When it comes to women’s health, you can’t just rely on diet and exercise. Women need supplements for a variety of reasons including calcium for bone strength, omega-3s for heart health or vitamin D for nutrition. And there are many options out there! Below we will discuss why women need supplements, the types of supplements they should take, and benefits that come with taking them as well as the best vitamins and minerals to look out for.
We all know how important it is to stay healthy in order to live life to its fullest but it becomes even more clear when looking at the statistics surrounding women’s health.
Why Women Need Supplements
Some of the most common deficiencies in nutrition amongst women are vitamin A and iron.
Vitamin A is important for your eyesight, your immune system, and reproductive health. Vitamin A also helps the heart, lungs, and kidneys work.
Iron is important for your body. Iron makes hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs to all of your body’s cells. It also makes myoglobin, which gives oxygen to the muscles. Iron is needed to make some hormones too.
If you don’t have enough iron, your body can’t make enough of the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen. This will leave you tired and short of breath.
This becomes all the more important amongst pregnant women. Babies need vitamin D to help their bodies grow and develop. The same goes for calcium, which helps pregnant women’s bones stay strong.
There are many different vitamins and minerals that a woman needs in order to be healthy but some of the most important ones include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium and Iron.
Types of Supplements for Women
Supplements can range from simple multivitamins to specific products like omega-3 supplements, all of which are designed to keep women’s bodies healthy.
Of course, you should always talk with your doctor before you start taking any new supplement or vitamin in order to determine whether or not it will be beneficial for you.
First, you should establish if you have any particular deficiency to address with a particular supplement, and then find the right one for you. Here are some of the most common ones and why you may need them:
Multivitamins: If this is your first time taking a multivitamin, then it’s probably best to start with one that has few ingredients and basic nutrients.
If you decide you want more from your supplement, then you can go on to find one that has several nutrients in it. This can be customized to your own specific needs.
Antioxidants: If you are eating poorly or not enough fruits and vegetables, then taking antioxidants is a good idea. These help fight disease and slow the aging process as well as protect from cancer risk.
Calcium: Most women need to add more calcium to their diet. It assists in bone health and can be found in dairy products like yogurt and milk as well as other sources like beans, broccoli, spinach, eggs and fortified juice. Or taken as a supplement of course.
Magnesium: You may have heard of magnesium but not known why you would use it. Magnesium helps with sleep problems by relaxing and calming your body. It also helps with ensuring the proper functioning of muscles and nerves.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, teeth, muscle function and blood pressure levels. It can be found in eggs or fish but if you don’t eat these on a regular basis then you should think about taking a supplement.
Benefits of Taking Supplements
Some people argue that taking a daily multivitamin doesn’t actually benefit the body in any significant way. However, the type of person that makes sure to take their vitamins every day is also likely to be the type of person that looks after their health in other ways, too, and is therefore likely to be healthier overall.
But the main benefits are as clear as day if you or your doctor have identified a specific nutrient that you are lacking, in which case taking the appropriate supplement can have incredibly beneficial effects on your overall health, fertility or the health of a baby.
How to Take Vitamins and Minerals
It isn’t recommended that you take vitamins and mineral supplements as a replacement for real foods. Take them only in addition to a healthy, balanced diet.
You also shouldn’t take most vitamins on an empty stomach – so get your day started with a nutritious breakfast first.
How to take other supplements
If you’ve decided to (or been advised by a doctor) to take a specific supplement, always follow the professional advice given, or follow the instructions on the label.
If you are pregnant, or have any health conditions that could be affected by taking supplements, talk with your doctor before beginning the process of adding them into your diet.
In conclusion
The benefits from some types of vitamin and mineral supplementation include better sleep quality, increased energy levels, reduced pain from arthritis, faster recovery time after surgery or injury, improved heart function and brain power. Vitamins A and D are essential for healthy skin while vitamins B6 and B12 play an important role in preventing mood disorders like depression.
Supplements such as Omega 3s can help reduce inflammation in joints which may lead to less joint aches when walking up stairs or using repetitive motions at work over long periods of time.
There are also supplements that can help control blood sugar levels in diabetics and support a healthy immune system with fewer colds and infections.
If you haven’t taken vitamins or supplements before, or it has been a while since you checked which ones might be good for your specific needs, talk to a doctor first.
