Ideally, women would get all of their nutritional needs from the food and drink they consume every day, but that’s not always possible, says Parsak. For example, if a woman’s needs increase because she ramps up her fitness regimen, catches a virus, endures long periods of stress, or gets sick, she says she might not get enough nutrients from the food she eats. In that case, supplements might help.
Here are 9 top supplements to support women’s health.
Beta carotene
Beta-carotene is a carotenoid (a type of antioxidant) that’s found in many red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables, like sweet potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers, says Dr. Frick. In the body, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A, which is important for heart and lung function, healthy skin and vision, and a strong immune system, she explains. For women, vitamin A is essential during pregnancy to support fetal development, she adds.
“Excessive beta-carotene gives you a harmless orange-yellow skin color, but excessive vitamin A can cause toxicity,” says Dr. Frick. “Furthermore, taking too much vitamin A during pregnancy can cause birth defects.” Still, pregnant adult women need more vitamin A than usual: 770 micrograms of retinol activity equivalents, compared with 700 micrograms for non-pregnant women ages 19 to 50.
Lutein
Lutein is a carotenoid that’s especially important for eye health, according to Dr. Flick. “Its most direct function is to protect the area at the back of your eye called the macula. The whole back of your eye is the retina, and the macula is in the middle of the retina,” she explains. According to Dr. Flick, lutein helps us see what’s in front of us, enables us to see fine detail, and plays a key role in color vision.
Lutein protects your eyes from damage caused by the sun’s rays and blue light from your screens, says Dr Frick, and it also helps prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (an eye disease that’s more common in women than men). Plus, as an antioxidant, lutein may protect your brain health and help prevent memory loss and dementia, adds Dr Parsak.
There’s no recommended daily intake of lutein, but a typical dosage is 5 to 10 milligrams per day, Parsak says.
Vitamin B
B vitamins help convert food into energy and support the production of healthy red blood cells. They are found in animal proteins, leafy vegetables, legumes, fortified breads and breakfast cereals. Deficiency of vitamins B12 or B6 can cause a serious condition called anemia, in which the body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells.
Vitamins B6, B12 and B9 (folate) are especially important for women, says Dr. Frick.
- Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 is important for fetal development during pregnancy. Vegetarians and people over 50 years of age whose bodies have difficulty absorbing nutrients may benefit from supplementing with vitamin B12. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms for women, 2.6 micrograms for pregnant women, and 2.8 micrograms for breastfeeding women. Certain medications, such as metformin and proton pump inhibitors, can also cause vitamin B12 deficiency.
- Vitamin B6 May help relieve premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and morning sickness during pregnancy. For morning sickness, 10-25 milligrams taken 3-4 times daily is recommended. For PMS, try 80 milligrams daily when symptoms are present.
- Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) During pregnancy, taking folic acid is essential to avoid the risk of neural tube defects, premature birth, and low birth weight. Pregnant women need 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid every day.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits (like oranges and grapefruit), kiwi, red and green bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and strawberries. It’s essential for healthy immune function, wound healing, and collagen production, says Dr. Frick. And as an antioxidant, vitamin C helps protect your body from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells.
Vitamin C is especially important for women because it helps with iron absorption, Parsak says. Women are at higher risk of iron deficiency because they lose iron in their menstrual blood each month during their period, she explains.
A woman’s daily vitamin C requirement is set at 75 milligrams, increasing to 85 milligrams during pregnancy and 120 milligrams while breastfeeding. The daily upper limit for vitamin C is 2,000 milligrams, with most supplements sold in doses of 250 to 500 milligrams.
iron
Iron is found in red meat, poultry, seafood, fortified cereals and breads, oysters, beans, dark chocolate, liver, spinach, and tofu. This mineral is used to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body’s cells.
Teens and women with heavy periods may need extra iron because they lose it each month during their period. Pregnant women also need extra iron to meet the needs of their growing fetus. Athletes and other active women may need more iron because their bodies use more oxygen during exercise, Parsak says.
The RDA for iron for women aged 19-50 is 18 milligrams, but pregnant women need more (27 milligrams) for their growing baby and breastfeeding women need less (10 milligrams) because they aren’t menstruating or bleeding. “It’s possible to get too much iron, so if you’re taking supplements regularly, talk to a health professional about the right amount for you,” advises Dr. Flick.
Fish oil
The omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), offer a variety of benefits for women, says Dr Frick: “EPA and DHA are important for brain health and repair, eye, skin and heart health, promoting healthy fetal development in pregnant women, and maintaining healthy levels of inflammation throughout the body,” she says.
The typical American diet is often lacking in these essential fats, so a quality supplement can help, advises Dr. Flick. While it’s hard to get too much EPA and DHA, Dr. Flick recommends talking to your health care provider about supplements, especially if you’re pregnant, taking medications that may affect blood clotting, or planning a medical procedure, as fish oil can increase the risk of bleeding.
magnesium
Magnesium is found in leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy products, whole grains, and fortified foods. This mineral is needed to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, and muscle and nerve function. It’s also needed for protein, DNA, and bone production. “For women, getting enough magnesium is especially important because it has so many feminine benefits,” says Parsak. These benefits include:
- Improved Bone Health: According to Persak, magnesium plays an important role in regulating calcium and vitamin D, two key nutrients involved in bone health and maintenance.
- Improves blood pressure: “Magnesium dilates or relaxes blood vessels, which helps lower blood pressure,” Parsak says. Not only does this help prevent heart disease, she explains, it may also help prevent preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure that can develop in women late in pregnancy.
- Headache relief: Magnesium may reduce the frequency of migraines, which are common in women.
Women need 310 to 320 milligrams of magnesium daily, and 350 to 360 milligrams during pregnancy. Magnesium can interact with some medications, so check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking a supplement.
calcium
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and is essential for bone health. It is found most abundantly in dairy products such as milk and yogurt, vegetables such as kale and broccoli, and canned sardines. Calcium is stored in the bones and inadequate intake can make bones weak and more susceptible to fractures. All women need calcium, but it is especially important for the following groups:
- Girls aged 9 to 18: Most of the bone growth and development occurs during this time. 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day is recommended for this age group.
- Adult Female: To maintain bone health, women need to consume 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day.
- Postmenopausal women: After menopause, estrogen declines, so women need more calcium (1,200 milligrams per day) to prevent bone loss. However, adult and postmenopausal women should be cautious when taking calcium supplements, as studies have shown that calcium supplements can cause deposits in heart arteries and increase the risk of heart attack.
While it’s best to get calcium from food, Parsak says supplements can help women who avoid or limit dairy products or don’t get enough calcium in their diet. She says the body can only absorb up to 500 milligrams of calcium, so any amount above that should be taken in divided doses.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is available from foods such as egg yolk and fatty fish like tuna, salmon and trout, and can also be synthesized in the body when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption and works with minerals to prevent osteoporosis. It is also essential for muscle, nerve and immune system function.
Women may need to supplement with vitamin D if they don’t get enough sun exposure, if they’re postmenopausal, or if they’ve had gastric bypass surgery or inflammatory bowel disease. African-American, Hispanic, or Asian-American women may also need to supplement, because their darker skin makes it harder for them to absorb the sunlight needed to make vitamin D.
According to Parsak, the daily requirement for vitamin D for adult women is 600 international units, increasing to 800 international units for women over 70. She recommends having your D levels checked with a blood test before starting supplements to determine your needs. “If you have a deficiency, dosages can range from 1000 international units to 10,000 international units or more, with 2000 to 5000 international units being typical,” she says. Overdosing on supplements can be toxic, so it’s important not to overdose yourself and to have your levels retested after supplementing.
