What if I told you multivitamins could help you live longer?
When you think about it, it’s not a stretch. Vitamins are a form of preventative care. They help with everything from heart health to anti-aging.
There are several vitamins and minerals marketed for women over 50, but it can be hard to know what products are best for women in their 20s and 30s. In this article, I’ll look at what’s important in and help you decide on the best multivitamin for young women.
Multivitamins for women and men aren’t that different. We all need most of the same nutrients to thrive. However, women need extra nutrients to remain healthy while menstruating, pregnant and breastfeeding.
Iron and calcium are vital for premenstrual women. Other important vitamins and minerals to include are folic acid, B-complex vitamins, and vitamin C.
Women lose a significant amount of iron every month through menstruation, so it’s important to replenish your supply. This mineral is responsible for the production of red blood cells. (source) Iron also carries oxygen to the blood.
A deficiency in iron can result in anemia. Anemia leaves you feeling tired since your cells aren’t getting enough oxygen.
Adolescents who’ve just begun to menstruate and those who are vegetarian or vegan need to take special care to get enough iron too.
Men need 8 mg of iron a day, while women need more than double that amount: 18 mg daily. Pregnant women should aim for 27 mg per day.
Women reach their peak bone mass around 30 years of age, and afterward, our bones begin to deteriorate. Women also have a higher risk of osteoporosis. Women have a lower peak bone mass than men. Menopause also causes a rapid decrease in estrogen, which causes bones to deteriorate faster. (source)
Taking a calcium supplement in your 20s and 30s lowers your risk of bone disease later in life.
Calcium is beneficial for those planning to get pregnant too. Research revealed that calcium supplements reduced the risk of hypertension during pregnancy, as well as adverse effects associated with high blood pressure.
A developing fetus also needs plenty of calcium to grow.
Pregnant women don’t necessarily require more calcium, but they should be getting the recommended amount and consuming at least one food rich in calcium every day.
It’s also important to get enough vitamin D, which aids in the absorption of calcium. Vitamin D also helps ensure you have enough phosphorus, another nutrient vital to bone health. (source)
Folic acid or folate (also known as vitamin B9) encourages cell growth. It also reduces the risk of heart disease, depression, and even some forms of cancer. (source)
Scientists agree that this type of acid is an essential supplement for anyone planning to have children.
It can reduce the risk of congenital disabilities when pregnant. Multiple studies show that folate supplementation prevents defects in the spine, spinal cord, and brain.
Conversely, low levels of folate can lead to a higher chance of premature birth, lower birth weight, and fetal growth restriction, when the baby is severely underweight at birth.
You should take folic acid especially in the early weeks of a pregnancy and if possible, the weeks leading up to pregnancy. For this reason, the CDC recommends that all women of childbearing age take folic acid.
B vitamins help improve your metabolism. It allows your body to process sugars, fats, and carbohydrates more quickly. (source)
The common B vitamins in women’s multi include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), B6, biotin (B7), B12, and of course, folate (B9).
Some people have used B vitamins to treat anxiety and depression. Take a look at one user’s experience, and the B vitamins that he recommends:
This citrus vitamin isn’t just for colds.
Vitamin C has anti-aging properties too, like preventing wrinkles. Although many women in their 20s and 30s aren’t worried about anti-aging yet, these are the years when preventative care is crucial.
Dr. Ashinoff from the Hackensack University Medical Center says that preventative action is the best way to prevent aging skin. (source)
Protecting your skin from the sun with sunscreen, keeping it moisturized, and getting healthy nutrients, vitamins and minerals are the best steps you can take for youthful skin. Rather than products advertised as “liquid gold” or having Botox-like effects, antioxidant moisturizers with vitamin C and E have more scientific support. (source)
Vitamin C also has even preventative properties and can reduce your risk of heart disease and extend your lifespan.
Despite the higher cost, I’d go with Naturelo as the best multivitamin for young women. This supplement has beneficial amounts of iron and calcium. Their manufacturing processes are completely transparent and sound.
However, it’s a close call with MegaFood’s One Daily. For those hesitant about taking four pills a day, MegaFood is a great alternative. But if you’re looking for the best quality, Naturelo is about as pure as it gets.
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