Discover the best vitamin and mineral supplements for women and those that are best avoided. Vitamins and minerals supplements do not make miracles. The golden rule is to improve your diet before you turn to supplements, whether for reasons of health or nutritional deficiency. It is also worthy of noting that the natural vitamins found in foods are better assimilated than supplements. Why? Because the pills often contain filler ingredients like magnesium citrate and cellulose that can impede the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Nevertheless, there is always a place for supplements.
Avoid multivitamins
Their capsules contain a very low dose of vitamins and minerals. For most women with health problems who need to take special supplements, small doses found in multivitamins will not help.
Take magnesium supplements
Female hormones depend on this mineral. Magnesium helps to produce progesterone, estrogen, and thyroid hormones, in addition, to prevent excess cortisol (the stress hormone) and help control blood sugar. If you have a magnesium deficiency, sleep may be the first affected. You can also experience muscle cramps, spasms, and anxiety. It is, however, essential to note that magnesium can cause a drop in blood pressure. So consult your doctor before using this supplement.
Your requirements: 200 to 300 mg per day
Avoid calcium supplements
Unless you do not consume foods containing calcium, you can avoid them. Most people absorb enough calcium in their diets, whether they take dairy products. Foods such as kale, broccoli, and canned salmon with bones are rich in calcium and simply integrate them into your menus to suit your needs.
Take omega-3 fatty acid supplements
Omega-3 are polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. They must be consumed as a supplement in our diet because our body does not produce Omega-3. Omega-3 not only helps us to maintain a healthy heart, but they help to reduce the risk of diabetes, depression, hyperactivity disorder, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, in some women, the omega-3 may even reduce the intensity of menstrual cramps.
Vitamin E: skin
Vitamin E is not only necessary for women, but it is very important for the skin. It is, among other benefits, vitamin “beauty.” It strengthens the lipid film that protects our skin against aggressions (UV rays, pollution, cigarette smoke) and also decreases the aging of cells. Some creams or beauty products contain vitamin E, but you can also find it in your diet:
Foods rich in vitamin E
- Oil plant and margarine
- Dry Fruits, oilseeds (peanuts)
- Germ wheat and other cereals
- Green vegetables
- Butter
- Liver
Vitamin D: Attention bones!
Vitamin D is a bit special because our skin can synthesize if exposed to sunlight. However, this source is not sufficient and even less today than yesterday. Our lifestyle increasingly turned inward and that we protect (rightly) more effectively against sunlight to reduce our risk of developing skin cancer that our body receives final quite a few UV rays. Vitamin D is very important for the binding of calcium to the bone. Women, very prone to osteoporosis, thus have a great need. Recently, a protective effect of vitamin D against cancer has also been demonstrated.
Vitamin B9: folic acid, for babies
Folic acid is an essential vitamin for the formation of cells in the body throughout life. However, during pregnancy, it is even more important because it is involved in the formation of the central nervous system of the baby. It is therefore advisable for pregnant women to take folic acid supplementation, and even because the nervous system is formed in the first few weeks of pregnancy, starting as soon as the design is programmed. Please note, this advice is not only valid for women; A recent study showed that fathers also benefit from increasing their consumption of folic acid.
Foods rich in vitamin B9
- Liver
- Milk
- Cheese
- Green vegetables
