Women Can't Always Get What They Want, But They Can Get What They Need Nutritionally

Calcium. Calcium reduces the risk of bone loss and prevents osteoporotic fractures in the future. The risk of hip and non-vertebral fractures are also reduced, especially when Vitamin D is added. Calcium is also helpful in lowering the risk of high blood pressure and colon cancer. For women of childbearing age, the recommended daily intake is 1000 mg from food and supplements. The recommended daily intake increases to 1200 to 1500 mg for women over 50 years old and to 2000 mg for breastfeeding women.

Folic Acid. Women planning to have children should ensure their multivitamin-multimineral supplement includes folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects or other poor outcomes of pregnancy. Folic acid has also been shown to be helpful in lowering the risk of breast and colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease. The recommended daily intake for women of childbearing age and women over 65 years old is 400 mg from food and supplements. This recommendation increases to 600 mcg for pregnant women.

Iron. Iron is an essential component of many proteins and enzymes, and it plays a key role in oxygen transport and energy metabolism. Women can lose iron through menstruation, especially if their menstrual bleeding is prolonged or especially heavy. The recommended daily dose for menstruating women is 18 mg from food and supplements. Post-menopausal women should not consume supplemental iron unless there is an established iron deficiency due to a possible link between excess iron and coronary heart disease.

Vitamin A. “Vitamin A” represents several related compounds involved in low-light vision, protein synthesis and cell differentiation, and immune function. Many foods are fortified with pre-formed vitamin A (retinol); therefore, women who take a daily multivitamin-multimineral and eat fortified foods may be at risk of getting too much vitamin A. Excess retinol is associated with an increased risk of birth defects (at amounts greater than 3,000 mcg/day or 10,000 IU/day) and with osteoporosis. Vitamin A from beta-carotene (a provitamin A carotenoid) does not pose the same risks. Given this information, it is recommended that non-pregnant women take a multivitamin-multimineral supplement that provides no more than 1) 2,500 IU of vitamin A, or 2) 5,000 IU of vitamin A with at least 50 percent from beta-carotene. Pregnant women should avoid supplements containing more than 1,500 mcg (5,000 IU) of vitamin A.

Vitamin D. Vitamin D is a key player in calcium balance, cell differentiation, and immunity, but most women (and men) do not get enough due to lack of sun, dark skin, use of sunscreen, aging, fat malabsorption, or obesity. It is recommended that healthy adults take 2000 IU (50 mcg) of supplemental Vitamin D daily. Most multivitamin-multimineral supplements contain only 400 IU, making it necessary to take a separate Vitamin D supplement to satisfy the recommendation.

• Love To Know: Tips For Choosing the Best Multivitamin
• Women's Health: Get The Best Multivitamins
• Micronutrient Information Center: Linus Pauling Institute
• “Nutrition Insurance Policy: A Daily Multivitamin.” The Nutrition Source, Harvard School of Public Health.
• Healthnotes: “What Makes a Good Multivitamin?”