5 Supplements Most Women Should Be Taking

With recent studies suggesting most women aren’t feeling one hundred percent a lot of the time and most women complain about tiredness and stress, we looked at ways you can feel better simply by adding a supplement to your daily routine. Of course, nothing can replace a balanced diet, exercise and sunlight but in today’s busy and time limited lifestyle, it isn’t always practical to obtain all of the vitamins and minerals we need for a healthy body and mind.

So what vitamins do women need?

1. Vitamin D

Even though Australia is known for its sun and surf, we actually have one of the highest rates of vitamin D deficiencies in the world. Working and living indoors has contributed greatly to this, as well as some diseases such as Hyperthyroidism, where the disease hampers the absorption of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and increases bone density and is needed throughout life to help maintain healthy bone structure, muscles and overall health.

Low vitamin D has also been linked to an increased risk of:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Osteoporosis
• Diabetes (type1 and type 2)
• Various types of cancers (particularly colon cancer)
• Heart disease
• Mental health conditions (including schizophrenia)
• Worse outcomes in stroke
• Altered immunity and other autoimmune diseases.

2. Magnesium

Prolonged stress, insufficient dietary intake, and the use of some medicines can contribute to magnesium deficiency. Low magnesium can cause muscle twitching, cramps and achiness. It has also been linked to hormonal issues causing painful periods and PMS.

Taking magnesium supplements can help with:

• Muscle aches and pains
• Cramping
• Bone formation and strength
• Anxiety, stress and sleep
• Cardiovascular health
• Healthy blood pressure
• Prementrual weight gain, bloating, tenderness and mood changes.

3. Omega oils

Not only does your body need these fatty acids to function, but also they deliver some big health benefits including preventing heart disease, cholesterol and possibly stroke. New studies are identifying potential benefits for a wide range of conditions including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Omega oils also benefit the brain and memory function, eye health, joint health, arthritis and skin problems.

4. Iron

Iron is an important dietary mineral that is involved in various bodily functions, including the transport of oxygen in the blood. This is essential in providing energy for daily life. Iron deficiency results in depleting the iron stores within your body. This can lead to fatigue, tiredness and decreased immunity. Iron deficiency is incredibly high in women and it is best to seek a medical opinion if symptoms persist.

5. Calcium

One in three women will develop Osteoporosis as they age, that is a scary statistic isn’t it? But it can be quite easy to prevent. Calcium intake and regular exercise from doing something as easy as walking every day can prevent Osteoporosis. With eating programs and diets now limiting the consumption of dairy foods, it is worrying how this will affect women in the long term as replacement products such as almond and soy milk have very little calcium value in them. Even though almonds are a good source of protein, almond milk is not. Almond  and soy milk is also not a good source of calcium. Too much soy may be a problem for those with thyroid disease or other conditions. A 2008 Harvard study showed that higher intakes of soy-based foods caused fertility problems and lower sperm counts and increases the risk of breast cancer in women.