Throughout life, as we age, the nutritional requirements of human beings change according to the biological stage in which they are found.
Hormonal changes
In the case of women, from the age of 50 undergoes a series of hormonal changes caused by menopause. During this stage, physiological changes occur naturally due to the gradual decrease in oestrogens as the activity of the ovaries ceases.
Among those changes are:
· Higher risk of bone loss, higher prevalence of osteoporosis and as a consequence possible fracture.
· Decreases lean mass and increases fat mass, with the risk of overweight and obesity.
· Neurovegetative changes: " hot flashes " appear with sweating, sleep disorders, irritability and fatigue.
· Increased risk of high blood pressure due to changes in glucose metabolism and the coagulation system.
· As a consequence of being overweight and changing the lipid profile (cholesterol and triglycerides) due to the absence of estrogens, there is a greater possibility of developing heart disease.
· By decreasing collagen, the skin becomes drier and thinner.
· And also, an increased risk of certain cancers and diabetes typical of the aging process.
Due to all this, it is important that all women, in this period, maintain a healthy and balanced diet, which provides the necessary nutrients to prevent all these complications of age and improve their quality of life.
Necessary vitamin supplements
It is not always possible to cover all the nutrients with food, either due to difficulties in eating certain foods, tastes and habits, diseases, etc. so you can use different vitamin supplements to meet these requirements. The most recommended are:
Vitamin D:
It is one of the vitamin supplements most used by women of this age. This vitamin is necessary for the absorption of calcium and to maintain the integrity of the bones. It is difficult to get all of your vitamin D from your diet, and studies have shown that women supplemented with this vitamin plus daily calcium have had fewer hip and non-vertebral fractures.
Folic acid:
This vitamin is more common to give in pregnant women to prevent neural tube defects in fetuses and its effects are well defined. However, it has been shown to be associated with the reduction of colon cancer due to the decrease in risk of errors in DNA synthesis.
Vitamin C:
It is an antioxidant with many functions in the body. It strengthens the immune system and various epidemiological studies have shown that it reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer.
Vitamin E:
It also acts as an antioxidant in blood and tissues. It has been shown, according to various studies, that it reduces the risk of coronary events compared to people who did not take it. However, the administered dose must be taken care of, since it is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is stored in the tissues and its excess in consumption can bring symptoms.
B12 vitamin:
This supplement helps prevent anemia, common in older people with atrophic gastritis, which impairs the digestion of this vitamin.
It is important to clarify that, prior to the consumption of these vitamin supplements, a consultation with the doctor is made to carry out the necessary tests and determine the risk factors of each woman to indicate the correct supplement and avoid complications.
Top 9 Supplements and Vitamins for Women Over 50
Getting the nutrients, we need to stay healthy is important at all ages, and our bodies' needs change over time. As we age, we produce fewer natural nutrients, such as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), leaving all the responsibility to us for maintaining healthy levels of all of them.
Your 50s are a good time to take a closer look at your general wellness needs and implement some healthy habits into your self-care routine to support your future health. We've listed expertly selected supplements for women in their 50s below.
1. CoQ10 for Cellular Energy and Heart Health
Your body produces some CoQ10, but production declines with age, and low CoQ10 levels have been linked to cardiovascular problems. Also, CoQ10 plays a key role in converting food into energy.
CoQ10 supplements support cardiovascular health in many important areas. It is also beneficial for people taking statins because CoQ10 can help reduce the muscular effects of statins.
When you buy a CoQ10 supplement, you will notice that there are two types available: ubiquinol and ubiquinone. Ubiquinol is the active form of CoQ10, and your body converts ubiquinone to ubiquinol. Both are great options, but some experts say that younger people may benefit more from ubiquinone, and older people may benefit more from ubiquinol, possibly because as we age our bodies may lose the ability to produce ubiquinol from ubiquinone.
2. Turmeric for Cognitive Health and Digestion
Turmeric and a carotenoid within turmeric known as curcumin provide a host of wellness benefits for women in their 50s, from cognitive support to promoting healthy joints, circulation, digestion, skin, and more. Many of those benefits are attributed to curcumin's powerful antioxidant effects.
Research has shown that highly absorbi