It seems like the vitamin shelves in grocery stores, pharmacies and nutrition stores, grow exponentially each year. Every couple of months there is a new company out with a new, specialized blend of vitamins and minerals guaranteed to protect you from everything. While it’s a good idea to want to be healthier, it can be confusing when trying to navigate the world of multi-vitamins versus women’s vitamins. So what exactly is the difference between these two, and is it significant enough to make a woman choose one over the other?
Multi-Vitamins Versus Women’s Vitamins: Why Choose One Over The Other
While multi-vitamins are a great option for those of you who don’t have access to any other version, a vitamin designed especially for women is the way to go. Women have different nutritional needs then men, especially when pregnant or going through menopause, and a multi-vitamin often just doesn’t cut it. Multi-vitamins are kind of a coverall – the broad-spectrum supplement designed to hit as many demographics as possible.
Because of the fact that we women have different hormone levels than men, and because our body sheds blood every month, we have specific nutritional needs that only a women’s vitamin can address. Here’s the low-down on multi-vitamins versus women’s vitamins and why to choose the latter:
- Iron: Women who are nursing or in their childbearing years – ages 11 to 50 – need more iron (15 milligrams) than men and postmenopausal women do (10 milligrams). A women’s vitamin provides this extra dose of iron. This is because iron is a necessary component in your menstrual cycle. Pregnant women need even more: 30 milligrams.
- Calcium: This one we’ve all heard about over and over, but it bears repeating. Calcium is absolutely necessary in preventing Osteoporosis and other bone-related issues, especially as we grow older. What most women don’t know is that calcium needs to be consumed with other nutrients, in order to be properly absorbed.
- Magnesium is a mineral that is often overlooked, and one that’s absolutely needed in order to help absorb calcium. In addition to producing protein and energy, magnesium is essential in the flexing and relaxing of muscles. It will also help to prevent various ailments ranging from colon cancer to heart disease and diabetes.
- Vitamin D, though not technically a vitamin, is also needed in order to help absorb calcium. There have been new studies done recently on the benefits of Vitamin D, so it’s worth paying attention to over the next few years. For now, what you need to know is that fifteen to twenty-minutes of summer sunshine (for those of you in the North), is enough to produce your daily requirement of Vitamin D. During the winter when your access to sun is low, try taking a Vitamin D3 supplement. In addition to protecting your immune system, researchers are beginning to find strong evidence that Vitamin D might play an even larger part in preventing and treating cancers and other diseases.
In the dilemma of choosing between multi-vitamins versus women’s vitamins, it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor, in order to verify your specific nutritional needs. Choosing a women’s vitamin over a multi-vitamin is a good idea, so do your research and ask your physician for good recommendations.
