As medicine advances, a woman is able to enhance her appearance with sophisticated cosmetic products and procedures. While these steps might help her maintain her attractive appearance, her body still needs additional attention. Additional vitamins and minerals are important for an aging woman, as her body's needs continue to grow and change, particularly after age 40.
Calcium
A woman in her 40s and beyond needs more calcium that she did in her younger years, as her body's ability to absorb minerals decreases. Drinking lots of milk and eating lots of dairy help, but are sometimes not enough. Additionally, consuming so much calcium might be hard for women who aren't fond of dairy or have trouble digesting it due to lactose intolerance or other conditions. For these women, calcium supplements can be helpful. The National Institutes of Health says women should consume around 1,000 mg daily before age 50. Women age 51 and older need approximately 1,200 mg daily to keep bones strong and to counteract natural bone loss that occurs with age.
Vitamin D
Just as an aging woman requires more calcium, her need for vitamin D also increases, as the supplements work together to nourish her bones. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and helps to maintain serum calcium and phosphate concentrations, which keep blood calcium levels normal and protect against bone loss. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease. Women age 40 and older need 600 IU of vitamin D daily, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Antioxidant Vitamins
Women older than 40 might benefit both cosmetically and physically from antioxidant vitamins. These vitamins work to reduce oxidative stress caused by environmental toxins and organic molecules that break down healthy cells in the body. Also known as free radicals, these destructive molecules damage healthy tissues, promote disease and illness and contribute to aging. Examples of commonly used antioxidant supplements include vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and selenium. Talk to your doctor about the right dose for you.
Multivitamins
To get the benefit of all the major vitamins and minerals that are essential to the health of a woman over age 40, some women use a multivitamin. A single pill often helps to fill in nutritional gaps, particularly for those who have trouble eating a variety of foods for health. On the other hand, women who eat lots of fortified foods may be getting too much of certain nutrients, such as vitamin A. An excess of A is associated with numerous health complications, including liver problems and long-term bone damage that can result in hip fractures later in life. So, while a multivitamin may seem like a one-pill wonder, it might also present dangers for some women.Talk you your doctor to determine whether a multivitamin is the right option for you.
References
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Antioxidant Supplements for Health: An Introduction; March 2011
- "Womens Health"; Get the Best Multivitamins; Richard Laliberte; December 2009
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