Vitamins for Women –-cutting Through the Clutter to Find the Best Supplements
When reading about female health issues, invariably the subject of vitamins for women will come up. With so many options, choosing the right vitamins can be a web of confusion. Please keep in mind that many authors now use the word vitamins interchangeably to refer to not only vitamins, but also minerals, phytonutrients, amino acids, enzymes, herbs and other nutrient forms found nutritional supplements.
Women’s Nutritional Needs
Because of their unique nutritional needs at various times in their life cycle, women require gender specific nutrients when it comes to vitamins for women. To maintain a healthy diet, the average female requires five to eight daily servings of fruits and vegetables. This is no simple task given the typical diet of women today and the stressful lifestyles most lead. It has been reported that nearly half do not eat any fruit and 80 percent only eat leafy green veggies, which contain protein, fiber and antioxidants, once every four days.
Furthermore, consider the fact that numerous vegetables have lost much of their nutritional composition in the last 60 years. A good example is spinach. 100g of spinach has lost 137mg of its vitamin C content since 1950.
When your body doesn’t get the nutrients it eventually develops marginal deficiencies which can produce a whole host of problems which many people do not recognize as health problems at all. Some of the more common include:
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- Nervousness
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Muscle weakness
And, with sustained nutrient deficiencies, the average person puts themselves at risk for serious diseases, such as cancer, hypertension, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
So, if the average diet is unable to supply the all nutrients needed in sufficient daily amounts, what can a woman do to make sure her body is protected? The answer is really quite simple – sensible supplementation.
By taking quality, science-based supplements with the correct balance of vitamins for women, along with a wide range of all types of micro-nutrients, a female will be able to keep her body in balance, maintain higher energy levels and greatly reduce the risk of developing the serious degenerative diseases mentioned above.
High Vitamin Doses Are NOT Required!
Before you rush out to purchase a multi vitamin and mineral formulation, it is important to remember that if you already maintain a reasonable diet, you don’t need supplements with high doses of vitamins and minerals.
Most vitamin supplements available in the market contain way over the top dose amounts of vitamins and minerals. These are the cheapest ingredients in supplements! While they are important, they are only required in small amounts to top up marginal deficiencies which are common in many western diets.
Far more important are the total number, dose amounts and potencies of key phytonutrients and herbal extracts contained in a supplement – these play a much greater part in determining the efficacy and value for money of a supplement. Consumers must learn what to look for and how to compare these ingredients.
Derived from plant extracts, phytonutrients are powerful, antioxidant disease fighters. While there are many vitamins for women type products containing some phytonutrients and standardized herbal extracts, virtually all supplements are manufactured to a price and can’t afford to include enough nor in sufficient potencies to be of much benefit.
Clinical studies have shown certain phytonutrients, amino acids and herbal extracts to be particularly powerful and effective and in treating numerous health conditions and for preventative health measures. These are highly efficious ingredients that should be in your multi ingredient health supplement. (All of them are included in the supplement I use).
- L-Glutathione
- L-Carnosine
- Bilberry
- Resveratrol (high potency)
- Turmeric (high potency)
- Zeaxanthin
- Tocotrienols
L-Glutathione – A Key Ingredient!
L-Gluthathione is the most abundant antioxidant enzyme in your body, and crucial for cell health and organ survival. As a person ages, their production of this vital substance decreases. However, because of its exorbitant cost (around $800 / kilo, wholesale) most supplements do not include it in their list of ingredients.
Supplements containing L-Glutathione must contain it in the reduced form so that it can penetrate the intestinal cell walls. Supplement manufacturers often cut costs by including the much cheaper ‘regular’ form which offers extremely low absorption levels. L-Glutathione is one of the key ingredients in supplements which is highly susceptible to destruction by stomach acid. Any supplement containing it must have a professional delivery system in the form of enteric coating. Consumers must be sure to check on this to avoid wasting money on ingredients with low levels of bioavailability.
To see a list of other ingredients effected by stomach acid please follow this link: bioavailability of nutritional supplements
Hormonal Pre-Cursor Herbs
In addition to phytonutrients, herbal extracts are key ingredients in vitamins for women products. Certain herbs help to maintain and/or re-balance hormone levels during menstruation and menopause and help ease discomfort and associated symptoms. The five most clinical established hormonal precursors are:
- Black Cohosh
- Red Clover
- Dong Quai
- Wild Yam
- Isoflavones
These are key ingredients to look for in vitamins for women supplements!
Amino Acids – Powerful Proteins
Known as the building blocks of proteins, amino acids play a key role in increased energy, healthy immune, nervous and musculoskeletal systems, balancing hormones and blood sugar and overall brain health. Essential amino acids and derivatives include:
- L-Taurine
- L-Arginine HCL (conditionally essential)
- L-Methionine
- L-Threonine
- L-Tyrosine
- L-Carnosine
- L-Glutathione
- L-Proline
- L-Lysine
- N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine
- Carnitine / Acetyl-L-Carnitine
What To Look For In The Best Supplements
In order to identify professional grade supplements offering the strongest and safest health and lifestyle benefits, a few simple criteria should be followed. These should be clearly spelled out on a supplement company’s website. If they are not, ask yourself why.
1. Make sure that all herbal extracts and active enzymes are standardized. This guarantees the potency and amount of the disease fighting active ingredients.
2. Safety, purity, and potency, are all guaranteed when a supplement manufacturer sources all raw materials from GMP registered and audited facilities.
3. All ingredients MUST have a Certificate of Analysis (COA) to confirm potency. Reputable and transparent supplement companies should make copies available to customers and potential customers on request. I know mine does as I requested to see several of their COA’s in the past.
4. Look for supplement companies who self manufacture. There are not many out there (you can count them on one hand) but those that do have invested a huge financial commitment and are more quality focused – they’re not just out to make a quick buck like many companies who contract out their manufacturing.
The absolute highest standard possible is self manufacture to pharmaceutical level GMP (Good manufacturing practices). This is the level that the company whose flagship supplement I use achieves.
By taking the time to study labels and know what to look for when it comes to vitamins for women you will end up with a safe, high quality supplement that does what it promises to and is true to its label. These types of products are few and far between in the supplement industry.
Many supplements lack product integrity and are poorly put together by marketers and doctors rather than by highly qualified bio-scientists who work with the latest cutting edge science.
hello i am a mother of two an i weighed alot after my son ten years ago an i used metabolife i lost a wopping 39 pds an now with have a 17 month old i ahve used it again an i have lost 32 pds with it the metabolife takes a while to work its very slow but i dont ahve time for the gym an i can eat whatever i want an keep the weight off i walk an play with my kids an excise w/my daughter she is very active but i like it i have had no side effects with this an i take 2 a day one in the morning an one berfore i lay down to bed
try crack or cocaine. they get your heart rushing so there is no way you can lose
Fantastic collection..
K.Somasundaram.
Very Accurate Information!!
AMAZING
Wow Accurate nice!
Thanks for the great information about supplements. It is important that we all do our homework.
As a glutathione educator, I find there is some confusion about oral glutathione. According to PubMed, which I will link to below, oral glutathione, whether it is reduced or not, is ineffective in raising glutathione levels.
The best ways to raise glutathione are by taking in the precursors, such as N-acetyl-cysteine, as you mentioned, or bonded cysteine, as in Immmnocal. Be sure to check for drug interactions and precautions before using any supplement.
More information about all the ways to raise glutathione along with the medical study about oral glutathione on Pubmed may be accessed here:
http://www.immune-health-solutions-for-you.com/how-to-raise-glutathione.html
This information is based on Dr. Jimmy Gutman’s book: “Glutathione – Your Key To Health” and he is the world’s most published author on the subject of glutathione.
Glutathione side effects with references to the PDR listing where applicable are also discussed here:
http://www.immune-health-solutions-for-you.com/glutathione-side-effects.html
Good Health To You!
Whoops I meant “Immunocal” ;>)
Thx
The sounds in your joints are probably "crepitus." These sounds are usually benign and develop as our joints age or start to degenerate. (Even young, healthy people can develop crepitus, especially if they've been active or had injuries). If the sounds are accompanied by pain or "joint locking," or they follow a trauma, then it's time to see a doctor as this could be a more serious issue such as a "loose body" in the joint itself.
There are no supplements that will stop the clicking sounds but Glucosamine Sulfate is a great supplement that helps to support the ligaments and joint tissues. It's a little expensive but make sure to get a higher quality version with "MSM."
You might also try doing your exercise just to the point of hearing the sound and then repeat the exercise. Often crepitus occurs at our "end-range of motion." So if we do a squat, for instance, and hear the sound when our knees and hips are fully flexed. Then try to do the same motion just stop before you hear the sound and repeat.
I hope this helps. Best of luck to you!
Consult the doc before taking any.
Eat only when hungry and not more than thrice a day. Nothing other than water in between. Include plenty of uncooked vegetables and fruits in each meal, preferably 50%. Chew each morsel at least 32 times to activate ur body to generate signals of hunger/fullness. Obey these signals.
Take light exercises and brisk walks regularly preferably twice a day.
U will achieve what u have not even dreamt and that too in a reasonable time. Do not be in a hurry.
Accomplia. It is by prescription and available throughout Europe and the UK. It isn't a supplement. Research it and discuss it with your doctor. I have been following the trials for years and have been taking it since it became available last June. I am impressed. The pharm name is Rimonabant. Too detailed to go into here. Look it up.
Just have whey protein post-workout.
It's the protein extracted from milk minus the fat.
Whole milk is horrible for the body. It is meant to turn a baby cow into a big cow.
That is why females only produce enough milk for the first year.
Building muscle isn't really healthy to begin with…so.
Why?
Because you raise your cholesterol out of the roof to maintain them. You have to eat more than your body needs to maintain them as well.
Well when I applied to BU last year my supplemental essay was 224 words.
And I was accepted.
The question that year was
"We would like to know, in 500 words or less, what experiences have led you to select your professional field and objective?"
And it said right in the supplement in 500 words or less.
if you want to see what i wrote you can if you want
Focus HF by Source. I've used the original Source micronutrients for 4 years and cannot be more pleased with the bloom in the coat. The HF formula is a pellet containing everything needed to grow strong, healthy hooves. I've a TB with white feet and the Source alone is letting her stay barefoot on rocks and gravel and the rough riding we do. My riding buddies have to at least shoe fronts if not all four. It's the only suppliment she's on with her normal pelleted feed. I call her my little mountain goat.
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/5676.html
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/8780.html
Very powerful information
honestly no supplement out there is going to work without proper exercise and a balance diet.
to start off with focus on cardiovascular work. 3 – 4 days a week of treadmill, bike, stairmaster, etc.. work for 30 45 min and always go for time rather than intensity (meaning lower down the level inorder to complete your time if you have too)
I hope this helps. I'd do this for at least 1 month before starting weight training. when a months up ask again
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Hello could I use some of the material here in this blog if I link back to you?