Supplements for Women at Every Life Stage

 Washington, D.C., September 1, 2015—Dietary supplements are an important component of maintaining good health whether you are young, middle aged or an elder, and according to the 2014 Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, supplements are taken by 71 percent of U.S. adult women. But who needs what supplements—and when? Here’s what many experts, including Andrea Wong, Ph.D., vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs, CRN, have to say about some supplements that can provide benefit for women in the various life stages.

• The majority of science points to calcium and vitamin D as beneficial for helping prevent osteoporosis in older women, but only if you start early enough. “Bone health requires lifelong maintenance,” said Dr. Wong. “Women in their late teens and early twenties should consider supplementing with calcium and vitamin D if they are not getting enough from their diets alone.” 
   
• Iodine is critical for healthy brain development in utero as well as during early childhood, which is why scientific evidence supports adequate intake of iodine for women who are pregnant and lactating. An easy way for pregnant and lactating women to ensure adequate intake is to take a multivitamin with 150 mcg of iodine, a recommendation that is being urged as part of a growing education awareness campaign on behalf of leading public health organizations and the dietary supplement industry¹.
   
• It is not uncommon for young and middle aged women to experience iron deficiency. Fortunately, science has shown that iron supplementation can be helpful for restoring and maintaining healthy iron levels. Iron is an essential mineral that can be found in food sources, but when a woman cannot obtain enough through food, iron can be obtained through individual supplements or a multivitamin. Dr. Wong cautions that iron supplementation is often not necessary for post-menopausal women, unless otherwise directed by their doctor. 
   
• The female body undergoes many changes during perimenopause and menopause—both physical and mental—and experiencing hot flashes is one particular change that causes discomfort. For easing the discomfort of hot flashes, black cohosh has been shown to provide benefit. Another supplement that can provide some relief during this period is maca root, a nutritious vegetable that has been cultivated in South America for thousands of years.

“Our bodies’ needs are continuously changing, and so what we supplement with may need to be re-evaluated as life progresses,” said Dr. Wong. For all of the supplements listed above, and others, it is important that women speak with their doctors or other health care practitioners about what supplements are appropriate for their life style and life stage.

_{^{1. MacKay D, Wong A, Nguyen H.  Iodine supplementation during pregnancy and lactation. A collaborative public health initiative in the United States. Nat Med J. 2015; 7(7).}}