If you're feeling tired, foggy, moody, or just "off,” it might not be just stress or hormones. In fact, one of the most overlooked reasons women struggle with energy, weight, sleep, and mood is simple but subtle: nutrient deficiencies.
Nutritional deficiencies are surprisingly common—and they don’t just affect people with poor diets. In fact, nearly half of American women over 40 are running low on at least one essential vitamin or mineral. Even more eye-opening? Even more women are unknowingly deficient in several at once, especially as they get older.
You might be wondering how this is possible—especially if you’re eating a healthy diet and maybe even taking a daily multivitamin. Some of the reasons might surprise you
Feeling Off? It Might Be What You’re Not Getting
The combination of biology, absorption issues, and modern life can make keeping our nutrient tanks full a real challenge.
Here are some of the most common reasons nutrient gaps show up in women:
• Aging gut: As we age, our stomach produces less acid, making it harder to absorb nutrients like B12, calcium, and iron.
• Hormonal shifts: Estrogen plays a role in how we metabolize calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. When levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, deficiencies can sneak in.
• Leaky gut: When the gut lining becomes too permeable (a.k.a. “leaky”), nutrients like iron, B12, zinc, and magnesium can slip through without being properly absorbed. This is more common in women with food sensitivities, chronic stress, or inflammatory conditions.
• Low nutrient food supply: Even the healthiest produce isn’t as nutrient-rich as it was 50 years ago due to modern farming and soil depletion.
• Medications: Acid blockers, diuretics, birth control, and even common pain relievers can deplete key nutrients over time.
• Restrictive diets: Low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan diets can make it harder to get certain vitamins and minerals.
• Stress: Chronic stress burns through key nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin C.
The Top 10 Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies in Women Over 40
Let’s break down the most common nutrient deficiencies and how they might show up in your daily life.
1. Iron
• Why it matters: Needed for energy and oxygen transport.
• What it feels like: Fatigue, cold hands and feet, pale skin, brain fog, hair thinning, weight gain.
• Who’s at risk: Women with heavy periods, vegans, those with gut issues or low stomach acid.
2. Vitamin D
• Why it matters: Supports bones, mood, immunity, and hormone balance.
• What it feels like: Muscle weakness, low mood, joint pain, frequent colds.
• Who’s at risk: Almost everyone! Especially if you live in northern climates, avoid the sun, or religiously use sunscreen.
3. Vitamin B12
• Why it matters: Keeps nerves and brain sharp; supports red blood cells.
• What it feels like: Tingling hands/feet, brain fog, fatigue, low mood, weight gain.
• Who’s at risk: Women over 50, vegetarians, those on acid blocking and certain blood pressure medications.
4. Magnesium
• Why it matters: Needed for over 300 body functions including sleep and blood sugar regulation, and metabolism.
• What it feels like: Irritability, leg cramps, insomnia, anxiety, constipation, weight gain.
• Who’s at risk: Most women! Especially under stress or on certain prescription drugs.
5. Calcium
• Why it matters: Vital for bones, nerves, and muscles.
• What it feels like: Muscle cramps, brittle nails, bone loss, anxiety.
• Who’s at risk: Postmenopausal women and anyone who limits dairy.
6. Folate (Vitamin B9)
• Why it matters: Crucial for cell repair, detox, mood, and metabolism.
• What it feels like: Low energy, poor memory, depression, anemia, and weight gain.
• Who’s at risk: Women with gut issues, alcohol use, or poor diet.
7. Iodine
• Why it matters: Fuels the thyroid, which drives metabolism.
• What it feels like: Sluggishness, cold intolerance, brain fog, weight gain.
• Who’s at risk: Women who avoid iodized salt or dairy.
8. Zinc
• Why it matters: Supports immunity, wound healing, and hormones.
• What it feels like: Frequent colds, thinning hair, poor taste/smell, slow wound healing.
• Who’s at risk: Women with digestive issues or plant-based diets.
9. Vitamin B6
• Why it matters: Helps make mood-regulating brain chemicals and process hormones.
• What it feels like: Mood swings, irritability, PMS, tingling or numbness, weight gain.
• Who’s at risk: Women who are chronically stressed or take birth control or antidepressants.
10. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Why it matters: Reduces inflammation, supports heart and brain health, and balances hormones.
• What it feels like: Dry skin, low mood, brain fog, joint pain.
• Who’s at risk: Women who don’t eat much fish or who follow low-fat diets.
Signs You Might Be Missing Key Nutrients
Nutrient deficiencies rarely top the list of usual suspects when you're trying to figure out what's going on. That’s because the symptoms often blend right in with everything else women are already managing—stress, hormone changes, restless nights, or just the demands of daily life.
Here’s a list of some of the things you might notice if one or more nutrient deficiencies are hiding in the background:
- You're tired even after a full night's sleep
- You bruise easily or heal slowly
- Your bowels are sluggish or you don’t have a bowel movement every day
- You’re gaining weight even though you’re doing all the right things
- You don’t sleep well--including falling and/or staying asleep
- You feel cold, anxious, or irritable for no clear reason
- Your hair is thinning or falling out more than usual
- You have cravings for ice, salt, or non-food items
- Your nails are brittle, and your skin feels dry
- You get sick easily, especially with things like the common cold
If you’re the poster gal for one or more of the symptoms on this list, it might be time to check in with your healthcare provider and dig a little deeper.
How to Fill Your Nutrient Tank
The only way to seal the gap is to know where the leak is. You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight—but here are a few smart, simple steps to get you started:
• Get tested: Lab work is one of the best ways to uncover nutrient deficiencies—but here’s the catch: most standard labs don’t dig deep enough to give you the full picture. That’s where specialty labs like SpectraCell come in. They offer more accurate, functional assessments of what your body actually has (and what it’s missing). A good functional medicine practitioner can guide you through the right tests and help interpret the results..
• Upgrade your plate: If your daily eating routine could use a little refresh, start by adding more nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, and colorful veggies. If you’re already a healthy-eating vegetarian, that’s great—but you’ll still want to consider supplementing with nutrients your diet may be lacking, like vitamin B12, iron,zinc, and omega-3s (especially DHA and EPA). These are harder to get from plant-based sources and are especially important for energy, brain function, and hormone health.
• Review your meds: Some of the prescriptions you’re taking might be quietly draining your nutrient stores. Medications like antacids, blood pressure meds, birth control, and even common pain relievers can interfere with absorption or speed up nutrient loss. Go over your current list with your practitioner to see if any might be contributing—and if so, ask whether there are alternatives or if you need extra support to counteract the effects.
• Look for underlying causes. Sometimes nutrient deficiencies are just the tip of the iceberg. Gut issues, thyroid problems, chronic inflammation, or even hidden infections can all interfere with how your body absorbs and uses nutrients. Getting to the root cause is key to long-term healing—not just patching symptoms A good functional medicine practitioner will know where to look—and how to connect the dots.
• Fill the gaps: Once you know where your nutrient shortfalls are, your practitioner may recommend targeted supplements to help you restore optimal levels. This is not the time to grab the cheapest bottle on the shelf. Most over-the-counter supplements aren’t tested for purity or potency—and some don’t even contain what they claim. Opt for pharmaceutical-grade supplements from trusted brands. They may cost a little more, but when it comes to your health, quality is non-negotiable. If you can’t find what you’re looking for locally, you can find a wide variety of pharmaceutical grade supplements here, on our site www.theedwardsedge.com
So if you're feeling worn down and wondering why your usual efforts aren’t working anymore, this might be your sign to look deeper. Your body could simply be missing the ingredients it needs to thrive.
Being low in a few key nutrients may not sound dramatic—but over time, it can sap your energy, slow your metabolism, and leave you feeling like a shadow of yourself. The good news? Most deficiencies are easy to correct once you identify them.