As I approach 50 (yikes), I’m becoming hyper aware of what goes into my body and if I’m getting enough nutrients and vitamins.
In my younger days (aka last year), I ate and drank whatever I wanted with zero thought of, “Is this beneficial for my health?” Sure, I popped a daily vitamin but that doesn’t reverse the garbage food I was consuming. Now I’m terrified that I have a calcium deficiency and my brittle bones will snap in half, if I fall, or just disintegrate into a poof of dust.
Aging is fun, I swear! But seriously, it’s never too late to start taking proper care of yourself, which is why I’ve started taking certain supplements that are recommended for women over 50.
Keep reading to find out the best supplements for women over 50, according to dietitians. As always, talk with your physician before taking any supplements!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is among the top three most common deficiencies in the US, according to the CDC.
Why is vitamin D so important? It plays a crucial role in bone health, supporting immune health, brain cell activity, and muscle function. “Vitamin D is probably the most important vitamin women over 50 should consume,” says Lindsey DeSoto, RDN, LD, owner of The Dietitian Mama.
“It plays a crucial role in a number of our body’s internal processes. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is beneficial for fighting inflammation, supporting healthy sleep cycles, and maintaining our bone health. Women over 50 should be getting at least 600 IU per day.”
CoQ10
Adding CoQ10 to your supplement routine may help stave off diabetes and heart disease, conditions that tend to increase with age.
The Mayo Clinic’s research on CoQ10 use for specific conditions and activities shows the following:
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Heart conditions: CoQ10 has been shown to improve symptoms of congestive heart failure. Although the findings are mixed, CoQ10 might help reduce blood pressure. Some research also suggests that when combined with other nutrients, CoQ10 might aid recovery in people who’ve had bypass and heart valve surgeries.
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Diabetes: Although more studies are needed, some research suggests that CoQ10 may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol levels in people with diabetes, lowering their risk of heart disease.
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Parkinson’s disease: Recent research suggests that even high doses of CoQ10 don’t seem to improve symptoms in people with Parkinson’s disease.
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Statin-induced myopathy: Some research suggests that CoQ10 might help ease muscle weakness and pain sometimes associated with taking statins.
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Migraines: Some research suggests that CoQ10 might decrease the frequency of these headaches.
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Physical performance: Because CoQ10 is involved in energy production, it’s believed that this supplement might improve your physical performance. However, research in this area has produced mixed results.
Calcium
Want to boost your bone strength? Calcium is a good addition to incorporate into your supplement routine after 50.
“After 50, women have high calcium requirements: 1,200 milligrams per day versus 1,000 milligrams for the general population. Hormonal changes during this time of life increase the risk of bone loss,” says Ellen Albertson, PhD, RDN, NBC-HWC, The Midlife Whisperer™ at Tiger Wellness, LLC.
B12
Vitamin B12 is vitally important to our overall health as it produces healthy blood cells and works to maintain proper nerve functioning.
After 50, a woman’s ability to absorb B12 decreases, so it’s important to eat a diet that includes animal products, including fish, meat, and dairy foods. But diet alone doesn’t ensure you’re getting enough, so introducing a B12 supplement is needed for this essential nutrient.
“In the case of vitamin B12, up to a third of those aged 50 and older lose the ability to produce enough stomach acid to extract the vitamin from food. Without it, “Vitamin B12 remains attached to protein in food” and is never absorbed into the body, says Bonnie Liebman, director of nutrition for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based consumer group. “That’s why older people need to get vitamin B12 in vitamin supplements or in fortified food.”
“Why this change occurs is unclear, but failure to get enough vitamin B12 can lead to anemia, a common blood disorder characterized by feeling tired, and to nerve damage.”
Melatonin
“According to the Sleep Foundation, 39 to 47 percent of perimenopausal women and 35 to 60 percent of postmenopausal women have sleep issues. Research has concluded that small doses of melatonin can help alleviate problems falling asleep. While not conclusive, additional research has shown that melatonin may improve bone density,” adds Albertson.
Probiotics and Fiber
Improving or maintaining your digestive system is paramount to our overall health. Adding extra fiber and probiotic supplements is a great addition to your gut health.
“Women in their fifties are only meeting about half of their daily fiber requirements,” says Kara Landau, RD, founder of Uplift Food. “Fiber is extremely important to reduce the risk of colon cancer, and prebiotic fiber, in particular, plays an important role in good gut health, reduces inflammation, strengthens the immune system, and supports mood.”
Probiotics will aid in regularity, essentially piggy-backing off of a fiber supplement. “Probiotic supplements can be beneficial for digestive regularity,” says Rachel Fine, RD, owner of To the Pointe Nutrition, who notes that some research suggests that probiotics with multiple bacterial strains are particularly beneficial.
“It is best to choose products that have been labeled with the number of viable organisms expected to be present through an expiration date or ‘Best By’ date…also, one should try to purchase products that are well within their expiration date to ensure a higher number of viable cells.”
Beneficial Food Products
The National Institute on Aging recommends these dietary supplements for aging women:
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Calcium: Calcium works with vitamin D to keep bones strong at all ages. Bone loss can lead to fractures in both older women and men. Calcium is found in milk and milk products (fat-free or low-fat is best), canned fish with soft bones, dark-green leafy vegetables like kale, and foods with calcium added, such as breakfast cereals.
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Vitamin D: Most people in the United States consume less than recommended amounts of vitamin D. Talk with your doctor about adding vitamin D-fortified milk and milk products, vitamin D-fortified cereals, and fatty fish to your diet, or using a vitamin D supplement.
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Vitamin B6: This vitamin is needed to form red blood cells. It is found in potatoes, bananas, chicken breasts, and fortified cereals.
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Vitamin B12: This helps keep your red blood cells and nerves healthy. While older adults need just as much vitamin B12 as other adults, some have trouble absorbing the vitamins naturally found in food. If you have this problem, your doctor may recommend that you eat foods like fortified cereals with this vitamin added, or take a B12 supplement. Strict vegetarians and vegans are at greater risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency because natural food sources of vitamin B12 are limited to animal foods.
Do you take supplements? Which ones? Share with us in the comments!
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