Vitamin intake for women is more important and crucial than men?

What are Vitamins?

Vitamins are crucial nutrients that are needed by the body for proper functioning as these cannot be synthesized by our body. These are required in trace quantities and essential for both men and women because these contribute to all the metabolic processes taking place within the body. The other reason behind the essential intake of vitamins is their deficiency within the body because, when the body is deficient of vitamins, it suffers from several vitamins related disorders like scurvy, night blindness, beriberi, pellagra and much more. Thus, it becomes extremely important for us to maintain optimal levels of all the vitamins within our body, not only because these are essentially required, but also the disorders that may come up due to their deficiency.

What are the essential vitamins for the body?

The vitamins are of two types, fat soluble and water soluble.

Fat Soluble Vitamins: The fat-soluble vitamins are called so because they are soluble in fats or lipid. The vitamins that include in this category are:

 Vitamin A: It possesses antioxidant properties which help in the improvement and maintenance of vision, skin as well as the heart.

 Vitamin D: It is the sole vitamin which our body can synthesize but only on exposure to sunlight. It is required to maintain healthy bone density within our body.

 Vitamin E: it is another vitamin with anti-oxidant properties that aids in the prevention of skin aging, synthesis of red blood cells and maintenance of muscles.

 Vitamin K: It is a vitamin that helps in clotting of blood thereby preventing bleeding.

 Water Soluble Vitamins: As the name suggests, these vitamins are soluble in water and these include:

 Vitamin B-Complex: It is termed as a complex because, it comprises of eight vitamins that help in maintaining a healthy brain, muscles and aid in the prevention of birth defects during pregnancy.

 Vitamin C: This vitamin is also called ascorbic acid, which is known to prevent cold. Other than this, it also helps in reducing heart diseases, prenatal complications, and maintenance of healthy body weight.

Why are vitamins important for women than men?

Though vitamins are important for all individuals, the need is even more crucial in women because of their complex body structure and monthly cycles. Apart from the generalized benefits, vitamins have their significance on a woman's health. For instance:

• Vitamin D aids in the prevention of osteoporosis, breast, and ovarian cancer.

• Vitamin C prevents the pre-natal complications and helps in maintaining the body weight.

• Folic Acid, which is one of the vitamins from vitamin B complex, prevents neural tube defects in the fetus during pregnancy.

• Vitamin E decelerates process of skin aging.

Thus, it can be observed that these nutrients are super essential and require a close watch that they are consumed daily either through supplements or various foods.

Which vitamins are important for you depending on your age?

Age is an inevitable factor that plays a crucial role in the vitamin requirement for a woman. Each age group has its definitive vitamin requirements and indefinite quantities.

 The early twenties to early forties: Young women need strong bones and healthy build to sustain through fractures and pregnancy. Also, apart from bone health, blood health is also very important thus, the required vitamins for this age group are folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E.

 The late forties to early fifties: The middle age group suffers the degradation due to increased free radicals or oxidants within the body and loss of bone density. These are a part and parcel of age advancements. Hence, vitamin D and vitamin E are a perfect supplement for this age group.

 Fifty years and above: Postmenopausal osteoporosis is quite common within this age group. To make the condition worse, the ability of the body to self-synthesize vitamin D diminishes, the body looses the RBC, DNA, and neuron, which requires additional supplements of vitamin D and vitamin B12.

What foods to consume that are rich in vitamins?

Apart from supplements, women can consume various foods that are rich in vitamins. These foods are:

 Vitamin A: Meat, Fish and green leafy vegetables.

 Vitamin B: Complex: Whole grains, eggs, and beans.

 Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, milk, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, and much more.

 Vitamin D: Though sunlight is the prime source of vitamin D, but apart from this dairy product and fish can be consumed to suffice the daily vitamin D requirements.

 Vitamin E: Green vegetables, nuts, and oils from nuts and sunflower.

 Vitamin K: Dairy products, fish, liver, green vegetables, kiwi, grapes, and avocados.