If you have ever stood in the supplement aisle feeling completely overwhelmed, you are not alone. Perimenopause and menopause bring a flood of advice about what you should be taking, and much of it contradicts itself. So let's strip it right back.
This guide covers the vitamins and minerals that genuinely matter during perimenopause and menopause, how much of each you need, and, most importantly, the everyday foods that deliver them. Because for most of us, the answer is not another handful of capsules. It starts with what is already on your plate.
Why your vitamin and mineral needs change during perimenopause and menopause
From your early forties onwards, two things happen at once. Your hormone levels begin to shift as perimenopause begins, and the natural changes of ageing start to affect how well your body absorbs and uses certain nutrients.
That combination means some nutrients simply matter more now than they did in your thirties. Calcium and vitamin D become more important for looking after your bones. Magnesium and the B vitamins play a bigger role in supporting your energy. And because appetite, digestion and routines often change during these years too, it is easy for intakes to quietly slip without you noticing.
None of this means your diet has failed you. It just means midlife is a sensible moment to check that the basics are covered.
Key Takeaway: Your nutrient needs shift in perimenopause and menopause, so a quick audit of what you eat day to day is one of the most useful things you can do for your midlife health.
The key nutrients, and what each one does
These are the seven to know about. You do not need to memorise them; the food guide further down does the practical work for you.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and muscle function, as well as supporting your immune system. Most of ours comes from sunlight on skin, which is exactly why so many of us in the UK run low between October and March.
Calcium
Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones, and bone health becomes a genuine priority from perimenopause onwards. Your body cannot make calcium, so it has to come from what you eat and drink every day.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a quiet multitasker. It contributes to normal muscle function, normal psychological function and, notably for anyone dragging themselves through the afternoon, the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It is found in foods many of us do not eat enough of, which is why intakes are often lower than they should be.
B vitamins (B6, B12 and folate)
The B vitamins work as a team to support normal energy metabolism and psychological function, and B6, B12 and folate all contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. B12 deserves a special mention: it is found almost entirely in animal foods, so if you eat mostly plants, keep an eye on it.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C supports your immune system, contributes to normal collagen formation for skin, and helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. It also helps your body absorb iron from plant foods, a helpful bonus if periods are still heavy during perimenopause.
Omega-3
Omega-3s are essential fats, and essential means exactly that: your body cannot make them, so they must come from food. Oily fish is the richest source, with seeds such as flaxseed and chia providing the plant form.
Zinc
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails, and supports normal immune function. It tends to fly under the radar, but it is easy to fall short of without regular sources in your week.
Key Takeaway: Seven nutrients do most of the heavy lifting in midlife: vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, omega-3 and zinc.
How much you actually need each day
UK guidance, in plain English. These are daily amounts for adult women unless noted:
• Vitamin D: 10 micrograms. UK government advice is to consider a supplement between October and March, when sunlight is too weak for skin to make enough.
• Calcium: 700 milligrams, roughly what you would get from a serving of yoghurt, a matchbox-sized piece of cheese and a splash of milk across a day.
• Magnesium: 270 milligrams.
• Vitamin B6: 1.2 milligrams.
• Vitamin B12: 1.5 micrograms.
• Folate: 200 micrograms.
• Vitamin C: 40 milligrams, comfortably covered by one orange.
• Zinc: 7 milligrams.
• Omega-3: aim for two portions of fish a week, one of them oily, or regular plant sources such as flaxseed and chia if you do not eat fish.
• Fibre: not a vitamin or mineral, but worth including: the UK guideline is 30 grams a day, and most of us manage around 20.
Takeaway: You do not need to count any of this daily. If your week regularly includes the foods below, the numbers largely take care of themselves.
Getting these from food first: a quick which-food-for-which-nutrient guide
This is the bit to screenshot before the supermarket. For each nutrient, here are the everyday foods that deliver it:
• Vitamin D: oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), eggs, fortified foods.
• Calcium: milk, yoghurt, cheese, fortified plant milks, tinned sardines with bones, kale, sesame seeds.
• Magnesium: pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, wholegrains, spinach, dark chocolate (75 per cent or higher, in sensible amounts).
• B vitamins: meat, fish, eggs and dairy for B12; leafy greens, beans and lentils for folate; chickpeas, salmon and bananas for B6.
• Vitamin C: oranges, kiwis, strawberries, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes.
• Omega-3: salmon, mackerel, sardines, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts.
• Zinc: meat, shellfish, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, cashews, wholegrains.
• Fibre: wholegrains, oats, beans, lentils, fruit and vegetables with skins on, nuts and seeds.
Notice how often seeds, nuts and wholegrains appear on that list. They are some of the most nutrient-dense foods in the supermarket, and they are also among the easiest to add to what you already eat rather than requiring a whole new meal plan.
Takeaway: A varied diet built around whole foods, with seeds and nuts making regular appearances, covers a remarkable amount of ground.
When a supplement makes sense, and a note on HRT
Food first is our starting point, but there are times when a supplement is genuinely sensible. Vitamin D through the UK winter is the clearest example, and it is official government advice. B12 is worth considering if you eat little or no animal produce. Beyond that, a supplement can be a useful safety net during busy stretches when eating well slips down the list, but it works best alongside good food, not instead of it.
On HRT: whether or not to take it is a personal decision to make with your GP or menopause specialist, and good nutrition matters just as much whichever route you choose. Your bones, energy and gut all benefit from a well-fed body regardless. If you take any medication, including HRT, it is always worth checking with your GP or pharmacist before starting a new supplement.
Takeaway: Supplements have their place, especially vitamin D in winter, but they top up a good diet rather than replace one.
Signs you might be running low
Here is the honest answer: the common signs of low nutrient levels, such as tiredness, low mood and poor concentration, overlap heavily with the everyday experience of perimenopause itself. That makes self-diagnosis unreliable, and it is why guessing (and buying supplements on a hunch) so often disappoints.
If you are persistently exhausted, or something simply feels off, speak to your GP. A simple blood test can check the usual suspects, including vitamin D, B12, folate and iron, and give you a proper answer rather than a guess.
Takeaway: Do not diagnose yourself in the supplement aisle. A GP blood test is quick, and it tells you what is actually going on.
A simple daily routine to cover the essentials
If all of this still feels like a lot to hold in your head, here is the reassuring truth: covering the essentials mostly comes down to a few small habits, repeated.
• Build meals around whole foods: vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, wholegrains, dairy or fortified alternatives, and protein at each meal.
• Eat oily fish once or twice a week, or lean on flaxseed, chia and walnuts if fish is not your thing.
• Add seeds and nuts daily. They quietly deliver magnesium, zinc, omega-3 and fibre with zero effort.
• Consider vitamin D from October to March, per UK guidance.
This is exactly where our Peachie toppings were designed to fit. One heaped tablespoon (20 grams) sprinkled over your breakfast, yoghurt or soup delivers 14 vitamins and minerals, including 100 per cent of your daily vitamin D and over a third of your daily magnesium, plus over 3 grams of protein and a helping of fibre and omega-3. No new routine, no handfuls of capsules. Just one simple addition to food you already love. You can read the full breakdown on our science-backed nutrition page.
Takeaway: One tablespoon of the right foods, every day, does more than a cupboard full of good intentions.
FAQs
What are the most important vitamins and minerals for menopause?
Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, the B vitamins, vitamin C, omega-3 and zinc are the ones to focus on. Vitamin D and calcium support your bones, while magnesium and the B vitamins contribute to reducing tiredness and fatigue.
Can menopause cause vitamin deficiency?
Menopause does not directly cause deficiency, but nutrient needs and absorption change with age, and changes to appetite and routine during these years can mean intakes slip. If you suspect you are low in something, a GP blood test is the reliable way to find out.
Do I need different vitamins in perimenopause than in menopause?
The core nutrients are the same across perimenopause, menopause and beyond. What changes is emphasis: bone-supporting nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D become steadily more important as oestrogen declines.
Can I get everything I need from food alone?
Mostly, yes, with one clear exception: vitamin D between October and March, when UK government advice is to consider a supplement because winter sunlight is too weak. B12 also needs attention if you eat a fully plant-based diet.
Should I just take a multivitamin?
A multivitamin can be a reasonable safety net, but it does not provide the fibre, protein and healthy fats that whole foods do. A food-first approach, topped up where genuinely needed, gives you far more for your effort.
The bottom line
Perimenopause and menopause are not a nutritional emergency, and you do not need a complicated protocol to feel well through them. You need a handful of key nutrients, showing up regularly, from food you enjoy.
Start with your plate, add seeds and nuts daily, keep an eye on vitamin D through the winter, and ask your GP if something feels off. And if you would like the easiest possible head start, one tablespoon of Peachie over tomorrow's breakfast is a very good place to begin. Shop our seed and nut toppings today.
Stay Peachie 🍑
