The benefits of vitamin D for women are numerous. You may already know that vitamin D has an important role for healthy bones and teeth. But not only that, vitamin D is also useful for reducing the risk of various kinds of dangerous diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
Meeting the daily needs of vitamin D can be felt by women until they enter old age. Not only prevent osteoporosis, but can also help reduce the risk of health problems when entering menopause.
Benefits of vitamin D for women
Vitamin D is needed by people of all genders and ages. Vitamin D deficiency has even been linked to an increased risk of various dangerous diseases.
For women, the need for vitamin D can be very important at certain times. For example, during pregnancy or when going into menopause. The following are a series of benefits of vitamin D that can be beneficial for women:
Maintain bone health
Vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of fractures, bone pain, and osteomalacia (softening of the bones). The risk will increase when women enter menopause, because at this age, women will need more vitamin D intake
The recommended dose of vitamin D for women ages 19 to 50 is 600 IU per day. While women 50 years and older should aim for 800 IU per day.
Having bone disorders can reduce the quality of life. In menopausal women who are deficient in vitamin D, even a slight impact from a fall that is not too severe can cause a bone to break. This will certainly interfere with mobility and affect a person’s ability to meet their daily needs.
Good for maintaining pregnancy
The benefits of vitamin D for women will also be felt by pregnant women. Vitamin D can make the metabolism and absorption of calcium in the body more effective, and as is known, pregnant women need more calcium than adult women in general.
Vitamin D is also important for pregnant women because a lack of this vitamin during pregnancy can increase the risk of developing preeclampsia, a condition that raises blood pressure in pregnant women which is dangerous for the fetus. Thus, pregnant women need to meet the needs of vitamin D, both naturally from food and the sun, as well as from supplements.
The benefits of vitamin D also don’t just stop at the mother, but will also be felt by the fetus. The reason, this vitamin is important to support fetal bone growth.
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Women who have entered menopause have a higher risk of heart disease. The reason is because at this age, the production of the hormone estrogen will decrease. In fact, estrogen is important to maintain the flexibility of blood vessels.
Menopause will also cause various other changes in the body, such as an increase in blood pressure and thickening of artery walls. This makes the risk of cardiovascular disease including the risk of heart disease will increase. To be able to keep the risk low, one of the keys is to eat nutritious foods, including foods that contain vitamin D.
Vitamin D is considered good for preventing heart disease, but more research is needed to be sure. On the other hand, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is much better to always be able to meet your vitamin D needs.
Reduce the risk of obesity
Research shows that women who are overweight tend to have lower levels of vitamin D. However, until now it is still unclear whether vitamin D deficiency contributes to obesity or vice versa? It’s just that, given the many benefits of vitamin D for women, of course you should always meet their needs. What’s more, when entering menopause a woman’s metabolism changes and makes it easier for the body to gain weight. Especially two years before your last period to two years after. This condition can be worse if you are also deficient in vitamin D.
Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
Low levels of vitamin D will cause a decrease in insulin release by the body, insulin resistance and increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes. With adequate intake, vitamin D not only helps a woman’s body to use insulin more effectively, but also prevents and lowers the risk of diabetes.
There are many studies that show a link between vitamin D and the prevention of various types of cancer, especially breast and colon cancer. Adequate vitamin D is not only beneficial in reducing cancer risk, but can also reduce cancer growth.
In addition to the conditions mentioned above, adequate vitamin D is also beneficial for preventing depression, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle weakness, multiple sclerosis and a number of other health problems.
How to meet the needs of vitamin D for women
To get the benefits of vitamin D for women, you must be able to meet their needs every day. There are several things you can do, including:
- Do regular physical activity indoors and outdoors to maintain a healthy weight.
- Get sun exposure by sunbathing about 10 to 15 minutes per day
- Eat foods rich in vitamin D, such as fatty fish (salmon or tuna), fish liver oil, beef liver, cheese and egg yolks
- Eat foods that have been fortified with vitamin D, such as margarine or low-fat milk fortified with vitamin D.
- Take vitamin D supplements if needed
The type of vitamin D supplement used is also important to note. Many health care providers prefer the use of vitamin D3. Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, it’s best to take vitamin D with foods that contain at least some fat.
That’s the benefits of vitamin D for women and how to get it. It is better to consult a health professional before deciding to take supplements. Your doctor can suggest the dose of vitamin D you need and how best to get it.