6 Essential Supplements for Women
A supplement is a health product one takes to get adequate amounts of daily essential nutrients! While we should be getting our daily nutrients from our diet, it's well-known that the nutritional value of food is decreasing (due to depleted soil, GMOs, etc.). Supplements can be taken daily in order to make sure that your body is getting everything it needs, or higher dosage supplements may be taken if a person is malnourished, pregnant, sickly or suffering from a deficiency (anaemia, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue etc.).
Selecting a high-quality supplement that is appropriate for your individual nutritional needs is key. For example, a female's body performs differently than a males. Therefore, it makes sense that women require different amounts of certain essential nutrients. Menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause all take a toll on the female body and can sometimes lead to certain deficiencies, so it's important for women to know which supplements their bodies need!
Here are the 6 most important supplements every woman needs to know about.
1. Calcium: The Bone Builder
Women are four times more susceptible to osteoporosis, a bone disease that causes a loss of bone density, than men. Women tend to have smaller, thinner bones than men, and, when oestrogen decreases when women reach menopause, it can cause bone loss. Because calcium plays a role in bone health (as well as heart, blood and muscle health), it's essential for women to ensure they take in sufficient calcium for lifelong bone health.
It's recommended that women start taking calcium supplements when they are teenagers, because as much as 90% of adult bone mass is achieved by the age of 18 years, and peak bone mass occurs in the late 20s. Women then start losing bone mass in their 30s, with accelerated bone loss occurring when they reach menopause.
2. Omegas: Essential Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats which are essential to health. Omega 3 and 6 are found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and plant based oils, while Omega 9 can be manufactured by the body provided that the diet is well-balanced. The omegas are referred to as 'essential', because they are crucial to the health of so many body systems, including cardiovascular, hormonal, brain, joints and nervous system. Essential fatty acids also promote beautiful skin and aid in hormone balance for both men and women.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also encouraged to take essential fatty acids to enhance brain development of their baby. Women who are overweight and struggle with joint tenderness will hugely benefit from an essential fatty acid supplement.
3. Coenzyme Q10: Age Gracefully
Co-Q10 is a co-enzyme that protects the heart and skeletal muscles and is also an anti-oxidant essential to heart health and ageing. A quality Co-Q10 supplement is recommended for those at risk for heart disease and cholesterol, those who have or are susceptible to diabetes, and those who have or are susceptible to cancer.
5. Iron: Healthy Blood
Iron helps to maintain healthy blood haemoglobin levels. Women lose iron throughout their lives from menstruation, pregnancies and nursing, and often have low levels in total body iron stores. Women, from the time they start menstruating, benefit from iron supplements to help prevent low energy, brain fog, thinning hair and brittle nails that all result from lack of iron.
6. Vitamin B Complex
Vitamins like B6 and B12 help the body to convert food into fuel for energy. They also contribute to healthy skin, hair, and eyes. Plus, they maintain proper nervous system functioning, metabolism, muscle tone, and a sharp mind. Lack of Vitamin B causes anaemia, fatigue, slow metabolism, depression, hair loss, birth defects, poor development in children, and much more.
To make sure that women get all the Vitamin B their body needs, supplement with a Vitamin B Complex supplement, which contains all the important B-Complex Vitamins. In women, B Vitamins are especially important for women who are pregnant and breastfeeding.
Want to take an all-in-one multivitamin and mineral supplement? While supplementation with individual supplements is recommended for peak health and to address deficiencies, an all-round good vitamin and mineral supplement may be just what doctor nature ordered to maintain daily health!
If you have any health-related questions, please contact us or leave a comment below for FREE advice. We always love hearing from you!
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