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Women frequently ask me what multivitamin I recommend that they should use and why.
This post is a detailed response to that question for 2024. And it’s important because you will not find a Top 5 or Top 10 best multivitamins for women here.
I simply cannot in good conscience recommend any of the hundreds of multivitamins for women on the market. Only the one my wife uses.
It’s the only one she can use because she’s sensitive to most supplements. Not so with the Multi I’m reviewing here. And she finds it effective.
Here my focus is multivitamins. You’ll also discover why I have problems with most other multivitamin/mineral supplements on the market.
I reveal some of the deceptive marketing used by these supplement manufacturers. And how their choice of poor-quality vitamins and minerals used in their multivitamin formulas are cheap substitutes your body cannot use.
Then you’ll learn more about the best multivitamin she’s ever used. And continues to use in 2024.
I’ll tell you how each of the vitamins and minerals in this multi work in your body and brain. Along with links to clinical studies that support their use.
So stay tuned, and find out why the Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi is the best multivitamin for women in 2024.
And if you’re looking for the best multivitamin for men, you’ll find that here > Multi for men
Why Should Women Use a Multivitamin Supplement?
Women who use a multivitamin often say they take one daily because it’s good health insurance. They hope their multi is making up for the nutrients missing in their diet.
Turns out they’re onto something. A survey conducted a few years ago with 4,673 teens aged 12 – 19 years found that <1% ate a healthy diet.[i]
Another study published by the Mayo Clinic found that only 2.7% of the adults surveyed followed a healthy lifestyle. The survey included not eating a healthy diet.[ii]
A study conducted in Europe found that 30% of all women are deficient in one or more vitamins and minerals. And it was estimated that 70% of women would be suffering from nutrient deficiencies if multivitamin supplements weren’t available.[iii]
The thing is, even if you ate your vegetables, didn’t smoke, drank little alcohol, avoided junk food and exercised regularly, you’d still have a problem maintaining optimal health.
Because our fruit, vegetable, and meat products simply do not provide enough of the vitamins and minerals you need to support a healthy body and brain.
I’ve written extensively on this subject over the last few years. Here’s an example …
The US Department of Agriculture has recorded the nutrient density of various fruit and vegetable crops since the early 1900’s. And the records are downright scary.
A medium-size apple grown in 2024 has literally a fraction of the vitamins and minerals compared to an apple grown in 1914.
And this drop in nutrient content has been a problem with most fruits and vegetables over the last few decades.[iv]
It’s even more critical to get optimal amounts of the vitamins and minerals daily if you are dealing with chronic health problems. Or are pregnant or nursing. Or are postmenopausal.
If you’re committed to improving your health, in competitive sports, dieting, or simply concerned about how you feel, your system requires the help of a high-quality multivitamin.
Do Women Really Need a Multivitamin in 2024?
It’s true that supplements will not make up for poor eating habits. But using a multivitamin can make a healthy diet even better.[v]
In the previous section you saw that even if you do your best to follow a healthy diet, it’s not possible to get all the vitamins and minerals you need.
Let’s take a minute and look at how optimal levels of these nutrients affect your day-to-day health.
Avoiding anemia – Anemia is a condition where the number of red blood cells are insufficient to meet biological needs. And it’s often caused by an iron deficiency in menstruating women.
Iron deficiency results from inadequate dietary iron intake, poor iron absorption or utilization, increased iron requirements, or chronic blood loss.[vi]
For healthy red blood cells, you need optimal daily doses of iron, Vitamin A, iron, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12 and folate.[vii]
Antioxidants – A well-functioning immune system is required to keep inflammation, oxidative stress and free radicals in check. Shielding you from whatever bug or virus that is going around. And keeping age-related neurodegenerative disease at bay.
For a healthy immune system, you need optimal daily doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B2, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, and Manganese.
Energy – Nothing puts a damper on your day like fatigue. Running out of energy at any time of the day should be unacceptable to you. Family, friends and co-workers depend on you. And you depend on you.
For energy metabolism you must get your daily dose of each of the B-Vitamins, iron, iodine, magnesium, copper, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum.
Cognition and mood – As a woman, you recognize how important it is to be able to think on your feet. Quick learning and memory make life easier.
Less anxiety and a good mood make your day go better. And a more pleasant environment for those around you.
To support cognition and mood you need optimal amounts of each of the B-Vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, inositol, and vanadium.
Heart – you know the feeling when your heart is beating normally, you feel full of energy and healthy, and your blood pressure is down.
But as you get older, things become more of a challenge. Keeping blood pressure under control or warding off a family history of heart disease and/or failure becomes paramount.
For optimal cardiovascular health you need the right daily dose of Vitamin, C, Vitamin E, the B-Vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, chromium, and vanadium.
Looking great – Sporting healthy looking hair, skin and nails tells the world how you feel inside. Call it a barometer of good health.
But spending your hard-earned cash and time on makeup and cosmetics will only help you look good.
The nutrients required for a healthy complexion, great hair and healthy-looking nails and eyes will help you look AND feel good.
For healthy hair, skin and nails you must have optimal daily doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B7, Vitamin B9, Inositol, Vanadium, and Boron.
I could go on, but I think by now you’re getting the picture.
Are you absolutely sure you ate enough seafood this week to get your optimal dose of iodine?
Is your plate loaded twice every day with green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains to get optimal doses of magnesium, all the B-Vitamins, boron, chromium, copper, potassium and Vitamin K?
I know mine isn’t. And it’s likely why I felt so damn good the first day I tried this new multivitamin/mineral supplement by Performance Lab®. And why my wife loves the women’s Multi too.
Best Multivitamins for Women in 2024
Now that we’ve established why women should use a daily multivitamin – which one do you get?
It turns out there are very few raw- and whole-food supplement makers who produce a decent high-quality multivitamin.
I’ve tried many of men’s formulas, and some are good. These whole-food multivitamins contain the right form and often the right dose of each vitamin and mineral.
But all of them add unnecessary ingredients.
Like a ‘fairy dusting’ of organic fruit and vegetable powders to make it look more like a “whole-food” multi. This adds zero benefit other than it fills up the capsule. And looks good in advertising.
Or you come across a few mgs of CoQ10 in a form your body cannot use. But the manufacturer markets and sells it anyway as a “heart healthy” multi.
Or a few mgs of choline bitartrate and the advertising tells you it’s optimized for cognition. Any experienced biohacker knows a few milligrams of this form of choline is useless. But it looks good on the label.
Here’s a better idea – how about a simple, pure, whole-food multivitamin that supplies optimal amounts of each of the vitamins and minerals your body and brain need to thrive every day.
The best multivitamin for women in 2024 without question is the Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for women.
And here’s what’s in this Multi for women …
Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for Women ingredients
Vitamin A 600 mcg – for memory formation, quick thinking, brain & blood cell health, vision, your immune system, protein synthesis, tissue repair, bones and is a potent antioxidant
Vitamin C 60 mcg – supports your immune system, heart health, neurotransmitter synthesis, and helps in collagen formation for bone, skin, joint, muscle and gum health, and contributes to blood circulation
Vitamin D3 25 mcg – required for neurotransmitter synthesis[viii], gene expression, neuroplasticity for memory, mood[ix], protects DNA and prevents telomere shortening, female hormone synthesis, protein synthesis, your immune system and bones
Vitamin E 20 mg – your most abundant and bioavailable antioxidant protection against oxidative stress and free radicals, immune system, heart health, tissue repair, and great looking hair, skin and nails
Vitamin K1 + K2 100 mcg – named after the German word ‘koagulation’[x], contributes to myelin synthesis, proteins involved in apoptosis, mitogenesis, neurogenesis and glial cell growth, heart and blood health, bones and joints
Vitamin B1 4 mg – involved in the KREBs cycle that makes ATP in mitochondria for energy, and cofactor in the synthesis of acetylcholine, glutamate and GABA
Vitamin B2 4 mg – part of ATP production in mitochondria for energy and prevents migraines, converting tryptophan to Vitamin B3 (niacin), and Vitamins B6 and Vitamin A into forms your body can use, red blood cell formation, cell growth, and is an antioxidant
Vitamin B3 20 mg – for healthy blood flow, female hormone synthesis[xi], protein and fat metabolism, great looking skin, antioxidant[xii], BDNF and human growth hormone, and stimulates the production of neurotransmitters for better learning, memory, cognition, recall and mood.[xiii]
Vitamin B5 20 mg – at the heart of the KREBs cycle and electron transport chain needed for energy metabolism, testosterone production, heart health, and the synthesis of neurotransmitters for reducing stress, anxiety and depression
Vitamin B6 4 mg – required for the synthesis of dopamine, epinephrine, GABA, melatonin, norepinephrine, and serotonin,[xiv] to regulate homocysteine, immune function, gene transcription and expression, blood cell formation, oxygen transport, and blood sugar
Vitamin B7 300 mcg – required for energy metabolism, the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters, myelin formation[xv], white blood cell development, immune system, gene expression, DNA structure, great looking hair, skin and nails, muscle coordination, learning, memory and mood[xvi]
Vitamin B9 1336 mcg – NOTE: that this is Methylfolate and NOT folic acid which is needed for DNA and RNA synthesis, gene expression, amino acid synthesis, myelin, all major neurotransmitter creation, and red blood cell creation and blood vessel maintenance
Vitamin B12 50 mcg – required for DNA and RNA synthesis, all major neurotransmitters, myelin, regulate homocysteine, and heart health for alertness, cognition, memory, mood and overall good health
Calcium 21 mg – needed for healthy bones, joints, muscles, heart, storing and retrieving memory, testosterone and estradiol control[xvii]
Iron 8 mg – is a cofactor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, myelin and DNA, essential for lipid and brain-energy metabolism, regulating dopamine and dopamine D1 & D2 receptors, serotonin transporter density, the uptake of norepinephrine, and red blood cell formation.[xviii]
Iodine 150 mcg – required to produce thyroid hormones, gene expression, energy metabolism, synthesis and use of GABA,[xix] dopamine release, and acetylcholine synthesis[xx]
Magnesium 21 mg – needed for DNA and RNA synthesis, neurotransmitter flow, energy metabolism, synaptic plasticity,[xxi] female hormone production, muscle relaxation, blood sugar control, heart health, and strong bones
Zinc 10 mg – for protein synthesis, regulate signaling cascades, gene transcription, neurotransmitter transport, DNA repair and synthesis, methylation, anti-inflammatory, protects against toxic copper levels,[xxii] female hormone production, and vision health
Selenium 125 mcg – needed for thyroid hormone synthesis, catecholamine activation, dopamine pathways, acetylcholine transmission, support your immune system, and is an antioxidant[xxiii]
Copper 1.5 mg – required for blood vessel and myelin creation,[xxiv] synapses, ATP synthesis, preventing free radical damage, for neuron and glial cell respiration, vision health, heart health, assists antioxidant use, and supports your immune system
Manganese 2 mg – for bone formation, energy metabolism, blood sugar regulation, calcium absorption, neuron and glial cell function, neurotransmitter synthesis, healthy blood-brain barrier, and brain and spinal cord repair
Chromium 120 mcg – improves insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation, energy metabolism, and weight management
Molybdenum 75 mcg – an enzyme cofactor for energy metabolism, purine metabolism which are components of DNA, RNA, ATP, cAMP, NADH and Coenzyme A, converts toxins to a harmless acid and hydrogen peroxide to be expelled by your kidneys, and prevents and detoxes DNA mutations,[xxv]
Potassium 16 mg – is critical for maintaining the voltage difference inside and outside of cells, and required for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction and heart function, and relieves brain fog, fatigue and depression.
Inositol 25 mg – helps control blood sugar,[xxvii] reduces inflammation, regulates cell volume and signaling pathways, assists in DNA repair,[xxviii] and is a secondary messenger of serotonin which helps relieve anxiety and depression.[xxix]
Vanadium 10 mcg – regulates blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol which supports heart health, and is neuroprotective[xxx]
Boron 1 mg – essential for bone growth and maintenance, increases the half-life and bioavailability of testosterone, estrogen and Vitamin D, reduces inflammation and free radicals, and is a required cofactor in the synthesis of all the major neurotransmitters[xxxi]
For more on how each of these vitamins and minerals work, see my posts on:
13 Vitamins Essential for the Optimized Brain
13 Minerals Essential for the Optimized Brain
Other Ingredients
The only “other ingredient” in the Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for women are NutriCaps® Pullulan capsules made from fermented tapioca.
That’s it. Nothing else but NutriGenesis® lab grown vitamins and minerals that are identical to what you’d get from real, organic food.
This is a big deal.
Because as I mentioned earlier, most multivitamin supplement manufacturers like to waste capsule space with ‘fairy dust’ amounts of whole-food fruit and vegetable powders.
Or tiny amounts of single nootropics like CoQ10, choline, maca, tea leaf, Ginkgo, ginger, Zeaxanthin and others.
I suppose it looks good in their advertising. But it does nothing for you. Zero. Zip.
There’s not enough of any of these nootropic supplements to be effective.
Many of these multivitamins also include toxic ingredients like; silicon dioxide, vegetable stearate, silica, magnesium sulfate, hydrogenated palm oil, polyethylene glycol, Yellow #6 and others. Even in multis made for kids!
These ingredients are used for color, odor control, anti-clumping agents, preservatives, and flow agents so the powder doesn’t stick to encapsulation machines.
The problem is most of them are toxic. And can suppress your immune system,[xxxii] cause mitochondrial dysfunction, damage brain cells, cause oxidative stress,[xxxiii] and who knows what else.
By comparison, the Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi contains no “other ingredients”. Just pure, clean nutrients your body recognizes as food and can use.
Where to Buy Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for women
This multivitamin for women is available exclusively from the manufacturer’s website here > Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for women
Price for this Multi
I think you’ll find the Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for women very competitively priced:
- 1 Box – 120 capsules for 30 doses – $49 (+ shipping)
- 2 Boxes – 240 capsules for 60 doses – $98 (+ shipping)
- 3 Boxes + 1 Box FREE – 480 capsules for 120 doses – $147 (+ FREE shipping)
Recommended dosage is 4-capsules twice per day which is one box per month.
The company ships worldwide from the USA or the UK and to most countries. Check their Shipping & Returns page for a detailed list.
Potency and Safety
The Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for women is designed to be taken daily and for the long-term.
No cycling or issues with tolerance. And dosages are based on clinical studies for what your body needs and not the government mandated RDA. It’s safe to use daily for the rest of your life.
I’ve been using the Multi for men daily since it was made available and have found the benefits are felt especially if used every day.
This multi is all-natural and pure with no toxic additives.
Wrapping Up
This multivitamin/mineral supplement is your base. And should be considered the foundation for everything else you’re doing to enhance your quality of life.
Used daily, this multi ensures you’re getting the essential vitamins and minerals your body and brain require daily. The same type and level of nutrients that was once available in your food supply.
If you spent time with the ingredient list earlier in this review, you may have noticed – this Multi for women covers everything required of a healthy female body and brain.
This multivitamin supports muscle growth, sex hormones, blood supply and flow, cognition, physical appearance, your immune system, weight maintenance, and more.
I’ve tried many of the other raw- and whole-food multis for men and used them for years before this multi came along.
I use this Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for men, and my wife has used the Multi for women every day for the last 5 years.
And both of us know based on how we feel and perform that these are the best multivitamin formulas for men and women on the planet.
Get and try: Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi for women.
Join The Discussion - 15 comments
Antone Hahne
June 26, 2024
I have not checked in here for a while because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I¦ll add you back to my daily bloglist You deserve it my friend
Tosca
June 1, 2023
Hi David,
thank you so much for this post, it’s very helpful for someone like who has beginners knowledge about vitamins and nootropics.
I have a question: is it advisable to take other things alongside this multivitamin, such as more of certain vitamins or magnesium?
Also, in another article you suggested taking coconut oil alongside taking vitamins/nootropics to best absorb the nutrients. Is that also recommended for this multivitamin?
Thank you so much in advance.
Best,
Tosca
David Tomen
June 5, 2023
Tosca, your body and brain need additional magnesium (chelated) and Vitamin D the latter of which you should get tested to find out what your levels are.
It is also true that the vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble which is why I recommend using it with a healthy fat like unrefined coconut oil. See my articles on vitamins and minerals as well (https://nootropicsexpert.com/13-vitamins-essential-for-the-optimized-brain/) and (https://nootropicsexpert.com/13-minerals-essential-for-the-optimized-brain/).
Tosca
June 8, 2023
Thank you so much! I am getting my blood tested this summer, so then I will see what is up. I will take them with some coconut oil then, I have plenty at my place.
Cj
February 18, 2022
Hello would you recommend VITAMIN CODE from GARDEN OF LIFE? It’s a multivitamin brand marketed to be whole food
David Tomen
February 19, 2022
CJ, the Garden of Life multi is a good multivitamin. But the Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi is better. Why?
Because 1. the Performance Lab multi is less expensive 2. all the PL multi contains are vitamins and minerals with no other additives 3. the Garden of Life multi wastes capsule space with useless fruit and vegetable powders, a questionable probiotic and other additives that look good on the label but do nothing for you the customer.
I used the Garden of Life multi for several years. And then the Performance Lab multi became available and I tried it. I ‘felt’ it the very first day I used this multi. And that never happened with the Garden of Life multi.
Miguel
November 13, 2021
David, I beg for your help, my 96-year-old grandmother is very weak and no longer has an appetite, I am afraid that she will die of malnutrition because she is very thin, I bought the Multivitamin “Performance Lab NutriGenesis® Multi”, but I am afraid that it is too powerful because of her advanced age, Is it safe to give her or should I give her fewer capsules than the manufacturer recommends?
David Tomen
November 18, 2021
Miguel, each ingredient in this Multi is the same as you would get from food. So, while it is ‘powerful’ keep in mind that your body is using each vitamin and mineral as if you were getting it from a meal.
But if you are worried about 4 capsules being “too much” then try two capsules and see how your grandmother responds. If there are no adverse effects then add another capsule and see how she does.
David Tomen
June 1, 2021
Nasha, why are you looking for a multi with zero copper? I ask because copper plays a critical role in all kinds of things happening in your brain and body. Which you can see here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/13-minerals-essential-for-the-optimized-brain/#copper
Nasha
June 2, 2021
Hi,
I am using oral contraceptives because of endometriosis, and it has led to elevated levels of copper. But I can’t find a good multivitamin without it. I already consume copper rich foods. (i live in the Netherlands)
Lana
April 12, 2021
Hi David, thank you for the info. I checked the website for these vitamins and they suggest taking 4 capsules per day, while you write 2 per day? Could you please comment on that? Thank you
David Tomen
April 15, 2021
Lana, I think you misread something because what I say above is: “Recommended dosage is 2-capsules twice per day which is one box per month.”
Annette Davis
February 12, 2021
I would like to try this multi-vitamin but I have high ferritin levels and am concerned about taking a supplement with iron. Also am concerned about the NuFlow rice concentrate as an additive ingredient.
David Tomen
February 12, 2021
Annette, it takes a long time to build up to excess ferritin. So this multivitamin is not likely going to aggravate that problem. But this is something to double check with your doctor. And find out why you have high ferritin in the first place.
The NuFlow rice concentrate is used in this multi as a natural “flow agent” so the powder doesn’t clog up the capsule machines. It’s used instead of things like magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide and the other toxic garbage the other guys use. It should not be a problem for you unless you are allergic to rice.
David Tomen
January 7, 2021
Nasha, I feel your pain about not wanting to leave unused bottles of supplements sitting on the shelf. But the thing is you need 13 vitamins and 13 minerals every single day to keep things working as they should.
https://nootropicsexpert.com/13-vitamins-essential-for-the-optimized-brain/
https://nootropicsexpert.com/13-minerals-essential-for-the-optimized-brain/
I include the upper limits in each of these articles. So keep those in mind when you start using the Performance Lab Multi. But you do not need to worry about excess magnesium or Vitamin C.