5 nutrients women need over 40

There are more than 30 nutrients required by the human body for maintaining good health and preventing deficiencies. But, for women past the age of 40, there are 5 in particular that play a pivotal role in helping maintain youthful looks while providing proper nutrition. Most of these nutrients can be easily obtained by choosing food choices rich in each of them.  Taking a supplement however, may be necessary if a woman struggles to consume good dietary sources of them.

Here is a look at the 5 nutrients women over the age of 40 should pay close attention to:

1. Calcium

The number one nutrient for bone health is the mineral calcium. Calcium helps strengthen bones as it is stored in bone. Women, especially after the age of 40, are vulnerable to developing the brittle bone disease called osteoporosis.  Up to 80% of people with this disease are women.  If calcium intake was insufficient before the age of 40, a woman’s bones will become weaker and more porous likely leading to the slow but deliberate process of losing bone mass. This puts a woman at a greater risk of fractures from a fall or injury.  Fractures past the age of 40, generally heal more slowly and can cause lifelong disability. Women can help prevent or delay osteoporosis by eating calcium-rich foods (milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese), leafy greens, legumes, and calcium-fortified cereals, juices, and other beverages.  Women ages 19-50 require 1,000 mg of calcium daily and women 51-70 require 1,200 mg a day.

2. Vitamin D3

Along with calcium, vitamin D3 is necessary for bone health reducing the risk of osteoporosis.  In fact, the mineral calcium cannot be absorbed without sufficient vitamin D3. Low levels of vitamin D3 may play a role in other areas of a woman’s health including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, and autoimmune diseases.  The best source of this vitamin is sunlight.  A daily dose of exposure to sunlight (around 15-30 minutes) can help the body absorb vitamin D3.  Otherwise, food sources that provide this nutrient include fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna, cod liver oil, egg yolk, and foods fortified with it such as milk and orange juice.  Women ages 19 – 70 require 600 International Units (IU) a day while those age 70 and older, need 800 IU. 

3.  Folate

Folate is a B vitamin that also has a synthetic or man-made form of it called folic acid. It has the job of forming the genetic materials DNA and RNA and acts at the cellular level making it important as a factor of synthesis and repair. If folate is ingested with rich food sources of vitamin D, absorption increases. However if folate is taken with caffeine, the absorption decreases. Women over the age of 40 have a better chance of fighting off fatigue, depression and headaches if they obtain adequate amounts of this vitamin.  Daily requirements for women of folate is 400 micrograms (mcg) a day.  Best foods sources include orange juice, whole grains, beef liver, eggs, seafood, nuts, and beans.

4.  B-complex vitamins

In addition to the B-vitamin folate, there are other B vitamins that are equally as important in a woman’s health.  These include B1 or thiamine, B2 or riboflavin, B3 or niacin, B5 or pantothenic acid, B6 or pyridoxine, B7 or biotin, and B12 or cobalamin.  Each of these vitamins are of significant importance on their own but in general, the complex helps with health of the brain, muscles, red blood cell production, nervous system, hormone production, reactions in the body, immune function, and increased energy. You can find them in whole grain products, beans, tuna, nuts, chicken, beef, potatoes, legumes, certain fruits, certain seeds, leafy greens, avocado, and dairy products. If a woman over 40 is deficient in them they may experience tiredness, anemia, depression, abdominal pain, cramps, and hair loss.

5. Protein

The nutrient protein plays a special role for women. Starting already around the age of 35, women (and men too) will begin to lose muscle mass which has a name called sarcopenia.  As muscle mass is lost what replaces it is fat mass. This gradual loss of muscle mass and subsequent increase in fat mass can lead to significant health issues as a woman ages such as reduced muscle strength, loss of mobility, increased frailty, weak bones or osteoporosis, falls and fractures, diabetes, middle-age weight gain, and loss of physical function and independence.

To prevent sarcopenia, it’s best to start early in life by lifting weight or performing weight bearing exercises such as fast walking or jumping rope.  But, eating adequate protein, evenly spaced over 3 meals a day, is another effective way to maintain quality of life. It is recommended to strive to get between 25-30 grams of protein at each meal and to include protein at each snack.  An example of a 30 gram protein breakfast can include two scrambled eggs with 1 cup of Greek yogurt. Vegetarian women can obtain their protein needs by choosing soy products such as tofu, soymilk, and soy yogurt, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds.