Approaching the middle years of life is a time where the body goes through many changes, especially for women approaching 40. Having perimenopause and menopause right around the corner and the body naturally demanding more of certain vitamins, means you will have to increase certain vitamins within your meals or take supplements to remain healthy and active.
Folate
A woman between the ages of 40 and 50 is recommended to intake 200 mcg of folate, or vitamin B9, twice a day. Folate is used in the body to lower the risk of heart disease and colon cancer. Folate also reduces the risk of breast cancer in women who drink alcohol as stated by the Harvard Medical School. The reason this vitamin is so important for women aged 40 is because the risk of heart disease increases as a woman ages and as she enters menopause.
Niacin
As a woman ages, the skin and hair becomes dry; niacin is essential for the maintenance of healthy skin, hair and blood as stated by the Harvard Medical School. Niacin also works to lower low-density cholesterol "bad cholesterol," which may increase with age. In addition niacin also increases high-density cholesterol "good cholesterol." A woman between the ages of 40 and 50 should take at least 15 mg of niacin twice a day, unless she is on a statin medication.
Calcium
As a woman enters perimenopause, which according to MayoClinic may occur in the 30s or 40s, her demand for calcium will increase. This is due to hormonal irregularities, which may lead to a calcium deficiency in the body. Over time, this deficiency may cause a woman to develop osteoporosis, or brittle bones. MedlinePlus recommends taking vitamin D along with calcium to prevent this disease from occurring. The recommended dosage is 1,000 mg calcium and 5 mcg vitamin D.
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