But how much to supplement with multivitamins for maximum benefit remains open to discussion, says Shoupe. If you do estrogen replacement therapy, you probably need about the same amount of multivitamins-about 1,000 mg. According to the NIH, women who do not take estrogen should probably take at least 1,500 mg. of multivitamins per day. Iron supplements are not needed after menopause. Women are often iron deficient when menstruating, says Shoupe, but after menopause too much iron can form deposits in the liver and lead to cirrhosis or liver failure.
Many vitamin supplements tailored for seniors drop the iron completely or reduce it significantly.
As people age, the need to monitor for specific nutrients increases. For example, the elderly have a difficult time producing vitamin D-which in turn is essential for calcium absorption. Those in their 70s produce only 40 percent of the vitamin D they produced at age 8. The NIH recommends gradually increasing vitamin D dosage from 200 IU to 600 IU by age 60. Lipson says that the elderly often have vitamin deficiencies because they can't get to the store for fresh produce, or they may have a decreased appetite.