Multivitamins: specific needs after 50

Updated on 2026-03-24

Summary: Multivitamins: specific needs after the age of 50

After the age of 50, even with a good diet, the body absorbs certain vitamins and minerals less efficiently due to slower metabolism and digestion, which can lead to fatigue, reduced energy and difficulty concentrating, particularly in the case of vitamin B12.

This is why a well-formulated multivitamin, adapted to the needs of both men and women, may become relevant to compensate for this reduced assimilation, provided that quality and bioavailability are prioritized over price. Finally, creatine is also being promoted, not only for its physical effects, but also for its benefits on memory and cognitive function, with formats such as gummies that make it easier to integrate into everyday life.

1. What changes after 50

With age, the body undergoes major transformations:

• Metabolism slows down
• Nutritional requirements on the rise
• Vitamin and mineral absorption declines, even with a good diet

As a result, what was sufficient at 30 or 40 is often no longer sufficient after 50.

2. The main challenge: absorption

The problem is not just what you eat, but what your body actually absorbs:

• Less gastric acid and digestive enzymes
• Direct impact on certain vitamins, especially vitamin B12
• Frequent symptoms: fatigue, loss of energy, difficulty concentrating

These are not always serious deficiencies, but rather less efficient assimilation.

3. Why choose a multivitamin

• Nutrition remains the foundation, but may no longer suffice on its own
• A well-formulated multivitamin helps meet needs
• Avoids the need to take several separate supplements (and the risk of overdosing)
• Quality and bioavailability are essential (not just price)

Two products may look identical, but be absorbed very differently by the body.

4. Choosing the right supplements

• Men and women have different needs after age 50 (iron, hormones, bones, energy).
• Nutrient forms matter (e.g. different types of magnesium = different roles)
• Suggested example: Whole Earth & Sea multivitamins (Natural Factors)
  • Whole foods (fruits, vegetables, plants)
  • Canadian manufacturing with rigorous quality control

👉 Bonus: creatine is also mentioned for its benefits

• Not just muscular
• Helps memory, focus and cognitive function
• Now available in gummies easier to consume

About the author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specialized in :

• Digestive health
• Hormonal health
• Stress and fatigue
• Memory and concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host at 104.7 FM

Host of the 104.7 FM radio station on the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has hosted L'Outaouais Maintenant from 3 to 5 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcription

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Today we're talking about vitamins and multivitamins. When you're 50 and over, why is it important to talk about it? Why is it becoming so important? I have the impression, at least in my case, that it's an important topic of conversation at this age, and what does it change in the body? It's a pleasure to welcome back Lynn Goneau naturopath at La Boite à Grains to talk about it. Hello.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Hello Fred. What happens after the age of 50 is that the body changes really slowly. But even when we eat well, we absorb certain vitamins and minerals less efficiently. That's what's important. Then your metabolism slows down. There's no hiding that. Certain needs increase. So what was enough at 30 or 40, isn't quite enough at 50.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So do I understand that a good diet. It's not enough anymore. 50 years.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Of course, food is always the foundation. That's for sure. But with age, the stomach produces less gastric acid and fewer digestive enzymes. This is the key to many vitamins, especially those in the B group, needing this acidity to be properly absorbed from food. This is particularly true of vitamin B12, which plays an important role in memory, concentration and mood. People often tell me that I eat well, but I feel more tired. I have less energy or it's harder to concentrate. It's not always serious deficiencies, but it's often a signal that the body isn't absorbing nutrients as well as it used to.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So that's it, it's the notion of absorption. If you eat enough, your body, as it ages, may absorb certain vitamins a little less well, or assimilate them less well.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Exactly, which means you have to start taking it. It's not about taking a big bunch of individual vitamins, but a well-formulated multivitamin that works synergistically more rather than risking overdosing.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Yes, because I like it the way the doctor has to tell us if we have vitamin deficiencies with a blood test, that's something else. But it's always interesting, I've just had blood tests and all my vitamins are tested. Everything looks good, even B12. So that's reassuring at 51. That means that for the moment, I'm fine, but I can see that it's lower than it used to be? That's why I'm shopping around for multivitamins. You can get them at the regular counter. You have some in the natural care section, although the prices are very different.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

It can vary a lot. It's not so much a question of price, but of quality and absorption. The same thing again. Cheaper multivitamins don't always give the same yield of two vitamins which may have the same name on the label, but not be used in the same way for the body, because the ingredients cost less. Processes are simpler and bioavailability not always the priority, so price often reflects what's behind the capsule.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Like cursed magnesium, citrate is evil, glycinate is not the same thing.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

These are all different forms of magnesium.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

There are some that are good, others that are less well absorbed, bioavailable, others that are, uh...

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

No, they're not all good, but they all have a different function. So you can't really compare it with magnesium.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

You have to know what you're buying.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes indeed.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

And there's one for men and one for women over 50.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

That's important, because at 50, needs are not always exactly the same in terms of iron, hormones, bones and energy, so a suitable formula really does make a difference.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

OK, so you come up with an extra solution this week.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

A good example is Natural Factors' Whole Earth & Sea vitamins. This is a Canadian company with very rigorous quality control from cultivation to the final product. What I particularly like is that most of their vitamins and minerals come from whole foods. That means fruits, vegetables and plants, rather than isolated synthetic forms.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Well, that'll be that. Uh, a quick note Lynn about creatine you brought me two weeks ago.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, we talked about it a couple of weeks ago, then it's important to include it. We often talk about creatine for muscle mass, strength and energy, but we sometimes forget, and this is the case to say it. We forget its impact on the brain. It helps support cognitive function, focus and memory. In fact, that's why I take it, and good news is that it's now available in gummies, which makes it easier and more pleasant to integrate into your daily routine. I think it's great because some people prefer to take it rather than mix it as a powder in a liquid, despite the fact that it mixes easily with any food.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

It tastes like gum.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, indeed.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Interesting stuff. You can find it at La Boîte à Grains too. Interesting Lynn. If we want to consult you, if we want to see you in a private consultation.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, my contact details are still on the La Boite à Grains. You can send me an e-mail. We can also set aside a time to consult each other on all the little health problems we may have.