Your body’s nutrition needs change around menopause. Some go up, like calcium. Others go down, like iron. And a few, like vitamin B12, get harder to meet because your body absorbs less. This guide covers what changes and how to eat for it.

The short version

  • Calcium needs rise at 51: from 1,000 mg a day to 1,200 mg, according to the NIH.
  • Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium. The recommended amount is 600 IU a day through age 70 and 800 IU from age 71.
  • Bone loss is the main concern. The Menopause Society’s consensus opinion is that enough calcium, together with enough vitamin D, prevents bone loss and reduces fracture risk in women before and after menopause.
  • Iron needs drop once your periods stop, from 18 mg to 8 mg a day.
  • B12 is harder to absorb as stomach acid falls with age, so many people over 50 get most of it from fortified foods or supplements.
  • A supplement may or may not be needed. Food comes first; ask your provider what your diet is missing.

What changes

Nutrient Before about 50 At 51 and older
Calcium 1,000 mg 1,200 mg
Vitamin D 600 IU 600 IU through age 70, then 800 IU
Iron 18 mg 8 mg
Vitamin B12 2.4 mcg 2.4 mcg, mostly from fortified foods or supplements
Folate 400 mcg DFE 400 mcg DFE

These are National Academies amounts as published by the NIH.

Bones: why calcium and vitamin D matter now

Bone loss speeds up around menopause. The North American Menopause Society, now The Menopause Society, reviewed the research and concluded that adequate calcium, in the presence of adequate vitamin D, prevents bone loss and lowers the risk of fractures in women before and after menopause. It said at least 1,200 mg a day is needed by most women and that more than 2,500 mg a day isn’t recommended. See the consensus opinion.

That opinion dates from 2001, and the NIH’s recommended amounts in the table above are the current ones. If you have concerns about bone loss, ask your provider about a bone density test, and about whether your calcium and vitamin D intake are enough.

How to get what you need

Calcium. Dairy is the richest source: about 300 mg in a cup of milk and 415 mg in 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, according to the NIH. Calcium-fortified plant milks and juices, tofu made with calcium sulfate, and canned fish with bones also count. Three to four servings a day, plus the rest of your diet, gets most women to 1,200 mg. See Calcium in Pregnancy for a full list of foods and amounts, which apply at any age.

Vitamin D. Few foods have much naturally. Fatty fish, fortified milk, and fortified cereals are the main food sources, and sunlight helps, though sun exposure raises skin cancer risk. If you rarely get sun or eat these foods, ask your provider about a blood test or a supplement. See Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.

Iron. Once your periods stop, you need much less. In perimenopause, though, periods can become heavy or irregular, and heavy bleeding can lower iron just as it does at any age. If your periods are heavy, or you feel unusually tired, ask about a blood test before taking iron. See Teen Girls, Heavy Periods, and Iron for the warning signs, which apply to adults too.

Vitamin B12. Many people over 50 make less stomach acid, so they absorb less B12 from food. B12 deficiency affects 3% to 43% of older adults, according to the NIH, and the NIH advises getting most of your B12 from fortified foods or supplements after 50. See Vitamin B12 Fortified Foods.

Folate. You still need folate, but the folic acid recommendation to prevent birth defects applies to women who could become pregnant. Leafy greens, beans, and fortified grains cover most needs.

Supplements: a few cautions

  • Count what you eat first, then add only what’s missing.
  • Stay under the upper limits: 2,000 mg of calcium a day for women 51 and older (2,500 mg for ages 19 to 50) and 4,000 IU of vitamin D, from food and supplements together.
  • Calcium supplements: calcium carbonate is absorbed best with food, according to the NIH, and calcium can interfere with some medicines. Tell your provider and pharmacist what you take.
  • Symptom supplements. Products marketed for hot flashes and other menopause symptoms are a separate question from nutrition. Talk with your provider before using them, and look at The Menopause Society’s patient resources.

What to do now

  • Add up your calcium for a typical day and compare it with 1,200 mg.
  • Ask your provider about a vitamin D blood test and a bone density test.
  • Check your B12 sources, and ask whether to test your level.
  • If your periods are heavy, ask about iron before taking it.

Related reading

Sources

Updated November 2026. This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your health care provider.