Vitamins are essential for both men and women for good health and well-being. However, the health requirements of women are different than men. Unlike men, women undergo menstruation, pass through a reproductive phase, and finally have menopause. These stages require careful attention in terms of food and vitamin supplementation. You should know about the essential vitamins for women, their food sources, and how they benefit your health and well-being.
The essential vitamins for women include vitamin A, D, E, K, B complex consisting of B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B12 (cobalamin), B9 (folate) and choline. Vitamins for women play a pivotal role in the regulation of various functions such as energy metabolism, immunity, detoxification, bone health, and care of vital organs.
The vitamins in the B complex group boost energy in women. These vitamins for women work in conjunction with each other to regulate bodily metabolism. They provide relief in stress and adrenal fatigue restoring the chemical reactions involved in the production of energy. Researchers have shown that the vitamins of the B complex group have a fundamental role in energy metabolism. Vitamin B1 helps the body metabolize fats and produce energy. Besides, vitamin B2 and B3 act as an antioxidant and scavenge the free radicals. Vitamin B5 ad B7 act as a cofactor of enzymes involved in metabolism.
The vitamins such as vitamin C, A, D, E enhance immunity in women. These vitamins protect your body from disease-causing pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites. They enhance your immune defense against external stressors. Researchers have indicated that the supplementation of vitamin C in a healthy population of all ages supports the cellular functions of white blood cells. It increases their ability to engulf the microbes which cause infections.
The vitamins such as vitamins E, A, D, C support the liver’s natural detoxification process. These vitamins for women act as antioxidants and fight free radicals generated by stress and adrenal fatigue. They protect you from oxidative stress and revitalize the bodily functions. Researchers have indicated that vitamin E is a strong antioxidant with radical scavenging action. It decreases oxidation of lipids (fats) in the body. As a result, it renders protection against conditions which are dependent on lipid oxidation such as the formation of plaques in arteries, and degenerative conditions of the nervous system.
Vitamin D is essential in helping the body to absorb and maintain the proper levels of calcium. Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the gut from the food you eat. Evidence has suggested that the optimal levels of serum calcium and phosphate are maintained which promotes normal mineralization of your bones. It is also needed for bone growth and bone remodeling by your bone-forming cells and bone-resorbing cells.
Vitamins for women involved in the care of vital organs include vitamin A, C, B complex. Vitamin A is beneficial for good eyesight and skin. As beta- carotene, vitamin A is known to prevent cellular damage, premature skin aging, and skin cancer. Vitamin C is vital for growth and repair in body tissues. Moreover, vitamin B7 is important for healthy skin, hair, nails, and cells. Vitamin B5 is also essential for hormone production, immune system health, and producing energy.
Vitamins for women during pregnancy and breastfeeding require special consideration. This includes additional supplementation with vitamin B6, B12, and folate. These vitamins prevent vitamin deficiencies that could harm a developing fetus. They reduce the risk of several birth defects, and can also prevent low birth weight in the newborn. Researchers have shown that folate is essential for neural tube development in infancy. Both folate and vitamin B 12 are involved in maintaining normal nervous system function at all ages due to their crucial roles in the associated amino acid metabolism. Further, Vitamin K is valuable in promoting blood clotting in general. Newborn babies are given vitamin K to prevent the risk of serious bleeding.
The aging process in women involves changes in the body during perimenopause and menopause. It depletes the body of essential vitamins for women. This can get coupled with stress and adrenal fatigue. Choline is a precursor of membrane phospholipids and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. These are involved in brain metabolism and memory processing at all ages. Besides, older women have lower levels of vitamin D due to the imbalance of hormones. Vitamin D maintains bone health and protects against cancer, heart conditions, joint problems, and other autoimmune diseases. Older adults may also have reduced levels of B complex vitamins, which regulate metabolic functions.
Vitamins for women boost energy levels and enhance the immune system. They increase the resistance of your body against stress. Stress can occur in the form of emotional distress involving anxiety and fear. The everyday hassle of life, exposure to infections, or injuries pose additional stress on your body. The vitamins for women act by lowering the effect of NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response. The NEM system is your body’s method of dealing with stress. There are six circuits of organs and systems involved in the NEM stress response that work in collaboration against stress. The main circuit that is suppressed by the action of vitamins for women is the hormone circuit. The hormone circuit is regulated by the adrenal glands, the reproductive system, and the thyroid. The main pathways for the hormone circuit to carry on its functions involve the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and the ovarian-adrenal-thyroid (OAT) axis.
Life these days places ever-increasing demands on women. This can manifest in the form of stress on the internal systems as mentioned above. When the stress is acute, your body responds by rapidly increasing the cortisol, the anti-stress hormone. This hormone is released from the adrenal glands. However, Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) sets in when stress becomes chronic. The adrenal glands at this stage are unable to release sufficient amounts of cortisol. The low levels of cortisol results in fatigue, low levels of glucose, low blood pressure, weak muscles, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Nevertheless, the vitamins for women help in regaining the vitality and strength for normal functions.
Since the three systems work near one another, what affects one also affects the other. At this stage of adrenal fatigue, your body starts shutting down systems to conserve energy. As a result, the thyroid is impacted by the slowing down of body systems. The production of thyroid hormones is decreased leading to further slowing of metabolism. The thyroid is the chief regulator of your body’s metabolic processes. Consequently, symptoms of low levels of thyroid hormone, thyroxine develop. These include coarse dry skin, weight gain, cold intolerance, and menstrual irregularities. Vitamins for women including vitamins of the B complex group aid the metabolic processes and restore your energy levels.
Further, the slowing of the body systems leads to the shutting down of the reproductive system due to adrenal fatigue. There occurs an imbalance of the ovarian hormones, estrogen, and progesterone. Your body desperately makes efforts to increase the production of cortisol by using the precursor of progesterone. The outcome is lowered progesterone levels while estrogen levels increase. This leads to menstrual irregularities and infertility. If you get pregnant despite adrenal fatigue, there are increased chances of abortion in the first trimester. Low levels of progesterone make a viable pregnancy difficult. You will possibly have an unpleasant time accompanied by fatigue during the rest of the pregnancy.
Also, excess estrogen increases your risk of breast cancer, breast cysts, polyps in the lining of uterus, fibroids, and intense premenstrual syndrome. Chronic stress adds to the natural aging process of women. As a part of the normal aging process, perimenopausal women from the mid-thirties to mid-forties suffer from this predominance of estrogen. After menopause, essentially all women suffer from this condition. Increased levels of estrogen also tend to lead to deficiencies in the B vitamins. So, vitamin B6 is essential in neutralizing estrogen in the liver.
However, estrogen deficiency can also be a sign of a dysfunctional hormone circuit. Mostly this condition comes with the natural process of losing estrogen as women age. The bigger issue that comes with estrogen deficiency is the loss of the neuroprotective function of estrogen. This raises the risk of stroke and of developing serious dementia such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Vitamins such as vitamin E and B12 are effective in addressing these conditions.
You can correct the dysfunctional body system by supplementation of vitamins for women. This involves properly fortifying your body with whole foods, healthy fats, nuts and seeds, beans, good-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals, that will facilitate your recovery from adrenal fatigue. You will also have to cut down on processed food, excessive sugar, alcohol, coffee, and other junk food. Some of the dietary sources for vitamins for women include:
Women who are strict vegans may require additional vitamin B12.
A good supplement choice for women to consider, Adrenal Daily Nutrient has a plethora of antioxidants provided from a blend of fruits and vegetables. It also provides great probiotic value. Amongst the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, we find the likes of vitamins A, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, D3, E, K1, as well as calcium, magnesium zinc, and phosphorus.
Furthermore, the papaya powder, pineapple powder, apple pectin powder, and lactobacillus acidophilus complex in this supplement helps with your digestive process. To take matters further, Adrenal Daily Nutrient boosts your immunity due to the presence of bilberry fruit extracts, grape seeds extracts, and green tree extracts. For some extra adrenal protection, the licorice extract, quercetin complex, carrot powder, and resveratrol help with adrenal gland function. And lastly, for some cleansing action, the supplement contains dandelion root extract, organic turmeric powder, ginger extract, and parsley leaf power.
Before you make changes to your diet, it is advisable to consult your health care coach.
To sum up, you can do some things to normalize your health in case you are bothered by fatigue and imbalance in reproductive health.
No matter what plan of action you decide to take, however, please seek advice from your healthcare practitioner. They will then assess your particular situation and advise which vitamins and supplements are right for you.
If you would like to get additional information about the vitamins for women, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1 (626) 571-1234 where we will privately discuss your symptoms and various options. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
Elevate Overall Health with Adrenal Daily Nutrient
The vitamins for women work by addressing adrenal fatigue, and the functions of the thyroid and ovaries. These vitamins normalize the energy levels of your body and enhance the immune system. They also act as antioxidants and give protection to your vital organs.
