Vitamins for Women

Vitamins are essential to the health and well being, not only of women, but everyone. If you think that your diet is sufficient that you do not need vitamin supplements keep in mind that only 7% of women who never skips meals or eat ice cream for breakfast or dinner. There are a lot of daily multi-vitamin supplements that are made just for women but how can a woman tell if it is the right supplement for them. Different vitamins benefit women in different ways. There are also a few vitamins that are not in multi-vitamin supplements. In this article I will talk about the different vitamins that are beneficial for women, how they are beneficial and the recommended dosage for each.

Black Cohosh helps prevent hot flashes during menopause. Women should take 40 mg Black Cohosh extract per day and should not take Black Cohosh if they have breast cancer.

Calcium reduces risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure and colon cancer, aids in blood clotting, and nerve transmission, might reduce symptoms of PMS and help with weight loss. Women ages 19 to 50 and/or pregnant of breast feeding should take 1,000 mg a day while women over 50 should take 1,200 mg. Calcium can be obtained also by drinking low fat milk products, juice and soy milk and eating sardines, tofu, leafy greens and dried beans and peas.

Chromium regulates blood sugar and may help lower blood sugar in those who are insulin resistant. Chromium doses vary by age. Women 19 to 50 should take 25 mcg, pregnant women should take 30 mcg, breastfeeding women should take 45 mcg and women over 50 should take 20 mcg. Good sources of Chromium are whole grains, wheat germ, orange juice, chicken and oysters.

Coenzyme Q-10 aids in energy production, aids the immune system and may help treat cancer and congestive heart failure. Without doctor approval only 30 to 60 mg should be taken every day. Meat, fish, chicken have the most of this vitamin however there is also limited amounts in vegetables, fruit and milk.

Vitamins.

Credit: Marcelo Wain

Copyright: © iStockPhoto/Marcelo Wain