Women's multivitamins: how to choose one, from iron-free to 50+ and gummies

A women's multivitamin puts the everyday vitamins and minerals in one bottle, usually with more iron, folate and bone-friendly nutrients than a general multi. The hard part is choosing one, so this guide walks through the key nutrients, iron or iron-free, life stage, format and how to read the label, then shows you the women's multis on our shelf.

We carry women's multivitamins from small Canadian makers, whole-food brands and practitioner lines, so there's a good fit for most routines and budgets. If you'd like a second opinion, bring your current bottle to the supplement aisle at either store and we'll compare it with you.

What a womens multivitamin is, and how it differs from other multivitamins

A multivitamin for women is a vitamin and mineral supplement built around the nutrients women most often look for: iron, folate, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and the B vitamins. Many add extras, from vitamin K2 and CoQ10 to herbs, greens or omega oils. Some are made for different stages of life, such as 45+, 50+ or 55+, active women or teens. Compared with other multivitamins, a women's formula usually carries more iron and folate than a men's multi, and more calcium and vitamin D than a basic one-a-day.

In Canada, multivitamins are licensed as natural health products, and most carry a simple claim such as "a factor in the maintenance of good health" or "helps the body metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins". That's a fair summary of what a multi does: it supplies vitamins and minerals your body uses every day.

It's a helpful way to fill small nutrient gaps on busy weeks, and it works alongside food rather than in place of it. A balanced diet with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and protein still does most of the work, and a good multi covers the days that don't go to plan. People on a vegan diet, people who eat very little of a food group, and anyone who finds it hard to eat well every day often find a multi the simplest place to start.

A multivitamin fills small gaps; your plate still does most of the work.

Key nutrients for bone health, immune function and energy

Every formula is a little different, but these are the essential nutrients you'll see on the label of almost any multivitamin for women, and what each one does in the body, in plain terms. Together they cover the big three most women shop for: bone health, immune function and everyday energy.

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of reactions in the body, and it's bulky, so a multi rarely holds a full serving. If magnesium is the reason you're shopping, our guide to magnesium forms will help. The same goes for vitamin D through an Atlantic winter: see our vitamin D guide, and our vitamin K2 guide for how D3 and K2 pair up.

Iron or iron-free?

This is the first fork in the road. Most women's multis include iron (Activ-X for Women, for example, has 10 mg in a daily serving), because many women look for extra iron during the years they menstruate. Women past menopause, and anyone who already takes a separate iron supplement, often choose an iron-free or low-iron multi instead.

• With iron: CanPrev Women's Multi, Platinum Naturals Activ-X for Women (10 mg iron), Living Alchemy Women's Daily + (iron from koji fermentation) and MegaFood Women Over 40 One Daily.
• Iron-free: CanPrev Adult Multi and Natural Factors Super Multi Iron Free, both made for men and women.

If you'd like iron on its own, our iron supplements guide compares the forms. Keep any iron-containing multi well out of reach of children.

Choosing by stage of life

Women's needs shift over the years, and the different stages show up on the shelf as different formulas. Here's how they line up.

For teens, Platinum Naturals makes Easymulti Teen for Young Women, for ages 12 to 18, with 10 mg of iron and fish oil. Women working through menopause may also want our menopause supplements guide.

Tablets, capsules, softgels, liquids or multivitamin gummies

The format changes how many you take, how easy they are to swallow and what else comes along for the ride.

Suku Vitamins, a Toronto company, makes The Complete Women's Multi as two pectin gummies with 21 micronutrients, including CoQ10, vitamin K2 and methylated folate, plus three grams of prebiotic fibre. They're free of sugar, sugar alcohols and gelatin, and gluten free, dairy free and soy free. If you'd rather drink yours, Naka's Bioactive Multi is a methylated liquid in mango peach, made in Canada and third-party lab tested.

How to read a women's multivitamin label

1. Find the serving size. The panel lists amounts per serving, and a serving may be one capsule or four. A tablet dose that looks low might be one of three a day, so compare the full daily serving strength, not the per-capsule amount.
2. Check iron. Decide whether you want iron, and how much, before you compare anything else.
3. Look at the forms. Methylfolate and folic acid are both folate; methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin are both B12. Citrate and bisglycinate minerals are forms many people prefer. Canadian labels list amounts in mg, mcg or IU rather than a percent daily value, so compare the numbers side by side.
4. Scan the extras. Herbs, greens, CoQ10 or omega oils are useful if you'd buy them anyway, and take up room if you wouldn't.
5. Read the non-medicinal ingredients and claims. Here you'll find the capsule type, any fillers, and free-from claims such as gluten free, soy free, vegan or non-GMO.
6. Read the directions. Most multis are taken with food. Follow the label for how many to take and when, including any note about spacing it from other products.
7. Look for the NPN. Multivitamins are natural health products, and an eight-digit NPN on the label shows the product is licensed for sale in Canada. Third-party testing, such as Platinum Naturals' testing or NSF Certified for Sport on Activ-X, is a bonus.

The women's multivitamins we carry

These are the women's multis on our shelf right now, grouped by what makes each one different.

Full-spectrum capsules

CanPrev develops its formulas with natural health practitioners, and its Women's Multi is the higher-potency, take-it-through-the-day option. Naka, an Ontario supplement maker since 1991, makes Platinum Bioactive Multi For Women in easy-to-swallow capsules, with no added gluten, nuts, dairy, soy or corn. Younited Wellness, a family business from Ontario, makes Active Women's Multi Formula with vitamin D3, vitamin K2, biotin, inositol and indole-3-carbinol alongside the vitamins and minerals.

NFH Multi SAP isn't women-specific, but it's a favourite for anyone who wants methylfolate, methylcobalamin and P5P with citrate and picolinate minerals. Cyto-Matrix, a Canadian professional line, also makes a Women's Multi in 120 capsules; ask for it at the supplement counter.

Whole-food and fermented multis

MegaFood has made vitamins with real food in New Hampshire since 1973. Women Over 40 One Daily is one tablet a day with food, pairing vitamins and minerals with foods such as orange, blueberry and broccoli and herbs such as chaste tree and holy basil. Whole Earth & Sea grows its plants on certified organic farms in British Columbia; its Women's 50+ Multivitamin & Minerals is suitable for vegans. Living Alchemy, also from BC, ferments organic herbs and vegetables for Women's Daily +, one capsule a day.

Softgels with extras

Platinum Naturals, a Canadian company founded in 1996, suspends its nutrients in oils. Super EasyMulti 45+ for Women adds CoQ10, milk thistle, cranberry and hawthorn, plus fish, borage and flaxseed oils, two softgels a day with a meal; it's formulated to help maintain bones, immune function and cardiovascular health, so it suits women who want heart health extras in the same bottle. EasyMulti Stress for Women pairs a daily multi with relaxing herbs, and Activ-X is the sports version. These softgels are gelatin, so they aren't vegetarian.

Questions we get a lot

Should a woman take a multivitamin every day?

Most women's multis are made to be taken daily, as part of a routine, and the label tells you how many and when. Many people find it easiest to keep the bottle next to where they eat breakfast or lunch.

Do women's multivitamins really work?

A multivitamin supplies the vitamins and minerals on its label, which helps fill small nutrient gaps when your diet doesn't cover everything. It works best alongside balanced meals, not in place of them.

What's the best multivitamin for women in Canada?

The best multivitamin is the one that fits your stage of life, your need for iron and the format you'll actually take. Start there, then compare the forms and extras. We stock Canadian-made options from CanPrev, Naka, Platinum Naturals, Suku, Younited and Living Alchemy.

Are multivitamin gummies as good as capsules?

Gummies are easy to take and many people stick with them for that reason. They usually carry fewer nutrients than capsules and most leave out iron, so check the panel if iron matters to you.

Should I take my multivitamin with food?

Most labels say to take it with a meal, and many people find it sits better that way. Follow the directions on your bottle.

What's the difference between a women's multi and a prenatal multivitamin?

Prenatal vitamins carry more folate and iron, plus nutrients such as iodine and choline, for the months before, during and after pregnancy. A women's multi is built for everyday use.

Is there a vegan or gluten free women's multivitamin?

Yes. Whole Earth & Sea Women's 50+ is suitable for vegans, and Suku's gummies use plant-based pectin instead of gelatin and are suitable for vegetarians. Softgels are usually gelatin, so check the capsule type. For gluten free, Naka Platinum Bioactive Multi For Women has no added gluten, and Suku's gummies are gluten free and non-GMO.

Shop women's multis in Bedford, Dartmouth or online

You'll find women's multivitamins with our women's health supplements and the wider vitamins and minerals section, at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free. Shopping for someone else? Our men's multivitamin guide covers the other half of the shelf.

Sources: product labels and listings for the items shown. This article is general information, not medical advice.