4 Common Nutrient Deficiencies In Women Under 50 (And What To Do)

Most adults aren’t meeting all of our micronutrient (think vitamin and mineral) recommendations1. And women under 50—more specifically those who haven’t reached menopause—are particularly prone to falling short on key nutrients vital to their reproductive years and longevity. This is true even for those eating a well-balanced diet. 

Iron deficiency among women is alarmingly common. Researchers of a 2021 study estimated that about 17% of menstruating women2 are deficient in the mineral. And a 2023 study published in JAMA found that up to 40% of girls between the ages of 12-213 had low levels of this essential mineral. 

This should be alarming because iron plays a vital role in making DNA, supporting energy production, and carrying oxygen throughout the body in red blood cells. So not having solid enough stores can leave you feeling fatigued and lightheaded.  

Vitamin D is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the U.S. (and the world). About 29% of adults in the U.S. are deficient & 41% are insufficient5 in this vitamin. This is especially concerning for women because vitamin D plays an important role in thyroid health, pregnancy, and bone health. 

And while you think you may have decades before you need to start worrying about conditions like osteoporosis (that disproportionately affects women), bone density actually peaks between the ages of 25 and 35. So having sufficient levels of vitamin D during this time is vital for optimizing calcium absorption and bone mineralization (increasing bone density and overly bone mass).

Folate is a crucial B vitamin that supports DNA synthesis and cell division. So it is especially important during the early stages of pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects6. It also plays a key role in breaking down the amino acid homocysteine, which can be harmful if levels are elevated. 

Why do women fall short? Even with eating folate-rich foods like dark leafy greens, beans, nuts, and seeds, women may not be getting sufficient amounts of folate. 

Several studies show that oral contraceptives (birth control pills) may deplete folate status7—with women taking birth control often having lower blood folate levels than those not on oral contraceptives.    

Vitamin B12 plays a role in energy energy production and supports red blood cell production (along with iron). So not getting enough B12 can also leave you feeling lethargic and fatigued. 

Why do women fall short? Vitamin B12 is another nutrient7 that birth control pills can deplete. And as women are twice as likely as men9 to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet (and have stronger preferences for plant-based products), getting enough of this vitamin through natural food sources like meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy may be a challenge.  

First and foremost, it’s important to make sure you’re consistently eating a balanced diet. That means getting enough protein (most women need at least 100 grams a day), colorful fruits and vegetables, and whole grains each day. 

But again, this isn’t always enough to correct the inadequacies of these nutrients or to maintain optimal levels of them. And that’s where smart supplementation comes in. A thoughtfully formulated multivitamin (or prenatal for those who are pregnant), can help fill these nutrient gaps.