Your medication cabinet is probably not the same as your mother’s. The inadvertent differences include her characteristic red nail varnish, which has been camped out in the back corner of hers for years, against your uncontrolled collection of lacquers. However, there are a variety of ways it could appear.
Certain vitamins can help you at each stage of your life. While you may require additional magnesium in your twenties, calcium is particularly crucial later in life. And folate is especially important during your reproductive years.
Is this a decent beginning point? A multivitamin created for your age, such as TrueYou Perfect Ensemble daily supplements, which contain many of the nutrients women require and are available in two varieties: one for women under 50 and another for women over 50. Brittany Michels, MS, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian at The Vitamin Shoppe, says, “They both have a comprehensive spectrum of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.”
Continue reading to find the multivitamin that best suits your life stage, as well as a breakdown of the other nutrients that best assist you at each period.
You’re in the Twenties
This is the decade when life’s paths begin to separate. You’ll need two key nutrients: vitamin B and magnesium, whether you’re spending all of your time at work, filling your social calendar to the brim, taking classes, establishing a family, or a combination of all of the above.
“Women who are busy or have overwhelming schedules should concentrate on B vitamins, as stress depletes these vitamins,” Michels advises. “Vitamins like B2 (riboflavin), B9 (folate), and B12 (cobalamin) can be depleted by birth control medication.” This is why taking a multivitamin with B vitamins and/or a B-complex vitamin is critical.
Pregnancy
Michels recommends focusing on iron and folate during your reproductive years and throughout your 30s. Iron and folate have been demonstrated to help moms as well as fetal growth and development (reducing the chance of neural tube abnormalities) (by decreasing the risk of anemia, for example). Choline is also necessary for fetal development and growth. According to Michels, “this vitamin is required for various biological activities, including neurotransmitter generation and brain development.”
Vitamin D insufficiency affects people of all ages and can affect their metabolism, hormones, immune system, and mental health, according to Michels. “If daily direct sunshine is insufficient, consider taking 1000 to 2000 International Units (IUs) daily as a supplement.”
Middle Age
Collagen is the most prevalent protein in the body, and it is responsible for the structure of your hair, skin, nails, joints, bones, cartilage, tendons, and intestines. “As we age, the amount of collagen in our bodies reduces,” Michels adds. On the plus side, research has shown that ingesting collagen peptides can help reduce negative consequences such as wrinkle appearance and ease joint movement.
It’s also a good time to pay extra attention to omega-3 fatty acids. “Taking omega-3s consistently in your 40s and beyond is critical,” Michels says. “These fatty acids are beneficial to the brain and heart.” Aim for two to three servings of low-mercury seafood each week, such as shrimp or salmon, and supplement with fish oil or flaxseed oil if you can’t fulfill your dietary objectives.
Menopause
“It’s critical for women over 50 to satisfy their daily calcium needs since bone mass declines as estrogen levels diminish,” Michels adds. “Calcium is the most prevalent mineral in the body, and it is what gives our bones and teeth their structure. Blood artery dilation and contraction, blood coagulation, muscle function, neuron transmission, and hormone release are all aided by it.”
A woman needs 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day for the majority of her life (a serving of plain, low-fat yogurt contains just under half that amount), but after she reaches her 50s, the daily need increases to 1,200 milligrams, making a calcium supplement useful.
Turmeric, in addition to calcium, can be a valuable addition to your anti-aging arsenal. “Turmeric is a ginger-family herb that provides a wide range of advantages, from hormone balance to antioxidants,” Michels explains. Another reason to consider adding turmeric to your medicine cabinet is that curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, has been shown to boost bone density in studies.