While you may get all of the vitamins and minerals your body need from careful food selection and a nutrient-dense diet, research shows that many women still experience at least one type of nutrient deficiency, if not more.
It’s been reported that around 30 percent of all women are deficient in one or more of these vitamins and minerals, and for many women, the risk only increases with age.
So what are the most important and best vitamins for women to prevent deficiencies and the complications that come with them?
Vitamins for Women
The following are the absolute best vitamins for women.
Antioxidant Vitamins (Vitamins A, C, and E)
These are fat-soluble antioxidants that fight free radical damage, which is the underlying cause of aging and many diseases that affect the heart, eyes, skin and brain.
Vitamin C does not only improve immunity against colds, infections, and other illnesses, but it’s also important for protecting your vision and skin from damage caused by things like UV light and environmental pollution.
Consume plenty of foods that contain vitamin C. Vitamin A and E work in similar ways to protect healthy cells and halt cell mutations, among the many another vitamin A and vitamin E benefits.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D can be gotten from certain foods like eggs, some dairy products, and certain mushrooms, but we can get the overwhelming majority of our vitamin D from sun exposure.
Women are at high risks for vitamin D deficiencies since we spend a large majority of our time indoors these days or wear sunscreen diligently when outdoors.
Vitamin D is essential for bone/skeletal health, brain functions, preventing mood disorders and hormonal balance since it acts very similarly to a hormone once inside the body.
Your best bet to make sure you get enough of this vitamin is to spend 15–20 minutes on most days of the week without sunscreen on, which allows vitamin D to be synthesized when it comes into contact with your skin.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is important for building and maintaining strong bones, blood clotting, and preventing heart disease which is currently the No. 1 cause of death among women.
A lot of women fall short in this valuable nutrient, which is a shame considering studies have shown that individuals who increase their intake of dietary vitamin K have a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality.
You’re most likely to be low in vitamin K if you’ve been taking antibiotics for a long period, suffer from intestinal problems such as IBS or inflammatory bowel disease, or you take cholesterol-lowering medications.
There are two main types of vitamin K. The two types can be acquired from our diets.
Vitamin K1 is found in vegetables, while vitamin K2 is found in things like dairy products.
The best method of preventing vitamin K deficiency is to eat plenty of different veggies, including green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, fish, and eggs.
B Vitamins
B Vitamins including Folate
B vitamins, including vitamin B12 and folate, are essential for a woman’s metabolism, preventing fatigue and boosting cognitive functions.
These vitamins help with many cellular processes, growth and energy expenditure because they work with other vitamins like iron to make red blood cells and help turn the calories you eat into usable “fuel.”
Folate (which is called folic acid when it’s created synthetically) is critical for a healthy pregnancy, developing fetuses and preventing congenital disabilities since it helps build the baby’s brain and spinal cord. That’s being deficient in folate is extremely dangerous for pregnant women.
You can get enough of B vitamins from animal products like cage-free eggs, fish, meat, milk, and yogurt.
Older women, women with anemia, vegans and vegetarians should work with a healthcare provider to make sure they get enough B vitamins since they’re at the greatest risk for deficiency.
Foods especially high in folate include spinach and leafy greens, asparagus, citrus fruits, melon and beans.
