.
Before taking vitamin B12 supplements, speak to your doctor about potential medication interactions. Some drugs, like gastric acid inhibitors for issues like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or metformin for issues related to diabetes, can affect absorption. It’s best to take vitamin B12 in the morning with a glass of water for absorption and to avoid sleep disruptions.
Adult women generally need 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12, or 2.6 mcg during pregnancy and 2.8 mcg while breastfeeding.
6. Magnesium
Magnesium is a nutrient that supports many important body processes, including helping to increase bone mineral density in older women (though it isn’t clear if magnesium supplements help reduce the risk of osteoporosis).
Magnesium may also support sleep by helping muscles relax, and supplements might be helpful for perimenopausal and menopausal women, many of whom have sleep issues, says Maria Sophocles, MD, an ob-gyn who has a private practice in New York City.
Sleep issues during this stage of life may stem from fluctuations in the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Some experts recommend taking magnesium at bedtime to support sleep.
Magnesium is found in foods like leafy greens, beans, seeds, nuts, lean proteins, whole grains, and dairy. You may not need supplements if you eat these foods as part of a healthy diet. Typically, getting magnesium from food is considered safe because it’s digested less rapidly and excreted by the kidneys, whereas high-dose magnesium supplements can cause diarrhea, nausea, and cramping in certain individuals.
Magnesium deficiency can be asymptomatic, but mild cases often cause tremors, muscle spasms, numbness, and fatigue. Severe deficiency can lead to seizures, delirium, or heart arrhythmias. To confirm a diagnosis, your doctor can order a blood test.
Adult women generally need 310 to 320 mg of magnesium daily, or 350 to 360 mg if they’re pregnant and 310 to 320 mg if they’re breastfeeding.
7. Protein
Protein is important because it can help support lean muscle mass, Dr. Sophocles says. Changes in hormones during menopause may lead to muscle loss in women.
Most adults need 0.8 to 1.6 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg), or 2.2 pounds (lb), of body weight. Older adults need 1.2 to 1.6 g per kilogram to help preserve muscle mass, and experts recommend that physically active adults consume up to 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight to support muscle repair and recovery.
To estimate your daily protein needs, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to convert it to kilograms, then multiply by this protein range. For example, a 150-lb person needs between about 55 and 136 g of protein per day, depending on their age, activity level, and other health goals. Your doctor can help you determine the right amount for you.
Research from Pakistan suggested that women with age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) see significant improvements in muscle composition and strength when on a moderately high-protein diet (1.2 g per kg, or 2.2 lbs, of body weight per day) compared with a normal-protein diet (0.8 g per kg, or 2.2 lbs, of body weight per day).
Most people can get enough protein from their diet. However, supplementation may be helpful for those having trouble meeting their daily needs, such as cancer patients undergoing treatment, those recovering from surgery or severe injury, chronically ill patients, athletes, and those who don’t have the appetite to eat enough protein.
If you don’t like the chalky taste of protein powder, try adding it to your smoothies, soups, or pancake batter, Sophocles says.
The best way to know if you’re getting enough protein is to monitor your diet. Your doctor may also order a blood test, particularly if you have signs of extremely low protein levels, such as brittle hair and nails, fatigue, getting sick often, or muscle weakness.
The Takeaway
- Most women don't need a robust lineup of supplements if they're eating a balanced diet; however, in some cases (like you're not getting enough from food or for certain life phases (like pregnancy or perimenopause), extra support may be needed.
- Women’s nutritional needs change as they age, with iron and folate becoming more important for reproductive health, for instance, and protein and calcium needs increasing during postmenopause. Check with your healthcare team to make sure your nutritional needs continue to be met.
- Always consult your doctor before you start a new supplement. They can check your blood levels and review your medications for potential interactions while taking into consideration your specific health needs.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
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Justin Laube, MD
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Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing.
He graduated with a bachelor's in biology from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. During medical school, he completed a graduate certificate in integrative therapies and healing practices through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He completed his three-year residency training in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles on the primary care track and a two-year fellowship in integrative East-West primary care at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine.
He is currently taking a multiyear personal and professional sabbatical to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, disease, and the processes of healing. He is developing a clinical practice for patients with complex trauma, as well as for others going through significant life transitions. He is working on a book distilling the insights from his sabbatical, teaching, and leading retreats on trauma, integrative health, mindfulness, and well-being for health professionals, students, and the community.
Previously, Dr. Laube was an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he provided primary care and integrative East-West medical consultations. As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students.
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