Vitamin Supplements for Women
Zinc speeds healing, boosts immunity, prevents pregnancy complications, and helps maintain strong bones and normal taste and smell. Limit intake to less than 40 mg per day. Pregnant women should take 8 mg daily, breastfeeding mothers should take 11 mg, and all others should take 12 mg. Look for zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate, zinc oxide, or zinc sulfate. Food sources containing zinc inlude: oysters, extralean red meat, turkey, nuts, cooked dried beans and pears, wheat germ, and whole grains.
Selenium is an antioxidant which may lower your risk of heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain forms of cancer. 70 mcg is recommended unless you’re pregnant (55mcg) or nursing (70mcg). Be careful to limit your intake to under 400 mcg. This can be toxic. Selenomethionine and selenium-rich yeast contain this supplement as do whole grains, nuts, seafood, and lean meat.
Omega-3 fats lower your risk of heart disease, memory loss, bone loss, and osteoporosis, as well as reduce your symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3 fats may also be a mood booster but must be taken separately, and not in a multivitamin. If you have high triglycerides, you should get 2-4 g only under the direction of your physician. Fish-oil supplements are a great way to get your daily dose as are fish, walnuts, and flaxseed.
Magnesium aids in muscle contraction, nerve transmission, blood pressure regulation, immune function, and bone formation. This supplement may also lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes. It helps control hypertension, headaches, and preeclampsia during pregnancy. Recommended dosage is 400 mg daily. Get your dose from low-fat milk, peanuts, avocados, bananas, wheat germ, whole grains, cooked dried beans and peas, leafy greens, and oysters.
Iron prevents fatigue, improves exercise performance, strengthens immunity, and maintains alertness and memory. Take no more than 18 mg if you are between the ages of 19-50. Pregnant women need 27 mg and menopausal women need 8 mg.
Load up on extralean red meat, fish, poultry, cooked dried beans and peas, dried apricots, leafy greens, raisins, whole grains and fortified cereal.
Copper is good for nerve transmission, red blood cell formation, maintenance of strong bones, and brain, heart, and immune function. IT also regulates blood sugar and protects against birth defects. 2 mg is all you need to fulfill your daily requirement. Copper can be found in shellfish, organ meats, grains, nuts, seeds, soybeans, and leafy greens.
Chromium regulates blood sugar and may help lower blood sugar levels in those who are insulin resistant. 25 mcg is the limit for women aged 19-50 and 20 mcg for those over 50. Chromium can be found in whole grains, wheat germ, orange juice, chicken, and oysters.
Everyone knows how important Calcium is to help reduce the risk of osteoporosis but did you know it helps to lower the risk of high blood pressure and possibly colon cancer? Calcium is also good for blood clotting, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission. It may also reduce symptoms of PMS and help weight loss. Ages 19-50 should take 1000 mg. Those over 50 need 1200 mg. Low-fat milk products, juice and soy milk (fortified only), sardines, tofu, leafy greens, and dried beans and peas are all great sources.
Vitamin C is great for maintaining tissue, promoting healing, and boosting immunity. It may also reduce your risk of cancer, sun damage, heart disease, cataracts, and tissue damage from secondhand smoke. Citrus fruit, brussel sprouts, peppers, and leafy greens are where to find this supplement.
Vitamin B12 helps prevent heart disease, memory loss, anemia, and depression, and has also been shown to maintain nerve and brain function. Get your 2.8 mgs in extralean red meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs, milk, and soy milk.
Vitamin B6 helps produce hormones and brain chemicals, strengthens immunity, and might lower risk of memory loss, heart disease, depression, and morning sickness during pregnancy. 2mg is all that is recommended and can be easily found in chicken, fish, extralean red meat, avocados, potatoes, bananas, whole grains, cooked dried beans, nuts, and seeds.
Folic acid supports normal cell growth and prevents anemia and birth defects. It may also reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, preterm delivery, memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and cancer. Pregnant women are encouraged to take 600 mcg. Leafy greens, orange juice, wheat germ, cooked dried beans, and fortified grains are all healthy ways to get your daily dose.
Vitamin K aids in blood clotting, bone boosting, and may also curb your risk of heart disease. Get your 90 mcg dose in some leafy greens.
Vitamin E is great for counteracting DNA damage that ages cells, and may help prevent heart disease, cancer, memory loss, and cataracts. 30 IU are recommended and can be found in wheat germ, safflower oil, most nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts) and spinach.
Vitamin D strengthens bones and helps prevent osteoporosis. It may lower your risk of colon cancer, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as protect vision and curb PMS symptoms. Get yours from milk, juice, soy milk and cereals (fortified only), salmon, sardines, and egg yolks. Yummy!
Vitamin A boosts immunity, maintains healthy tissue, protects vision and aids in bone and tooth formation. Up to 5000 IU are okay and can be found in fortified milk, liver, egg yolks.
Keep healthy!
