What's the Difference Between Men’s and Women’s Multivitamins?

In a perfect world, food alone provides all of the vitamins and minerals you need. However, for various reasons, like a lack of nutrients in soil, lifestyle factors and even age, there's a good chance you're not getting the daily recommended amount of everything your body needs to be healthy.

That's where multivitamins come in. But since no two humans are alike, it begs the question: should we look for multis with specific formulas? And more importantly, do men and women require a different supplement?

What are multivitamins?

Multivitamins are supplements that are formulated with a mix of vitamins and minerals, and sometimes additional extracts to provide even more benefits. The nutrients a multi contains will play a special and essential role in your body.

Manufacturers don't all follow the same playbook when it comes to which vitamins and minerals are included in multivitamins. However, in these supplements, you'll often find core nutrients like:

• Zinc
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium
• Vitamins A, D and E
• B vitamins

Multivitamins typically provide the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of each nutrient, or sometimes even more.

Does gender matter when it comes to multivitamins?

When you're shopping for the perfect multivitamin for you, you might be wondering if your gender plays a role in the formula you ultimately decide on.

Let's set the record straight: For the most part, men and women do not need separate multivitamins. If you're taking a quality supplement and eating a well-balanced diet, then your nutritional needs should mostly be met regardless of your gender.

That said, while there's a lot of overlap between what men and women both need in a daily multi, each gender does have different ideal RDAs and AIs for specific nutrients.

Again, nutritional needs are fairly similar for women and men. And in fact, weight and age tend to be bigger differentiating factors than gender. Regardless, here are a few nutrients that may support more gender-specific needs.

Nutrient Needs for Men

Men's multivitamins formulated to support prostate health and testosterone levels may be beneficial, although taking a quality multivitamin and adding in a quality men's prostate health formula is a great approach, too. These formulas typically include:

1. Boron

   , which can support healthy levels of free testosterone in the body

2. Lycopene

   , another nutrient to support prostate health

3. Zinc

   , which research has consistently shown supports prostate function, making it ideal for a men's multivitamin

Nutrient Needs for Women

On the other hand, women may benefit from multivitamins that address nutrient needs throughout different life stages. These may include needs related to breast health, the menstrual cycle, menopause, and post-menopausal matters like bone health. Some additional nutrients women may need include:

1. Iron

   , in addition to a multi, might be a good idea for women who want to maintain healthy iron levels, especially during their menstrual cycle.
   Note: iron supplements are only recommended for people who actually need them, so discuss with your healthcare practitioner and get tested before adding this mineral to your routine.

2. Isoflavones

   from soy in a standalone formula may provide additional support beyond a women's multivitamin for healthy hormone balance.

3. Calcium and vitamin D

   are a must for peri- and post-menopausal women seeking out bone health support.

Just like men, however, separate multivitamins and women's health formulas are also a good approach, and one that will allow you to get the dose you need of each nutrient.

How age can influence multivitamin needs

As we've already touched on, your age plays a bigger role in what nutrients you should focus on in a multi-supplement compared to your gender. And as you age, your health habits should be modified over time to meet your changing needs.

For instance, when you get older, you should most likely reduce your sodium intake. You should also be particularly mindful of getting enough calcium, since it's important for keeping your teeth and bones strong. Absorbing vitamin B12 from food can also get more challenging as you age, so supplementing may play a key role in maintaining healthy levels.

In general, older adults have lower calorie needs due to a decrease in physical activity or changes in metabolism. And, as we mentioned, older individuals may have a harder time absorbing certain vitamins and minerals. The catch here is that despite needing fewer calories, the recommended daily allowance of certain nutrients is the same or even higher than that of younger individuals, which can make it even more difficult to get the necessary vitamins and minerals to satisfy your nutritional needs.

How to choose the right multivitamin for you

To get the best results from a multivitamin, it's important to pick one that has bioavailable forms of all of the nutrients you need so that your body can adequately absorb them. You should also choose a supplement that provides optimal dosages of the nutrients you need to thrive.

Additionally, it's important to note that while a multivitamin should help fill in your dietary gaps, if you have specific health needs or goals, you should consult with your healthcare provider to help choose a supplement that addresses them.

Lastly, compare the ingredients of your multivitamin to other supplements you're taking to check for any overlap. If your multivitamin contains vitamin D, for instance, and you're taking a separate supplement, you need to ensure that the combined doses don't exceed your nutrient needs. There can, in fact, be too much of a good thing!

And with most supplements, consistency is key! Take your multivitamin daily following the dosage instructions on the label so you can make the most out of the health benefits it provides.

We want to stress that by definition, a supplement cannot replace a well-balanced diet. Rather, multivitamins fill in the gaps where it's harder to get the nutrients you need from whole foods. We recommend you speak with your doctor to better determine how to adjust your diet and then strategically incorporate supplements for optimal wellness.

References

• Aly, Badiea, et al. "The Effect Of Boron Supplementation on Free Testosterone Activity in the Blood During Muscle Strength Training of Volleyball Players." Movement and Health Science. January 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342589565
• Balali, Arghavan, et al. "Dietary intake of tomato and lycopene, blood levels of lycopene, and risk of total and specific cancers in adults: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies." Front Nutr. February 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11860085/
• Diana van Die, M, et al. "Phytonutrients and outcomes following breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies." JNCI Cancel Spectr. January 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38070485/
• Petraglia, Felice, et al. "Iron deficiency anemia: Impact on women's reproductive health." Fertil Steril. October 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36182259/
• Sauer, Ann Katrin, et al. "Zinc Deficiency in Men Over 50 and Its Implications in Prostate Disorders." Front. Oncol. August 2020. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2020.01293/full
• Simonenko SY, et al. "Emerging Roles of Vitamin B12 in Aging and Inflammation." Int J Mol Sci. May 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11084641/
• Tobie J. de Villiers MBChB, MMED (O&), FCOG (SA), FRCOG. "Bone health and menopause: Osteoporosis prevention and treatment." Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. January 2024.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521690X23000568
• “Vitamins and Minerals for Older Adults." National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/vitamins-and-supplements/vitamins-and-minerals-older-adults
• “Nutrition as We Age: Healthy Eating with the Dietary Guidelines." Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. July 2021. https://odphp.health.gov/news/202107/nutrition-we-age-healthy-eating-dietary-guidelines
• “Why Are Nutrition and Stress Linked?" The University of Kansas. https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/health-resources/turning-point/programs/resilience-toolbox/nutrition/nutrition-and-stress
• “Multivitamin/mineral Supplements." National Institutes of Health. February 2024. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/MVMS-Consumer/
• "Nutrient Recommendations and Databases." National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/nutrientrecommendations.aspx