Women and teenagers have different daily vitamin and mineral requirements depending on age and health.
Women have specific nutrient needs that change throughout their life span. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers require more of certain nutrients than nonpregnant women do. Furthermore, the dietary requirements may vary from person to person depending on factors like their health and way of life. Some women may need to take dietary supplements in order to get the daily value of vitamins and minerals.
Nutrient requirements shift as a woman ages. A woman's risk of deficiency increases during pregnancy and under certain other conditions, such as heavy smoking or drinking or a preexisting medical condition. For this reason, women may need to supplement with one or more nutrients in order to reach the recommended intake levels.
The following are the 6 vitamins and Minerals every woman must take care of for a healthy active life.
Iron
Iron keeps blood healthy and oxygenated. It helps make healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin. Hemoglobin in red blood cells distributes oxygen from our lungs to our bodies. It transports blood oxygen to tissues and organs and returns carbon dioxide to the lungs. This oxygenates the muscles and brain, boosting energy and performance. Iron boosts immunity, cognition, and fatigue. It helps the body grow and develop.
Iron deficiency causes anemia. Iron deficiency reduces red blood cell production, causing fatigue and poor health.
Daily iron supplementation has been shown to reduce the prevalence of anemia and low iron status in menstruating individuals.
Iron may help manage unexplained fatigue, even in someone who isn’t anemic but has a low ferritin level (an indicator of iron stores). This is especially common in women during their reproductive years. Daily iron supplementation may reduce fatigue in menstruating women
Athletes who participate in endurance training, such as marathon running or endurance cycling events, may lose more iron. Furthermore, being female or vegetarian can increase an athlete's risk of iron deficiency and anaemia. Athletes should ensure that their diet contains adequate iron to support peak performance.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a nutrient that our body requires but cannot produce. Vitamin B12 performs numerous functions in our body. It helps our nerve cells function normally and is required for red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis. Vitamin B12 can help your body in a variety of ways, including increasing energy, improving memory, and preventing heart disease.
Appropriate vitamin B12 levels are key to a healthy pregnancy. They’re important for the prevention of brain and spinal cord birth defects.
Vitamin B12 may play a vital role in our bone health. Low blood levels of this vitamin have been associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and decreased bone density.
Vitamin B12 is needed for the production of serotonin, a chemical responsible for regulating mood. Vitamin B12 supplements may help improve mood in people with an existing deficiency.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential. Our bodies cannot produce it on their own. Because the vitamin is fat-soluble, we must consume enough fat in our diet to maximise absorption. Vitamin D can be obtained through the diet from salmon and fortified milk, but it is much more abundant and bioavailable when obtained from 15 minutes of direct sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency is more common in those who do not live in sunny climates, and supplementation becomes necessary.
One of the many advantages of vitamin D for women is that it helps with stress relief. Inflammation and high levels of free radicals in the body cause an inflammatory response, resulting in increased cortisol production and stress. Vitamin D protects against these factors by being anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. This vitamin also contains neurotrophic factors, which are small proteins that help the brain function by regulating neurons.
Aside from stress relief, another advantage of vitamin D for women is anxiety regulation. Because vitamin D can help with stress reduction, it can also help with anxiety because the two are closely related.
One of vitamin D's benefits for women is that it can improve fertility and egg quality. Women should take the recommended 4000 IU of vitamin D daily during the preconception stage of pregnancy. Vitamin D can aid in the development of ovarian follicles, which hold the egg during ovulation.
Vitamin D, when combined with evening primrose rose oil, can help to regulate the menstrual cycle and promote ovulation. Because vitamin D aids fertility.
One of the benefits of vitamin D for women is that it can improve hair health and can reduce hair loss. It also reduces PMS, Depression and Acne.
Biotin
Biotin can regulate your blood sugar, promote healthy hair, skin, and nails, and help pregnant moms have healthier babies.
Magnesium
Magnesium is important for overall health and wellness, with a key role in everything from physical performance to cardiovascular health and cognitive function. Bone development, maturation, and maintenance all rely on adequate magnesium intake. Magnesium plays an important role in how your nervous system and muscles work. Magnesium works to reduce acidity in the stomach and stimulates bowel movement.
Calcium
Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is essential for the development and maintenance of bones and teeth. Calcium allows muscles to contract, including the heart, which is the body's most important muscle. It is also necessary for normal blood clotting, nerve impulse transmission, and connective tissue support.
