Supplements for Women Over 40: What Changes in Your Body, and What Helps

By Elina Ivanova-Atanassov, Founder and CEO, Smart Strips · Last updated: October 2026

You are 44. You still fall asleep without much trouble, but twice this week you were awake at 3am with the duvet kicked off, and the moisturiser that worked for years suddenly feels too light. Nothing is wrong, exactly. Something has shifted.

For most women, the forties are the decade when perimenopause begins: in the United States it usually starts in the mid to late 40s and lasts about four years on average (Office on Women's Health). The supplements that make sense after 40 follow those changes, which show up first in sleep, skin, bones and stress, with vitamin D as the daily base. Smart Strips puts that short list into oral dissolvable strips, also called melts: each one an ultra-thin film that dissolves on the tongue in 7 to 30 seconds, so the routine fits into a morning that is already full.

What changes in a woman's body after 40?

The main change is hormonal, and it starts earlier than many women expect. The US Office on Women's Health describes perimenopause as the transition into menopause. It usually begins in the mid to late 40s, lasts about four years on average and can last up to ten. In the United States, the average age of menopause is 52.

The same source lists where the shift can be felt: sleep, mood, hair, skin, bones, joints, muscles, bladder and weight. That list explains why a woman of 45 often feels she has several small problems at once. In most cases she has one transition showing up in several places.

None of this calls for a cabinet full of jars. It calls for knowing which two or three things are worth doing every day, and doing them consistently.

Why is sleep harder in your forties?

Sleep is often the first thing to change. In a study that followed women through perimenopause, insomnia symptoms were present in 31% to 42% of them in any one year of the study (Ciano et al., 2017). The typical pattern is the one in the opening: falling asleep is fine, staying asleep is not.

Three habits do more for the second half of the night than any supplement:

A cool bedroom. A review of sleep and temperature found that, with normal bedding and clothing, heat exposure increases wakefulness and reduces deep sleep (Okamoto-Mizuno and Mizuno, 2012). A lighter duvet and a window open a little are worth trying before anything else.

Wine earlier, or not at all. Alcohol shortens the time it takes to fall asleep and then increases sleep disruption in the second half of the night (Ebrahim et al., 2013). The glass that seemed to help at 10pm often explains the 3am wake-up.

The same wake-up time every day. Weekends included. A fixed morning anchor makes the evening easier.

If the 3am wake-up is familiar, our guide Why you wake up at 4am goes through that hour in detail.

What happens to skin and bones after menopause?

Both depend on structures that are built slowly and lost faster once oestrogen falls.

Skin. A review in Menopause International notes that as much as 30% of skin collagen is lost in the first five years after menopause (Calleja-Agius et al., 2007). This is the change behind the moisturiser that suddenly feels too light: thinner, drier skin that recovers more slowly.

Bones. The National Osteoporosis Foundation explains that for many women a rapid loss of bone takes place during the five to seven years after menopause, and that women can lose up to 20% of their bone density during this time. Bone density keeps decreasing after menopause, which raises the risk of osteoporosis and fractures (Office on Women's Health).

What helps here is mostly outside a supplement box. The World Health Organization recommends muscle strengthening on two or more days a week alongside regular aerobic activity (WHO, 2020), and two short strength sessions a week are a realistic start. Ask your doctor whether and when a bone density check makes sense for you.

Which supplements matter most for women over 40?

Start with the one that is easiest to measure and most often low: vitamin D. Then add only what answers a specific change in your own life. A short list that you keep up does more than a long one you abandon in March.

Every morning: vitamin D with IMMUNE

For adults, the European Food Safety Authority sets an adequate intake of vitamin D at 15 µg a day (EFSA, 2016) and a tolerable upper intake level of 100 µg a day (EFSA, 2023). Smart Strips IMMUNE contains vitamin D3 35 µg, vitamin C 20 mg and elderberry juice concentrate 20 mg, and is taken as one strip a day. Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

IMMUNE is a habit, not a sensation: you will not feel it, and that is how a daily base should work. If you already take another product with vitamin D, add the amounts together and stay within the upper limit. Our article on vitamin D in winter explains why the darker months matter.

For skin and hair: BEAUTÉ

BEAUTÉ contains hydrolysed marine collagen 20 mg, hyaluronic acid 10 mg, vitamin E 3 mg, vitamin A 1000 µg and biotin 100 µg, one strip a day. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair. Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal skin. Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

About the collagen, plainly: studies of collagen peptides in women aged 35 to 55 used 2.5 g or 5 g a day (Proksch et al., 2014). The 20 mg in a strip is a supporting ingredient, and the vitamins do the work the claims describe. If a large daily dose of collagen is your goal, powder is the right tool; we compare both in Collagen strips vs collagen powder. BEAUTÉ contains fish and is the only formula in the range that is not vegan.

In the evening: Z-z-Zen

Z-z-Zen contains saffron extract 14 mg, L-glycine 12 mg, L-theanine 12 mg and melatonin 1 mg, one strip 30 minutes before bed. Melatonin contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep. The beneficial effect is obtained by consuming 1 mg of melatonin close to bedtime (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012). The 14 mg of saffron extract is the lower of two doses used in a placebo-controlled study of adults with poor sleep (Lopresti et al., 2021).

On a tense day: ANXIETY

The meeting with the bank, a teenager who has stopped talking, a parent's test results. ANXIETY contains L-theanine 20 mg, GABA 20 mg and saffron extract 10 mg. Research has looked at L-theanine in healthy adults at much larger daily amounts (Hidese et al., 2019), and a systematic review describes the evidence for oral GABA as limited (Hepsomali et al., 2020). It is a small, quiet step for a demanding day, next to the habits in our guide How to stay calm on a stressful day.

As a long-term habit: NMN

NMN contains 80 mg of NMN per strip, one a day, best in the morning. It is a daily habit with nothing to feel, chosen by women who already have the basics in place.

Why take them as an oral dissolvable strip?

Because a routine after 40 has to survive real mornings. A dissolving film needs no water and nothing to swallow, and the sachets are light and compact enough to sit in a handbag next to your keys. The lining under the tongue is only 100 to 200 µm thick (Hua, 2019); part of each dose is absorbed through the lining of the mouth, and for that part first-pass metabolism in the liver is significantly reduced. For the format as a whole, Smart Strips uses three figures: up to 95% bioavailability, up to 4x faster absorption and up to 30% higher effectiveness, delivered through QuickRelease™ (patent-pending) technology.

Every formula is sugar-free and gluten-free, sweetened with stevia, with 30 strips in a box. Smart Strips are made in the USA, in an FDA registered, cGMP certified facility. More about the format in What are oral dissolvable strips.

When should you talk to your doctor?

Talk to your doctor if your periods change sharply, if hot flushes or night sweats disrupt your work or sleep, if your mood has dropped for weeks, or if you want to know your bone density. A doctor can talk you through every option for perimenopausal symptoms, including treatments that are not supplements.

Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition.

FAQ

At what age does perimenopause start?

Usually in the mid to late 40s, although some women notice changes in their late 30s. It lasts about four years on average and can last up to ten (Office on Women's Health).

How much vitamin D does a woman over 40 need?

EFSA sets an adequate intake of 15 µg a day for adults and an upper limit of 100 µg a day. One IMMUNE strip contains 35 µg of vitamin D3.

Can I take IMMUNE with another vitamin D supplement?

Add up the vitamin D from every product you take and stay within 100 µg a day. If you are unsure, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Is BEAUTÉ vegan?

No. BEAUTÉ contains hydrolysed marine collagen from fish. The other nine Smart Strips formulas are vegan.

How many strips can I take a day?

Follow the daily intake shown on each box. A focused routine of two or three formulas is enough for most women.

Do the strips contain sugar?

No. All Smart Strips formulas are sugar-free and gluten-free and are sweetened with stevia.

A good routine after 40 is short, specific and easy to keep. Discover IMMUNE, the daily base, and add only what your own week calls for.

Sources

1. Office on Women's Health, US Department of Health and Human Services. Menopause basics. Updated 19 October 2026. https://www.womenshealth.gov/article/menopause-basics
2. Ciano C, King TS, Wright RR, Perlis M, Sawyer AM. Longitudinal study of insomnia symptoms among women during perimenopause. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2017;46(6):804-813. DOI 10.1016/j.jogn.2017.07.011
3. Okamoto-Mizuno K, Mizuno K. Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm. J Physiol Anthropol. 2012;31:14. DOI 10.1186/1880-6805-31-14
4. Ebrahim IO, Shapiro CM, Williams AJ, Fenwick PB. Alcohol and sleep I: effects on normal sleep. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013;37(4):539-549. DOI 10.1111/acer.12006
5. Calleja-Agius J, Muscat-Baron Y, Brincat MP. Skin ageing. Menopause Int. 2007;13(2):60-64. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/6405/1/Jean%20Calleja-Agius%20-%20Skin%20ageing.pdf
6. National Osteoporosis Foundation (now Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation). Hormones and Healthy Bones: Helping Midlife Women Make Better Choices for a Healthy Future. https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Hormones-and-Healthy-Bones.pdf
7. World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: WHO; 2020. ISBN 9789240015128. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128
8. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Dietary reference values for vitamin D. EFSA Journal. 2016;14(10):e04547. DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4547
9. EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin D, including the derivation of a conversion factor for calcidiol monohydrate. EFSA Journal. 2023;21(8):8145. DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8145
10. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. Annex (vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin E, biotin, melatonin). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0432
11. Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55. DOI 10.1159/000351376
12. Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Drummond PD. An investigation into an evening intake of a saffron extract (affron) on sleep quality, cortisol, and melatonin concentrations in adults with poor sleep: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-dose study. Sleep Med. 2021;86:7-18. DOI 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.08.001
13. Hidese S, Ogawa S, Ota M, Ishida I, Yasukawa Z, Ozeki M, Kunugi H. Effects of L-theanine administration on stress-related symptoms and cognitive functions in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2362. DOI 10.3390/nu11102362
14. Hepsomali P, Groeger JA, Nishihira J, Scholey A. Effects of oral gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) administration on stress and sleep in humans: a systematic review. Front Neurosci. 2020;14:923. DOI 10.3389/fnins.2020.00923
15. Hua S. Advances in nanoparticulate drug delivery approaches for sublingual and buccal administration. Front Pharmacol. 2019;10:1328. DOI 10.3389/fphar.2019.01328