While everyone can benefit from daily vitamins, specific needs can vary based on age, lifestyle, or gender. Generally speaking, women tend to be deficient in iron, vitamin D, and calcium — though only a blood test can determine whether this applies to you. To ensure that you get all the nutrients you need, a multivitamin can do the trick. But picking one can be tricky: the quality and price of the many available products vary greatly. That’s why StudyFinds consulted health experts to research the best multivitamins for women.
If you’re taking a multivitamin for your health, you’re not alone. According to a U.S. survey, the average millennial woman gravitates to taking multivitamins (49%) when it comes to vitamins and supplements, as well as vitamins D (31%) and C (30%). “Because we often lack sufficient nutrition, vitamins and supplements can help achieve wellness goals such as immune and gut health, as well as help you seek more energy and calmness,” said Rachel Goldman, Ph.D., affiliated with NYU School of Medicine, about the survey results. “If you’re unsure of where to start, start by incorporating one or two supplements into your routine, such as a multivitamin and probiotic.”
Taking vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids could be especially beneficial, according to new research. These supplements may reduce your chance of developing autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D and omega-3s are associated with reducing inflammation, a precursor for autoimmune diseases. During the study by the Brigham And Women’s Hospital, patients who took Vitamin D had fewer diagnoses of autoimmune diseases than people who took a placebo — vitamin D was associated with a 22 percent decreased risk for autoimmune diseases. People taking omega fatty acid supplements had 130 autoimmune diagnoses compared to the 148 in the placebo group.
That being said, having these two nutrients in your multivitamin is definitely a good idea! To find the best multivitamins for women, StudyFinds compared expert reviews across ten websites. Do you have any feedback for us? Please share it in the comment section!
The List: Best Multivitamins for Women, According to Experts
1. Garden of Life mykind Organics Womens Multi
Three recommendations ahead of our runner-up, mykind’s Women’s Multi is the clear number one. It’s also the top pick of Healthline and Good Housekeeping: “This whole foods-based multivitamin is our pick as the best overall,” writes Healthline. “Thanks to its high-quality ingredients, comprehensive formulation, and third-party testing. It also has more than 11,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.”
Whole foods, organic, vegan, gluten-free, this multivitamin checks all the boxes! “Made from whole foods including fruits and veggies, these organic and vegan tablets provide 50% of your daily value (DV) for iron, as well as at least 100% of your daily value for vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, plus a slew of B vitamins including B12. This multi has several third-party certifications including USDA Organic, NSF Certified Gluten-Free and Non-GMO Project verified, and the brand is passionate about traceability,” adds Good Housekeeping.
Mind Body Green points out another plus for vegans/vegetarians: “Garden Of Life’s vegan and organic supplement provides 500% of the daily value of vitamin B12, which is notoriously hard for women to get enough of — especially if they eat a mostly plant-based diet.” They summarize: “We appreciate that this supplement delivers a lineup of essential vitamins and most minerals and features a blend of organic whole foods.”
2. Nature Made Multi for Her
This multivitamin still gets plenty of endorsements AND is a frequent budget pick! In addition, the bottle bears the USP label. “A rigorous third-party certification that shows that this multi contains what it says it contains without harmful contaminants,” states Verywell Fit. “They’re also gluten-free and void of added colors and artificial flavors.” So, our runner-up it is!
“Nature Made makes some of the most affordable vitamins available,” confirms CNET. “The Nature Made women’s multivitamin includes 23 nutrients essential for women, including 100% of the recommended daily value of iron. Iron is one of the most common deficiencies in women, especially when pregnant or menstruating.”
“Housed within a gluten-free capsule, Nature Made’s vitamins are artificial color- and flavoring-free. We also like that a serving size is only one tablet,” writes Good Housekeeping. “It is important to note that if you are vegan or vegetarian, these tablets do contain gelatin and are therefore not suited for a plant-based diet.”
3. Olly Women’s Multi
Our number three is a popular best gummy choice and one Martha Stuart‘s favorites because “one berry-flavored, chewable gummy is full of vitamin B for energy, vitamin D and calcium for bone health, and vitamins A, C, and E for an overall wellness boost. What’s more, it contains […] folic acid, which is important for women of childbearing age to have in their diet — especially if they are planning to conceive in the near future.”
According to Byrdie, “Olly’s gummy vitamins for women provide 18 essential nutrients for overall wellness.” It’s “ideal for picky eaters or for those that have a hard time swallowing pills…These chewable vitamins come in a Blissful Berry flavor that is made with no artificial colors [or] flavors and is gluten-free. There are 90 gummies per bottle which is a 45-day supply. As a bonus, we love that there are only 2 grams of sugar per serving.”
On top of that, “Olly’s gummy multivitamins are NSF-certified. The NSF is a third-party testing organization that ensures the quality of supplements,” says CNET. “Before committing to Olly gummy multivitamins, you should consider that they don’t contain iron. […] They’re also not suitable for vegetarians or vegans as they contain gelatin.”
4. SmartyPants Women’s Formula Gummy Vitamins
Our number four is also a gummy and Mind Body Green‘s favorite chewable: “It boasts 17 essential nutrients plus other premium active ingredients such as omega-3s, CoQ10, and choline in significant amounts to aid in supporting a healthy heart and energy levels. Organic cane sugar, organic tapioca sugar, and natural colors and flavors round out this cleaner candy.”
According to Martha Stewart, “this gummy formula by SmartyPants packs everything women need into a single capsule. The multivitamin is also free of common allergens like milk, eggs, and shellfish, so it’s a great option for anyone looking to boost their nutrient intake while avoiding certain ingredients that may trigger a reaction.”
Verywell Fit, however, notes that “this formula does not contain iron,” which makes it most “suitable for postmenopausal women with decreased iron needs.” “For women 50 years and older, we recommend SmartyPants Masters Women 50+ Formula, which is free of iron and contains 17 key nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, omega-3s and additional antioxidant compounds. We like that this product is NSF Certified for contents and a Clean Label Project Award Winner, so you can trust it contains what the label says, with no harmful contaminants.”
5. Ritual Essential for Women Multivitamin 18+
If menopause is still far away, Ritual Essential may be the way to go, as “this subscription-based multivitamin provides nutrients that many women in their 20s often don’t get enough of, including vitamin D, folate, and the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA),” writes Healthline.
While a subscription may not be everyone’s cup of tea, this product is Verywell Fit‘s favorite thanks to its quality standards. “Ritual tops our list with its rigorous testing and targeted approach, aiming to fill only nutrients that are typically lacking in the diet to avoid over-supplementation. Each two-capsule serving contains key nutrients to support women’s health including vitamins D, E, B12, folate, iron, and omega-3 DHA. Like all Ritual products, each ingredient is traceable, so you know exactly where each nutrient is sourced from and what form is used.” Just be sure to “note that this product is not a complete multivitamin, excluding nutrients like calcium, and vitamins A and C, so it may not sufficiently fill nutrient gaps for those that follow a very limited diet.”
Reviews reports: “Ritual Essential for Women is vegan, gluten, and major-allergen-free, focusing on brain health, bone health, blood-building, and antioxidant support.”
You may also be interested in:
- Best Prenatal Vitamins
- Best Energy Vitamins
- Best Vitamins for your Immune System
- Best Postnatal Vitamins
Sources:
- Good Housekeeping
- Medical News Today
- Healthline
- Verywell Fit
- CNET
- Mind Body Green
- Byrdie
- Reviews
- Martha Stewart
- Forbes
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.