Why Vitamin Supplements Are Essential to Women’s Health

Not getting the appropriate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals is a common problem for women and can lead to serious health issues. It is common for a woman to not eat enough food throughout the day, either from dieting or simply being too busy to eat properly. In particular, they fail to get enough fruits and vegetables in their diet. Fruits and veggies are sources for most of the essential nutrients a body needs. Here are the most important vitamins a woman should add to her daily routine:

• Folate - This B vitamin is essential particularly for women who are either trying to get pregnant or want to in the future. This is because folate is essential for central nervous system development. A woman who is deficient in folate runs the risk of having a baby with serious birth defects.
• Vitamin D - This vitamin is essential to optimal absorption of calcium into the bones. This is very important for women because they run a much higher risk of developing osteoporosis than men.
• Vitamin A - Beta-carotene is turned into Vitamin A when it is taken into the body. This vitamin is essential for building bones and strengthening the skin and soft tissues of the body. It is also an antioxidant, which means it fends off free radicals and prevents them from damaging delicate tissues.
• Vitamin C - This vitamin is essential to improved focus because it stimulates the production of norepinephrine, which acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Vitamin C is also important to the production of red blood cells and repairing tissue damage.
• Vitamin E - this is another antioxidant that helps slow the signs of aging, which all women would love to do. It does this by making sure cells are healthy and that there are plenty of red blood cells to move oxygen through the body.
• B Vitamins - There are many B vitamins and they are all quite essential to a woman’s development. B6 and B12 are responsible for red blood cell production, metabolism and brain function. A B complex vitamin ensures that a woman gets the necessary dose essential for focus, energy and overall good health.
• Iron - this is not a vitamin, but it is an essential nutrient for women. Because of the loss of blood during the menstrual cycle, anemia as a result of iron deficiency is a strong possibility, especially for women with a heavy menstrual flow.

It is important for you to discuss your diet with Dr. Yessenow to determine if you are getting the nutrients they need for optimal health. Blood tests can determine if they are deficient in specific vitamins and nutrients. Carefully follow the dosing instructions for any vitamin supplements because it is also possible to overdose, which can lead to serious complications. Overdosing is particularly dangerous with fat-soluble vitamins because they stay in the system longer than the water-soluble B vitamins.

Another factor all women should consider are the prescription medications they are taking. Some medications can inhibit the absorption of essential vitamins negated their beneficial properties. So, discuss these medications with Dr. Yessenow and find out how to get the nutrients needed.

Dr. Yessenow says it is best to get these important vitamins through food sources, although sometimes it just isn’t possible. If this happens, women should add vitamin supplements to their daily diet plan to make sure they are getting what they need.