If you are a woman over 40, you may be considering taking dietary supplements to help relieve common symptoms that accompany perimenopause.
We believe diet should always come first (you can't take supplements to get you out of a bad diet!), but taking supplements can help avoid deficiencies in essential nutrients that can contribute to common symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, insomnia, digestive issues, hot flashes and more.
Your diet
Your diet is extremely important for providing key nutrients that allow your hormones to work for you, not against you. The best way to fuel your hormones is to avoid processed foods, eat nutrient dense foods with good quality protein, healthy fats, low glycemic carbohydrates, and plenty of vegetables.
So why do we need dietary supplements?
Your diet may not be as nutrient dense as you would like, especially if you eat a lot of refined carbohydrates, bad fats, processed foods or alcohol.
Food processing, pesticides, and long-distance transportation can deplete nutrients from foods.
Today, the quality of the soil is no longer as rich as before. In fact, it contains 20% less minerals than in the 1930s (and 50% less zinc and calcium)!
We are what we absorb. Your ability to digest and absorb your food can be affected by many factors:
- low stomach acid/digestive enzymes
- food intolerances
- intestinal health (imbalances and infections)
- the stress
- hormones
- medication
- if you don't get strong sunshine all year round
- if you don't go out much
- whether you cover or stay in the shade
- whether to wear sunscreen when outdoors
- hormonal imbalances (related to perimenopause or menopause)
- inflammation
- oxidative stress
- the toxicity of certain components of our environment
- the programmed wear and tear of our body
A confusing dietary supplement market
The dietary supplement market is a minefield! Just because a product is heavily advertised or touted as "healthy" doesn't necessarily mean it's good for you!
In fact, many of these inexpensive mass-produced products are used in scientific research that concludes that taking vitamins is useless! This is often because cheap products contain cheap ingredients that may not be the best bioavailable form for the body, meaning they don't do a good job.
They often contain contaminants, cheap fillers and preservatives that you also don't want to absorb. Some even add sugar or sweeteners!
A friend (or someone on a forum) may swear by a product that worked for her, but may not work for you. Or worse, it can be harmful if you are on medication or have a medical condition. If you are concerned, always consult your doctor or seek qualified advice from a nutritionist or naturopath. Also read this article for guidelines for taking common medications and dietary supplements.
What are the best dietary supplements?
Unfortunately, there are very few "effective single formulas" for dietary supplements. Your genetics, your symptoms, your background, your biochemistry, your diet and lifestyle, your potential hormonal imbalance, and of course the medications you take all depend on a lot of factors.
However, we recommend some basic dietary supplements for women over 40, as most can safely take them (please consult your doctor if you are taking medication or have a diagnosed medical condition) .
Our Top 5 Core Supplements
Based on our clinical studies, here are, in general, our top five essential dietary supplements for women over 40:
A good multivitamin/mineral.
Unless you're being tested for every nutrient you need, a good quality multi is your go-to insurance policy! But I don't recommend just any multi from the supermarket. You should ensure that it contains good amounts of all B vitamins in the most absorbable form and all essential minerals, including zinc, selenium and iron (if you are still menstruating).
Vitamin D3 with K2
Unless you live in the sun all year round and expose your skin to it, you will need a vitamin D supplement. We know that vitamin D is essential for bone health, but it is also a regulator vital to the immune system, as well as beneficial for mood, heart health, hormones, and more. But it doesn't work on its own: it needs magnesium, vitamin K2 and other nutrients that you'll find in your multi.
Vitamin C
As well as fighting infection and supporting the immune system, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which means it prevents too much oxidative stress, thereby protecting our cells and DNA from damage. It is necessary for the production of collagen, the main component of skin, bones and connective tissue, and it helps the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.
Omega 3 fish oil
If you're not eating oily fish at least three times a week, you're probably not getting enough omega-3 fats. They're not called "essential fats" for nothing! They are essential for the structure of your cell membranes and for reducing inflammation. They play an important role in reducing the risk of arthritis, heart disease, and brain and mood disorders. There are many fish oils, but many are contaminated with heavy metals or have gone rancid. It is really important to buy a good quality brand.
Magnesium
Your all-purpose hormone saviour! Magnesium is responsible for over 300 different enzymatic reactions in the body, including energy production, adrenal gland support, heart and bone health. It is the mineral of relaxation, ideal to fight against stress and muscular contractions, and it can be useful against pain.
With love, The Laboratoires üma team.
