Women Vitamin Requirements

From LoveToKnow Vitamins

Get all the basic facts you need on women vitamin requirements.

Research shows that most people can meet all their vitamin needs with a varied and healthy diet.

Why Women Vitamin Requirements Matter

Nutrition has been shown time and time again to be a key factor in long-term positive health. From baby to older adult, proper vitamins gained from foods and supplements are vital and can prevent heart disease, some kinds of cancer, dental diseases, adult bone loss, diabetes and more.

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Basic Vitamin Requirements for Women

It used to be that vitamin recommendations in chart form were all the rage. Currently however, most health care providers and government health organizations recommend healthy eating guidelines over actual vitamin requirements – at least to consumers. Health care professionals stay up to date on the best mixture of vitamins needed for good health. However, research shows that the average consumer has an easier time following healthy eating guidelines vs. vitamin charts. It’s harder to count vitamins than it is to count food groups.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a publication that is revamped every five years. It’s published jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). These are the healthy eating guidelines you’ll want to follow in order to meet all your vitamin needs. Research shows that most of the general population can meet or exceed all their daily vitamin and mineral requirements, simply by following the Dietary Guidelines.

Research from the agencies who release the guidelines show that if you’re healthy, and following the eating guidelines, you won’t gain any additional benefits from supplements. In this case, you’ll just be wasting your money on a vitamin supplement pill that does nothing for your health.

Another important point is that while everyone believes vitamins are perfectly safe and healthy; in excess some are super toxic. If you’re getting all your vitamins from food, and then top it off with a vitamin pill, you could create a problem. This is why it’s essential to always discuss any vitamins you’d like to take with your health care provider.

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Vitamin Charts

Now if you’re curious about vitamin charts, there are some places you can find charts that note women vitamin requirements – but remember, healthy nutrition is key, not supplements, or counting vitamins.

To understand vitamin charts you’ll need to know some terms:

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): this is the highest amount you should take of a vitamin. Research shows that the UL is the highest amount of a vitamin that won’t result in adverse health affects in the general population. The UL normally represents total food, water, and supplement intake.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): This is the best recommended vitamin intake for most of the general population. In other words the amount you should be getting from food.

See vitamin charts

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Special Circumstances Where Vitamin Requirements Change

There are some special circumstances where healthy eating guidelines, or women vitamin requirements may change.

Folic acid: If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, or even may become pregnant, then it’s important to pay attention to your folic acid intake. Women who don’t get enough folic acid, and who are in their childbearing years are putting their babies at risk for brain and spinal cord defects. Keep in mind that more than 50 percent of pregnancies are unplanned, so folic acid is vital, even if you don’t think you’ll get pregnant. Birth control is not foolproof.

B12: Individuals over the age of 50 sometimes need extra vitamin B12. If you’re a woman over the age of 50, talk to your health care provider to learn more.

Vitamin D: If you have dark skin, are an older adult, or live in an area with limited sun exposure then extra Vitamin D may be necessary. Your health care provider can help you decide if a supplement is necessary.

Also, if you’re in ill health, underweight, or stressed, your health care provider may recommend vitamin supplements, because your needs are likely not being met nutritionally.

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