Vitamins and minerals play a vital role in maintaining the health of the body. However, in order to get a daily portion of essential vitamins, a woman would have to eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables. Vitamins do not work under a "one size fits all" label for women. A woman's nutritional needs can be very specific depending on their life-style, medical history and age
Daily Multi-Vitamin
Multi-vitamins are should be a top priority for women of any age. They provide the vitamins and minerals that women need for good health but typically do not get enough of in their diets. These multi-vitamins include supplements that protect against heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis, which women run a risk of developing.
Hormonal Fluctuations
Hormones oftentimes have a serious effect on a woman's physiology and mood every month. Studies have shown that during her child-bearing years, a woman needs nutritional supplements to balance the effects of menstruation. Calcium and Vitamin D are particularly useful. In a case-controlled study with the Prospective Nurses Healthy Study II, results suggested that a calcium supplementation significantly reduced the emotional and even physical symptoms of PMS. A higher intake of Vitamin D (which is essential for the absorption of calcium) cut the risk of PMS symptoms nearly in half.
Pregnant Women
Women who are pregnant or breast feeding have a need for higher levels of Folic Acid, which has been proven to decrease the risk of birth defects. Iron is also a recommended supplement since pregnant women have a tendency to become anemic. Women who are breast feeding generally require a zinc supplement as well, up to 5 mgs.
Menopause and Post-Menopause
The side effects of menopause may sometimes be treated with nutritional supplements. According to researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago, the NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research noted that the supplement Black Cohosh is effective in treating the effects of menopause such as hot flashes, sweating, anxiety and insomnia. Older, post-menopausal women also require more calcium to help ward off the development of osteoporosis.
Needs for Differing Lifestyles
Women who are vegans or vegetarians require extra B12 supplements along with iron and Vitamin A since many of these nutrients come from animals. Active women who exercise several times a day require more iron since iron is necessary in helping hemoglobin deliver oxygen to the body in greater volumes.
Considerations
It's important to understand what a suggested amount for a vitamin is and what that ultimately means. The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) and AI (Adequate Intake) are the amounts of a vitamin that are needed to keep the body healthy by avoiding nutritional deficiencies. The UL or Tolerable Upper Intake Levels are the maximum amount of daily vitamins that an individual can safely take without running the risk of an overdose or serious side effect. These amounts are typically not found on food or supplement labels, but can be found on government Websites. The Food and Drug Administration uses a different measurement, the DV or Daily Value, which is commonly found on food and supplement labels. This number represents the amount of a vitamin that an individual should have for a healthy, 2000 calorie-a-day diet. Understand these measurements before adding supplements to your diet.
Warnings
Taking too many supplements can be easy to do. Be careful not to take excessive amounts of zinc, copper and fatty acids. These vitamins can block the effects of other supplements and can occasionally interfere with the effectiveness of prescription medications. While an overdose of a nutritional supplement is rare, it does occasionally occur. Some supplements are riskier to take than others and there is a higher potential of overdose with these vitamins. Always keep in mind the UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Levels) of each supplement you take to prevent an overdose. Most importantly, try to get most of your vitamins and minerals from your diet, and always check with your doctor before beginning a supplemental regimen. It's important to remember that nutritional supplements are not a cure-all for whatever ails you. They are not medications, nor are they designed to act as a replacement for a healthy lifestyle.
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