Menopause is a natural stage of a woman's life, but it may be accompanied by symptoms that can make you uncomfortable and chronic conditions that may threaten your well-being. MayoClinic.com notes that you may suffer from vaginal dryness, hot flashes, osteoporosis, urinary incontinence or cardiovascular disease around the time of menopause. The North American Menopause Society explains estrogen levels decrease around menopause; this decrease may result in thinner skin. Fortunately, a number of vitamins can help prevent or reverse these effects of menopause.
Cardiovascular Health
In "The Natural Menopause Handbook," Amanda McQuade Crawford recommends boosting your consumption of vitamin E as a way to promote heart health. Getting plenty of vitamins B6, B9 and B12 will bring down high levels of homocysteine, a substance associated with heart disease; and niacin, also known as vitamin B3, can bring reduce your cholesterol and your blood pressure.
Hot Flashes
Vitamin E works to control hot flashes for some women. Dr. Julia Schlam Edelman, author of "Menopause Matters," advises that it's safe to try taking a daily dose of 400 IU of vitamin E unless you have issues with bleeding or are on medication that thins your blood. Vitamin C can improve your absorption of vitamin E, and vitamin C with bioflavonoids decreases hot flashes. Edelman notes that vitamin B6 may also help with hot flashes but cautions her readers not to take more than 50 mg per day.
Bone Health
Homocysteine is also associated with higher levels of osteoporosis, so be sure to get enough B6, B9 and B12 for the health of your bones. Physician and author Judith Boice recommends taking 50 to 100 mg of B6, 400 to 800 mcg of B9, and 3 to 15 mcg of B12 each day. Vitamin D and vitamin C are both necessary to build new bone cells and keep your bones strong. Vitamin K is also important; inadequate levels of vitamin K have been linked with poor bone density in women. The use of vitamin K supplements has been associated with a strengthening of bones in women after menopause. Vitamin A is also valuable in that it helps your body make use of calcium, but too much vitamin A can actually increase your risk of osteoporosis. According to Dr. Robert A. Schulman and Carolyn Dean, authors of "Solve it With Supplements," the recommended daily for older females is 2,330 IU of vitamin A each day.
Skin
Consuming vitamin E through food or supplements will help to keep your skin in good condition. Vitamin C makes your skin more resilient and promotes skin health. Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, and vitamin B3, also known as niacin, also help to keep your skin in good shape.
Vaginal Atrophy
Vitamin E can help combat vaginal dryness both when used topically and when taken orally. Oral vitamin E can also reverse vaginal thinning; Crawford suggests taking 500 IU of vitamin E each day. Vitamin C can help address both stress incontinence and vaginal dryness.
References
- "The All-Natural Menopause Diet"; Theresa Cheung and Dr. Adam Balen; 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Menopause
- "Menopause Matters"; Julia Schlam Edelman, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.; 2010
- The North American Menopause Society: NAMS Expert Advice---Menopause Information at Your Fingertips
- "Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause"; The Boston Women's Health Collective; 2006
