Everyone needs vitamins and minerals on a daily basis, but women have needs that make their requirements a bit different. In addition, women who are pregnant or nursing often need supplemental vitamins and minerals, according to MayoClinic.com. Even if you're not pregnant or nursing, it can be hard to meet all of your daily requirements from dietary sources. Always check with your doctor before taking any supplements, especially if you are pregnant or nursing.
Significance
According to registered dietitian Terri Brownlee, R.D., former director of nutrition at Duke University's Diet and Fitness Center in an interview with My Lifetime, women have different nutritional needs than men because women eat less but require more specific vitamins and minerals. This often makes it difficult to adequately meet the requirements for certain necessary nutrients, specifically calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamin E and potassium.
Calcium
Calcium is one of the most important minerals for women, yet most don't get enough from dietary sources. Calcium is necessary to build and maintain healthy bones and to fight osteoporosis. For young women, getting enough calcium can help to build bone density, while in older women, calcium can help to prevent hip fractures and other types of bone breakage. Calcium is present in dairy foods, almonds and spinach, among many others. Women have a daily calcium requirement of 1,000 mg to 1,2000 mg, according to My Lifetime.
Iron
Iron is a key mineral required by your body to produce red blood cells. A deficiency in iron can leave you feeling tired, lethargic or sluggish, and can result in the red-blood cell deficiency disease known as anemia, according to MayoClinic.com. Pregnant women require additional amounts of iron to support the development of blood and muscle cells in the fetus, according to MayoClinic.com. Dietary sources of iron include meat, fish, spinach and fortified foods. Women require between 10 mg and 30 mg of iron daily.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is one of the most important minerals for women, and especially pregnant or nursing women, according to MayoClinic.com. Folic acid is responsible for preventing spinal cord and brain abnormalities in the fetus. It also may help to reduce the risk of heart disease and colon cancer, according to My Lifetime. The average woman requires 400 mcg of folic acid daily, 600 mcg if you are pregnant and 500 mcg if you are breast-feeding, according to MyLifetime. Dietary sources include garbanzo and kidney beans and fortified foods.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin that may help to prevent certain types of cancer, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Women require 15 mg of vitamin E daily. Dietary sources include almonds, peanuts, broccoli, kiwis and spinach, among others.
Potassium
Potassium is responsible for maintaining normal blood pressure, according to My Lifetime. Women require 3,000 milligrams of potassium daily. Food sources of potassium include bananas, non-fat yogurt, spinach and tomatoes.
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