6 Essential Vitamins and Minerals for Women

The health of a woman is paramount, that's because women may be able to balance their family-work life well, but sometimes they may not be aware of their bodily needs and may not be able to balance their health that well. Eating a nutritious meal may be able to contribute to a woman's health needs but there is always a gap and diet alone is not able to fill that nutritional gap up. Let's take Vitamin D for instance, Vitamin D is essential for bone and muscle health and it also supports immunity, but most of the Vitamin D made in our body comes with the exposure of the skin to Sunlight and most women in the UAE are indoors due to the heat in most of the months. Therefore, relying on nutritional supplements is very essential.

The problem is that the market for supplements post covid has become a little overwhelming with too many products and too many choices, which to pick and what to pick becomes a challenge, especially for women. Women sometimes need a different balance of vitamins and minerals as opposed to men, especially during times of hormonal changes like pregnancy and menopause.

Here is the FITAMINAT guide to 6 essential women’s supplements made by professional women at FITAMINAT for women at large.

Vitamin D

 According to GulfNews has reported about 90% of the UAE population is deficient in Vitamin D. Most women who don’t get much sunlight, have darker complexions, or cover their skin are more likely to have low levels of vitamin D and are recommended to consider taking a daily Vitamin D supplements all year round.

How Much Vitamin D?

According to the RDA, Adult healthy women (less the 70 years) need about 800 IU of daily Vitamin D. However, in cases of deficiency or in places like UAE where women don’t tend to spend time outdoors it's better to take more (as prescribed by the physician) but lit should be less than upper intake level which is 4000 IU.

Vitamin D Supplements

The Vitabalans Dmax 1200 IU and Dmax 4000 IU has the potency to suit your need. They are strawberry-flavoured chewable tablets and can be carried easily so that you don’t miss your daily dose of Vitamin D when you are out and about being a hero.

Vitamin C

In order to get optimum Vitamin D in your diet you need to include at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C, and if that's not possible then Vitamin C supplements are essential to take. Vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system and it also helps in the production of collagen which gives a boost to skin health.

How Much Vitamin C?

According to the RDA, 75 mg of Vitamin C, a day for women is recommended and during pregnancy 120mg a day is recommended. The upper limit for all adult Vitamin C intake is 2000mg.

Vitamin C Supplements

Bioglan Vitamin C effervescent is an excellent source of 1000 mg of Vitamin C to give you the perfect daily boost of Vitamin C and with Zinc. 

Folic Acid

Folic acid (Vitamin B9) is an essential vitamin needed by pregnant women and those trying for a baby need extra folic acid to support the healthy development of their growing fetus. Folic Acid helps the body make healthy red blood cells and helps prevent certain birth defects called neural tube defects. The neural tube forms a baby’s early brain and spine and these types of birth defects develop very early during pregnancy, even before she finds out about her pregnancy. Folic Acid may also help to reduce the risk of premature births and low birth weight.

How Much Folic Acid?

According to the RDA, 75 mg of Vitamin C,  a day for women is recommended and during pregnancy 120mg a day is recommended. The upper limit for all adult Vitamin C intake is 2000mg.

Folic Acid Supplements

The Vitabalans FerroFol - C is a combination of Folic Acid, Iron, and Vitamin C for enhanced absorption. It contains about 400mcg of Folic Acid.

Iron

Women need healthy levels of iron to support normal red blood cell formation as well as for the transportation of oxygen around the body. Heavy periods and pregnancy are the common causes of low iron levels in women. Low levels of iron cause tiredness and fatigue.

How Much Iron?

According to the RDA, the recommended daily allowance for an adult woman is 18mg. In case of pregnancy, the recommended allowance moves up to 27mg.

Iron Supplements

Vitabalans Ferrodan is a combination of  Iron and Vitamin C for enhanced absorption. It contains about 100mg of Iron and 50mg of Vitamin C. 

Calcium

Calcium is needed to support the bone health of both men and women. Women going through menopause are at risk of bone loss and hence need more calcium to maintain their bone health and avoid osteoporosis. In addition to bone health, calcium is important for muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and blood clotting.

How Much Calcium?

According to the RDA,    women need about 1,200 mg of calcium when they are going through menopause. An adult woman less than 50 years of age needs an average of 1000mg of calcium in a day.

Calcium Supplements

Vitabalans Calci Strong contains Calcium along with Vitamin D3, which enhances Calcium absorption and also contributes to maintaining bone health, and Magnesium which contributes to muscle health providing a holistic solution for women..

Omega 3

Omega-3 fatty acid contributes to many health benefits. EPA and DHA are two important long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that contribute to heart health. They also contribute to healthy brain and eye health as well. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, women are advised to increase their omega-3 intake to support the development of the baby’s nervous system.

How Much of Omega3?

The recommended daily dietary allowance of alpha-linolenic acid is 1000mg for women, however, the daily requirement may be increased in cases of a deficiency or condition.

Omega 3 Supplements

For a woman, Omega 3 supplements should be a total part and parcel of growing up. However, for an adult, the Bioglan Red Krill contains 1000mg of Omega 3 and is rich in EPA and DHA. 

FITAMINAT promises to bring quality vitamins and supplements to your doorstep and we the women at FITAMINAT are here and are ready to help you pick the best for the health of your body and mind. Check out the specially formulated Women’s Bundles on FITAMINAT made by experts to bring the best out in you and stay tuned to the Blogs of FITAMINAT for more.