Important VITAMINS Every Woman Should Take

As you age, it is important to know that your daily nutritional needs change. For women who are of childbearing age, you need an adequate intake of folic acid to prevent birth defects.

If you've gone through menopause, you may need to increase your intake of calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong. A vitamin deficiency can lead to serious health problems.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT VITAMINS ARE?

Vitamins are essential chemicals that take part in all your body's processes. They do that by participating in reactions inside cells. Each vitamin performs specific functions in the body, and no single food contains all the vitamins you need. Except for vitamin D, the human body cannot make vitamins.

So you need to get vitamins from the foods you eat or from vitamin supplements.

The need for certain vitamins varies with age. Many women know that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables each day is a good way to help get their essential vitamins.

How much you need depends on many factors including your age and activity level. Most women, though, don't eat the quantity of fruits and vegetables that are recommended.

As a result, many women in every age group are at risk of vitamin deficiencies.

WHAT ARE MULTIVITAMINS?

A multivitamin is a preparation intended to be a dietary supplement with vitamins, dietary minerals, and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids, and injectable formulations. Multivitamins fulfill your nutritional needs for the day.

Let's look at some essential vitamins for women. Let’s explore what each vitamin does to boost your health and which whole foods are good sources of this vitamin.

It's important to examine how much you need to prevent disease, as well as which vitamins are more important depending on your specific life stage.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A aids in the building and strengthening of bones, soft tissue, skin, and mucous membranes. It is also critical for healthy vision and skin

Food sources of Vitamin A include: Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Dark leaf Vegetables(spinach, Brocoli), cantaloupe, carrots, guava, kale, paw-paw, peach, pumpkin, red peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon.

Vitamin B

Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid are very important to a woman's health. These B vitamins are essential to brain function, red blood cell formation, and building DNA.

Pregnant women taking the B vitamin and folic acid can significantly lower the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Poor eating habits, alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, and oral contraceptives have all been linked to low blood levels of folic acid. Except among alcoholics or other severely malnourished people, B vitamin deficiency is rare.

When it does occur, Vitamin B deficiency can cause irritability, depression, confusion.

Vitamin B6 - is also known as pyridoxine. It's important for metabolism and also for brain function. Vitamin B6 deficiency can result in a form of anemia.

Although some older adults have low levels of vitamin B6, true deficiency is rarely seen. Vitamin B6 is one of the few water-soluble vitamins that can be toxic if taken in large doses.

So, eating healthy foods with vitamin B6 is usually the best way to get it.

Food sources of vitamin B6 include fish, potatoes, chickpeas, avocado, banana, beans, cereal, meats, oatmeal, poultry.

Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism, normal cell division, and protein synthesis.

Anemia is one of the most common consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency. Vegetarians of all ages are at risk of deficiency and may benefit from a daily vitamin B12 supplement.

Vitamin B12 levels can be measured by a blood test. Your doctor can advise you if a blood test or supplement is needed. Some people, particularly the elderly, those with low stomach acid, or those with certain intestinal problems, may have difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 in its natural form because of changes in the stomach.

They may need supplements or injections to be sure that they are getting enough B12.

Food sources of vitamin B12 include cheese, eggs, fish, meat, milk, and yogurt.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C a.k.a Ascorbic acid, aids in wound healing and plays a role in the formation of red blood cells.

Vitamin C also boosts levels of the brain chemical noradrenaline. Noradrenaline is a neurotransmitter. It boosts alertness and increases concentration. Studies show that when the body is under great stress, or during the aging process, levels of ascorbic acid decline.

Food sources of vitamin C include broccoli, grapefruit and grapefruit juice, kiwi, oranges, pepper, potato, strawberries, and tomatoes.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps to activate calcium and phosphorus -- important minerals for keeping bones strong -- into the bloodstream.

A deficiency in Vitamin D causes the body to turn to the bones for replenishing calcium and phosphorus. This can thin your bones and contribute to osteoporosis(prone to bone breakage).

Food sources of vitamin D include fish, Milk, cheese and sunshine. It is important to limit your exposure to the sun in order to prevent sun burns.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E - also known as tocopherol, plays a key role in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of cell membranes. Vitamin E may slow age-related changes. Adults with intestinal disorders of mal-absorption may be deficient in vitamin E. But taking too much vitamin E daily increases the risk of bleeding.

Food sources of vitamin E include margarine, corn oil, cod-liver oil, hazelnuts, peanut butter, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ.

Omega 3’s

To keep your brain, heart and eyes healthy, take Omega 3’s every day. For women, the daily dose of Omega 3s is 1000 mg; for men, the dosage is 600 mg.

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