There are many facets to women’s health, and they vary from life stage to life stage. Women have particular nutritional needs, and these needs shift depending on age, hormone fluctuation, pregnancy, and a variety of other factors.

Health concerns also come in many forms for women, and there are always fresh discoveries and trends driving new remedies and support, which can lead to a confusing array of “What’s best for me?” questions.

While there are many seemingly ever-changing factors to women’s wellness, one thing is certain: Overall healthy lifestyle choices, like mindful nutrition, can go a long way in supporting your goal to achieve longevity in health.

Teen years

Your younger years are the best time to set the stage for a healthy future. Here are some important nutrients to focus on during these years:

Iron: No matter what stage of life you’re in, iron is a vital mineral. However, it holds a high importance for females between the ages of 14 and 18, as it’s essential for healthy growth and development. Girls in this age range need about 15 mg of iron each day.¹

Calcium and vitamin D: Girls ages 9 to 18 need plenty of calcium and vitamin D to help build strong bones. These important nutrients can also help prevent osteoporosis later in life. Generally, girls in this age range need about 1,300 mg of calcium and 600 IUs (international units) of vitamin D every day.

Young adult years

When you’re young and your body is growing, it burns quite a bit of energy just staying alive. But as your body reaches full maturity, your resting metabolism naturally begins to drop, which means the number of calories you need to sustain your body at rest goes down.

This typically happens around age 25, and you’ll likely notice the need to gradually reduce your calories and/or increase your physical activity to maintain a healthy weight at this point. This might sound inherently unfair, but chances are you were naturally more active before this stage.

Daily recess, team sports, and walking around a college campus probably accounted for calories burned during activities that you didn’t consider to be “exercise.” Entering the workforce can also contribute to the exchange of a more active life for a slightly sedentary one.

When reducing calories to help counteract a slowing metabolism, it’s important to keep nutritious staples in your daily diet, like fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.

Adult years

Though a balance of essential nutrients is important to everyone supporting a healthy life, some nutrients are especially important for women during adulthood.

Here are a few important ones:

Iron: Just like during your developing childhood years, iron plays a critical role in your daily nutrition during adulthood. Generally, women between the ages of 19 and 50 need about 18 mg a day.

Vitamin B12: B12 is essential for a healthy nervous system. It’s found in animal proteins like fish, meat, poultry, and eggs. Teenage and adult women need about 2.4 mcg daily. Women who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet can find B12 in fortified cereals and nutritional yeast.

Omega-3s: These fatty acids play many roles in the body, like building healthy brain and nerve cells and supporting a healthy heart. Experts have only established daily recommendations for the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is 1.1 g for adult women.⁵

ALA can be found in plant oils, like flaxseed, soybean, and canola oils, while docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are found in fish, fish oils, and krill oils.

Calcium and vitamin D: Getting enough calcium is important for growing girls, and it continues to be important throughout adult years. Calcium is needed to build and maintain strong bones and to carry out many important functions, including muscle movement and healthy nerve function. Adult women should aim for between 1,000 mg and 1,300 mg of calcium daily.³

Vitamin D plays many important roles in the body. It helps with the absorption of calcium and supports immune health, muscle function, and brain cell activity. It’s recommended that adult women consume 600 IUs of vitamin D each day.²

Senior years

After menopause, your body changes, yet again, and these changes affect your nutritional requirements. The daily intake of one nutrient might decrease as your need for it naturally lessens, while the intake of another increases as your body’s ability to absorb or metabolize it begins to drop.

Here are some of the most important nutrients to consider during this stage:

Iron: When women reach their post-childbearing years, their requirement for iron drops. After menopause, the recommended daily intake falls to around 8 mg.⁴

Vitamin B12: As you age, your body’s ability to absorb B12 naturally begins to decline. A diet that’s rich in fish, meats, and B12-fortified foods can supply the necessary amounts for most women in this stage of life. But some may need to supplement their diet.²

Vitamin D and calcium: Bone density loss is an inevitable part of aging. You can help slow the process by providing your body with the essential nutrients it needs, like calcium and vitamin D. Women between the ages of 50 and 70 need about 1,200 mg of calcium and 600 IU of vitamin D a day. Women older than 70 should aim to consume 1,200 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D.²

Remember to always consult with your doctor before starting a new supplementation routine or diet at any age. Events like pregnancy and breastfeeding can affect your daily recommended values, and nutrition during these periods should also be discussed with your doctor.

1. https://www.womenshealth.gov/healthy-eating/healthy-eating-and-women

2. https://www.webmd.com/women/features/women-nutrition

3. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-Consumer/

4. https://www.verywellhealth.com/making-transitions-during-menopause-2505939#:~:text=There's%20no%20real%20need%20to,also%20available%20in%20supplement%20form.

5. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/