Women’s multis provide tailored nutritional support. They help maintain healthy levels of vitamins and minerals to keep the body running well—even when our diet is less than perfect.

Read labels to ensure that your multi provides most or all of the daily value of key nutrients. Some products also contain herbs and enzymes to support healthy hormones, digestion, and everyday wellness.

Some women may choose to take a bone-supportive formula and essential fatty acids in addition to a daily multivitamin/mineral.

“During the menstrual cycle, women tend to lose iron,” says integrative physician Elson Haas, MD, and “there are also tendencies to lose calcium and zinc. Copper levels usually increase, as they do with the use of birth control pills, which contain estrogen.”

Experts suggest avoiding supplemental copper above the recommended level of 1 to 2 milligrams.

“During and after menstruation, women can take a little extra iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc and vitamin B6,” says Dr. Haas. Taking vitamins C and D with calcium aids absorption.

During pregnancy and while breastfeeding, women have greatly increased requirements for nutrients. 

Want to learn more about easy ways to assess and improve wellness? Take a free quiz called My Wellness Scorecard from lifesupplemented.org.

SELECTED SOURCES

“Effects of Multivitamin/Mineral Supplementation on Plasma Levels of Nutrients” by G. Maraini et al., Ann lst Super Sanita, 2009

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, the A-to-Z Guide to Supplements by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC ($12.95, Penguin Group/Avery, 2008)

Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson M. Haas, MD, with Buck Levin, PhD, RD ($39.95, Celestial Arts, 2006)