Here's When You Actually Need To Take A Women's Multivitamin

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When it comes to nourishing your body with the right nutrients, you might lean into all of the natural goodness that comes from fruits, veggies, and other whole foods. At the same time, some women lose out on vitamins for various reasons, so it doesn't hurt to lean on multivitamins, if your doctor agrees, for a little extra boost.

The Best Multivitamins For Women

If you walk past the vitamin section of any supermarket, chances are you might get overwhelmed by how many options are available—vitamins for hair growth, prenatal vitamins, probiotics, and so much more—and that's totally understandable. Nowadays, it seems like new multivitamins are constantly entering the market, making it difficult to determine which ones are worth the investment and safe to take.

So, we chatted with a few doctors, and made a shortlist of the best multivitamins for women on the market right now.

Meet the experts: Shilpa P. Saxena, MD, is a board-certified family physician with Forum Health who has been practicing medicine for over 15 years. Navya Mysore, MD, is a primary care physician and women’s health expert based in New York.

How We Chose The Best Multivitamins For Women

Given the large range of multivitamins on the market, Women's Health spoke with two primary care physicians about how to find the most trustworthy brands. Shilpa P. Saxena, MD, is a board-certified family physician who has been practicing medicine for over 15 years. Navya Mysore, MD, is a primary care physician and women’s health expert based in New York. With their expertise, they pointed out these main points they considered when choosing a multivitamin:

Ingredients

Ideally, you want the ingredients to mostly come from plants and natural sources. When manmade or chemical ingredients are at the base of what's being digested, it can trigger immune responses and extra detoxification, says Dr. Saxena.

Specific needs

Every person has different needs, so some multivitamins can be more beneficial to some than others if there's something specific that needs to be addressed.

Testing

Multivitamins that are non-GMO tested and tested for purity are a good indicator that it's a safe buy.

Health additives

Dr. Saxena points out that a good multivitamin will have mineral and phytonutrients. These additions will complete everything that is needed in a well-rounded diet.

Preservatives

In short, the less preservatives the better. If the pills look thick, there's a good chance the nutrients won't be absorbed, and it'll be harder to break down, says Dr. Saxena.

You can always talk with your primary care physician about their general recommendations about what kind of multivitamins are right for you based on your needs. But if you're hoping for some quick-hit suggestions that are PCP-approved, you're in luck. Read on to see 10 must-try multivitamins, along with insight on how to choose the best one for you.

Multivitamin for Women 18+

You've probably heard of Ritual before, and there's a good reason for that. "They are very specific about what's in the actual supplement. If you look at their list, there's not a bunch of different ingredients, so it's well-digested," says Dr. Mysore. She adds you'll only have to take two pills a day which is "much more reasonable" that having to take four.

In testing, we appreciated both the aroma and flavor of these pills, something that can't always be said of vitamins. They really seem to work efficiently and the value level is high, given the price tag. Plus, let's be honest, the clear capsules look cool.

This option is traceable, with no added colorants and just nine ingredients. The mint essence is a nice touch and there's even a 30-day money back guarantee for those who want to give it a test drive.

Read more:

Alpha Base Capsules Without Iron

Some people prefer a multivitamin that has some sort of flavoring to them, while others prefer something flavorless. If the latter sounds like you, you'll love these Alpha Base tablets. "It's a pretty clean blend of the things I think are essential. It has methylated vitamins, and it's been through third party-testing and is certified GMP," says Dr. Saxena.

We liked being able to stock up, opting for the 240-count option (a good value). The supplement seems to touch on all the major health bases and its neutral makeup is kinda nice, especially if you like to have it with some juice in the morning or throw it in your oatmeal.

We also give it high nutritional grades, offering antioxidant protection and aiding your metabolic reserve. All those micronutrients add up, supporting everything from your bones to your cardiovascular health.

Two-Per-Day Multivitamin

Any doctor will tell you that the brand of your multi is important because it reveals a lot about its ability to make a quality product. Each ingredient in these multivitamins will help you meet the recommended dietary allowance for adults."It's a little less comprehensive. [But], it still has the methylated vitamins, it's manufactured well, and the company understands nutrition well," says Dr. Saxena.

We noticed an uptick in how we felt after trying these multivitamins, with a higher sense of balance and energy. Perhaps that's no surprise, as the capsules are made up of some 25 healthy extracts, minerals, and vitamins.

The company has been at it for four decades and the two-pill-per-day approach is a breeze. A main reason for a good multivitamin is filling in the gaps your diet may have and this one is pretty powerful in that department.

PhytoMulti Daily Multivitamin Supplement

This multivitamin is a great option for colder months when people are more likely to get sick since it covers all the foundational nutrients you need. "It has those plant-based nutrients, for people who don't like to eat their fruits and veggies or maybe have poor gut function," says Dr. Saxena. "They'll get a little bit more of the nutrients that they were meant to get from eating a diet rich in plant-based foods."

We appreciated the superior ingredients and extra-safe packaging here. They're unflavored, and vitamin C is the focus, but you still get some 20 crucial minerals and vitamins.

Three capsule servings are a bit much, but the quality makes it worthwhile. They're easy to digest and we didn't notice any side effects. We like how they focus on healthy aging and suggest them especially for women over 50.

Prenatal Vitamins

As previously mentioned, Ritual is great for its transparency on the ingredients. The prenatal version also has extra nutrients that are especially helpful for those looking to become pregnant. "Their prenatal has a small dose of DHA included in it, which is needed for when you're pregnant for fetal development," says Dr. Mysore.

Prenatals can be notoriously hard to take, but this one is very approachable. We like taking advantage of all those necessary vitamins without feeling queasy and still maintaining good energy levels.

Per Ritual's habit, the capsules are treated to an essence, in this case an inviting citrus note. They're vegan-friendly and the delayed release really does seem to improve the overall effect. Keeping a body that's hoping to produce another body healthy is paramount and this option makes it easy.

Vitamin Code Raw One Once Daily Multivitamin

Taking a multivitamin can have an extra layer of complication if you have a sensitive gut. Luckily, there are options like this one that won't cause discomfort."It has a long list of [ingredients], but I find that for the patient who has gut issues, in terms of constipation or any kind of IBS-related symptoms, they tend to do well," says Dr. Mysore.

We like the capsule makeup of these multivitamins and the fact that you get more than a day's worth of 16 minerals and vitamins per serving. Some tablets contain binders, fillers, or other additives, but these don't.

We noticed healthier and more radiant skin as well as a boost of energy and focus. The brand describes itself as the first of its kind to be certified carbon-free and the effects are felt by most as soon as a week into taking them.

Prenatal One Multivitamin

If you're on a vegetarian diet, you probably want a multivitamin that compliments that. Enter: Rainbow Light. "I think it's really good for someone who wants to have everything in one pill," says Dr. Mysore. She adds that you don't have to be pregnant to take a prenatal multi, but you will notice that there are more of some ingredients in these than what you'd find in a non-prenatal one.

While the pill is a bit large, so too are the positive effects. We noticed a general sense of well-being and high energy, with little to no side effects. Great for baby's development and mom's brain, this all-natural option delivers.

Ingredients include a host of minerals and vitamins along with good-for-you things like beet root, ginger, and kale. We like to think that such a food-forward formula makes it all the more approachable as well as effective.

Basic Nutrients 2/Day

Many vitamins on the market have gluten, but there are some out there that are great for people who need them without it. "This [Thorne] product is easily available online, and it's from a great company with high standards of manufacturing and sourcing of ingredients," says Dr. Saxena. She adds that taking two capsules a day will also make it easy to get a lot of nutrients.

While some will detect a strong odor with these, we liked how easy they digested. Busy folks who are sometimes forced into skipping a meal or snack will like the high-functionality of this dietary supplement.

Just a pair of capsules a day is all you need. The pills are free of dairy, gluten, and soy and there's a noticeable invigorating feel that comes with them after a bit of use.

Women's Multivitamin Gummies

For some people (myself included), swallowing pills can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are gummy options on the market that still deliver on nutrients. "[This one] has fewer nutrients if you compare it to the tablet version. Having said that, if swallowing capsules is hard, this might be okay as an alternative because something is better than nothing," says Dr. Saxena.

We like that this is one of few multivitamins out there that's actually fun to consume. Simply put, there's just something about the gummy form that makes everything easier, even getting all those healthy minerals and vitamins.

You get 12 essential vitamins that will offer a big assist to your bones, hair, and skin. Bonus points for the extra kick of energy we experienced and the immunity boost. We like this option especially for people who already engage in healthy eating practices, as it's an ideal enhancer.

Mito Multi

If you're looking for a multivitamin that can improve your daily function, consider this one from Inwell. "It's wonderful for people who have brain fog, fatigue, pain, and feel a little fizzled out because it's specifically designed to [support] your mitochondria," says Dr. Saxena. ICYDK, the mitochondria is basically the source of your energy, so these pills will give you an extra boost.

We like that this pill checks all the boxes, helping cellular energy production and aiding antioxidant protection as well as your ability to detox. And you get all that via two-to-four pills a day, depending on what your doc suggests.

We also like this option for people just getting into the multivitamin universe. Why? Because you actually feel the positives pretty early on and can counter a lot of those things mentioned above almost immediately. That's a win-win.

Do you actually need to take a multivitamin supplement?

Some doctors are at odds over whether or not a multivitamin is necessary. However, Dr. Saxena believes it is necessary for the average woman living in the United States who doesn't get their daily intake of five to nine servings of fruits and veggies a day. She also notes that a majority of people would get some benefit out of a multivitamin.

What daily vitamins do women need–and why?

This varies from person to person, especially if you're lacking specific vitamins. For women in menopause or perimenopause, Dr. Mysore suggests 600 milligrams of calcium twice a day. She also suggests women aim for 2000 international units of vitamin D and 400 milligrams of magnesium. In the winter, she advises taking 50 milligrams of zinc and calcium.

What’s the best time to take your multivitamin?

Some people prefer to take their multivitamins first thing in the morning. But if you're doing it on an empty stomach, Dr. Mysore notes that you might experience nausea as a side effect.

Additionally, it's important to be mindful of how it may mix with other medications that you're on. "[For example], you really don't want to be taking supplements around the time you take thyroid medication," says Dr. Mysore. "Thyroid medication should be taken on its own, and supplements can sometimes inhibit its absorption. This is the same for a few other medications." If you're unsure if your multivitamins will clash with any medications, speak with your doctor for proper direction.

What else should I consider?

"Prior to starting multivitamins you should discuss with your primary care provider if they are needed and which specific vitamins or minerals would benefit you most," advises Dr. Ampadu, MD. "Sometimes you can inadvertently have higher doses of a vitamin or mineral in your body due to these extra doses from supplements and sometimes that can cause more harm than good."

Dr. Ampadu also recommends reviewing whether and how your multivitamins may interaction with your regular prescription meds. "They can sometimes impact the absorbency, efficacy and excretion of prescription medication," she says.

Read more about the best supplements

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