Rational Use of Supplements in Women Fatemeh Soleymani, Pharm.D, MPH, PhD Assistant Professor, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Distinguished from Drugs: Drug = article intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease Supplements Both intended to affect structure and function of body Drug must undergo FDA approval after clinical studies to determine effectiveness and safety Supplements = no pre-market testing
No premarket approval Manufacturer responsible for safety evaluation Supplements If Supplements contains a new ingredient: Manufacturer must submit information that ingredient can reasonably be expected to be safe within 75 days of marketing Safe = no significant risk of illness
Keep in mind that supplements are not regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, but you can often get a better quality supplement with fewer fillers and more of the key ingredient when you purchase them through a certified practitioner
Choosing dietary supplements Dietary Supplements in the Marketplace Is the quantity enough to have an effect? Is the product new to you? Consider the dose used in the study What is its bioavailability? Does the product promise too much? Who is selling the product?
Balance the rationale and intuition MAIN POINTS Tell your doctor what your doing Don t forego proven treatments Find peace with your approach
Stress can cause your body to excrete nutrients rather than using them to Stress & Nutrition of Your Body perform vital functions Stress can also cause the production of free radicals which play a role in the development of cancer, heart disease, and aging
Supplements that aid in suppressing stress Increasing serotonin levels in the brain wards off stress related symptoms like depression, irritability, and frustration. The mineral magnesium can help to regulate serotonin levels Antioxidant supplements can also break up free radicals that cause harm to your body
Rational Supplements use in Women During their lifetime, women need a variety of vitamins and minerals due to the changes occur in their body. four main periods in a woman life Childhood puberty pregnancy/lactating and postmenopausal Except for the first phase in which the same elements are needed for both men and women, for other parts of a woman life, special supplements are required.
During puberty, Iron supplements are at the top list of body requirements. Supplements in Puberty At the age of puberty, a healthful body can gain all essential vitamins and minerals through a healthy and appropriate diet, but for a woman at this period of life the demand for Iron will increase
Requirement of bigger amounts of, iron, folic acid, iodine and calcium. Pregnancy and Lactating Folic acid deficiency causes serious spinal cord formation abnormalities Iron deficiency during pregnancy and lactation threatens mothers' lives Iron supplementation should be started during pregnancy and continued till six months after giving birth Iodine and calcium should be consumed under the supervision of ones' healthcare providers. But overall body requirement for calcium and iodine will increase during the mentioned period. Consumption of some elements such as "vitamin A" should be precisely controlled. The risk of birth defects from getting too much vitamin A is the reason that pregnant women and those trying to conceive should stay away from too much "vitamin A".
FOLIC ACID It s never too early...
Which Neural Tube Defects (NTDS) are most common? Spina Bifida A condition that results when the lower part of the neural tube fails to develop properly Anencephaly A fatal condition in which the upper end of the neural tube fails to close Occulta Meningocele Myelomeningocele
All women of childbearing age minimum of 0.4 mg of folic acid daily Who should take folic acid? more for high-risk women About half of all pregnancies unplanned
women who... have a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD Who is at higher risk? have a family history of NTDs use certain anti-seizure medication have insulin-dependent diabetes been diagnosed as clinically obese abuse alcohol are of Celtic, Northern Chinese, Cree and Sikh heritage
preventing the symptoms improving health level Among the wide range of recommended Postmenopausal supplements, calcium and vitamin D are the most important ones. Other supplements such as herbal supplements are designed to reduce the symptoms such as hot flashes or mood swings.
Hormonal shifts are responsible for most Supplements You Should Be Taking After Menopause of the wonderful side effects of menopause, including an increased risk of certain diseases and conditions. When estrogen drops, the risk for osteoporosis and heart disease rises as does the tendency to suffer from symptoms such as hot flashes, mood changes, and vaginal dryness.
To combat this, vitamins and supplements can be a key component of a woman's care during and after menopause "When it comes to supplements for menopause, there isn't just one pill, It's a process. It's a complex system
You can take all the vitamins and supplements you want, but they're not Build a Foundation going to have the right effect if your gut and liver function aren't good. Start by ensuring a healthy gut by taking a probiotic
Stress, a poor diet, antibiotics, and Build a Foundation hormonal fluctuations due to menopause Probiotics will help improve bowel function, stabilize your hormones, and assist with weight loss
Women over the age of 50 have to be proactive about key vitamins and minerals Supplements You Should Be Taking After Menopause Calcium- vital for bone health 1,000 to 1,200 mg for menopausal women Vitamin D -600 IU: Vitamin D is a super-vitamin Not only is D helpful for bone health, but it also reduces the risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes, asthma, allergies, and possibly breast cancer 75% of people are deficient in Vitamin D
Omega-3s in Fish Oil 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of EPA and DHA daily Supplements You Should Be Taking After Menopause Have an effective and potent natural antiinflammatory effect that's key during menopause. It's not only helpful in terms of cardiovascular benefits and lowering triglycerides, but this powerful antioxidant also helps preserve brain function including cognitive delay, dementia, and Alzheimer's
Coenzyme Q(10) or CoQ10 is an antioxidant that helps convert food into energy and is needed for basic cell function. Supplements You Should Be Taking After Menopause It is naturally made in the body, production decreases with age. It's key for your body's energy transport system, great for cardiovascular health, and can help with hot flashes, mood swings, and depression. Studies suggest that CoQ10 may lessen cognitive decline in postmenopausal women and can be important for women taking hormone replacement therapy or blood pressure or thyroid medications.
Antioxidants Beta-carotene changes to vitamin A Helps eyesight, soft tissue, and skin Supplements You Should Be Taking After Menopause Vitamin C heals wounds and helps your body make red blood cells. Boosts levels of the brain chemical called noradrenaline, which makes you feel more alert and amps up your concentration. Studies show that when you're under a lot of stress, or as you get older, your levels of ascorbic acid go down Vitamin E Keep cells healthy Slow signs of aging Raise risk of bleeding if take too much of it every day.
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