In 2021, Grand View Research reported the global dietary supplement market was worth $151.9 billion with an expected 8.9% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) from 2022 to 2030. The key driving factor for supplements is the hectic lifestyles of increasingly educated consumers.
With the information age, consumers better understand the required nutritional components for long-term health. And the convenience of supplements helps them meet the gap between their knowledge and time constraints.
Women make up a unique portion of these consumers. Twenty years of National Marketing Institute (NMI) data indicates women believe in and are committed to taking personal responsibility for healthy aging. According to NMI’s data, 78% of women “believe they can handle their health issues and medical conditions through proper nutrition.”
There is substantial room for supplements to support women health’s, given only 38% of women surveyed by NMI rated their health as excellent or very good. That is a 40% gap between believing nutrition can handle their health issues and considering themselves in the upper echelons of health.
Good nutrition plays a powerful role in energy levels, healthy aging, weight maintenance, and overall wellbeing. Women benefit from targeted supplements considering their nutritional needs change over time based on age, pregnancy, and other parameters that fluctuate over their lifespan.
Supplements Targeted for Women
When it comes to their health, NMI’s data shows women want:
Energy to remain active.
To lose weight. Women know excess weight is associated with diabetes, arthritis, heart issues, and other diseases.
To not burden others with their care.
Women are turning to supplements as an effortless proactive approach to help achieve these goals and support a healthy lifestyle.
Note: Simply taking multivitamins will not offset bad eating or unhealthy lifestyle choices. However, the majority of Americans should take a daily multivitamin to fill nutrition gaps. The 2015-2020 US Dietary Survey finds US eating habits provide insufficient levels of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E.
Best Supplements for Women of All Ages
Regular exercise with a nutritious diet promotes healthy living. However, many women live hectic lives and/or seek additional preventative strategies to age gracefully. Surveys and studies indicate the best supplements for women include calcium, vitamin D, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, probiotics, and antioxidants.
Calcium: The most important nutrient supplement for healthy aging for women is calcium (especially for children and teenagers). Why? By age 23, a woman has already hit her peak bone mass, meaning her bones are as strong as they ever will be in her lifetime.
Bone loss accelerates with the declining estrogen levels of menopause. However, studies indicate that a slight increase (10%) in peak bone mass reduces the risk of age-related osteoporotic fractures by 50%. Calcium builds healthy bones, and strong bones mean greater mobility and independence with advancing age.
Recommended daily calcium intake is 1,000 mg for women and 1,200 mg for women over age 71.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D supports nerve messaging, strong bones, and immune health. The body garners vitamin D from adequate sun exposure or from consuming fatty fish or fortified foods. Vitamin D deficiency risks go up with factors that reduce the body’s ability to manufacture it from the cholesterol in the skin. These factors include age, obesity, darker skin tones, the latitude of residence (> 34° North or South of the equator), and sunscreen application.
Using blood serum markers, the 2003 & 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimate that 17% to 8% of the US population is either vitamin D inadequate or deficient. In addition, studies indicate Vitamin D supplementation may lower the risk of upper respiratory infections and help reduce the severity of COVID-19.
The recommended daily amount is 600 IU for adults and 800 IU for adults over age 71.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Numerous research studies indicate fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids support infant cognitive development, adult cognitive aging, and healthy joints. In addition, they help reduce triglycerides levels (stroke risk). The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fatty fish every week. Supplementation is recommended for those not consuming fatty fish.
Adequate daily intake of Omega-3 fatty acids is 1.1 g for women and 1.4 g for pregnant women.
Probiotics: Recent studies link gut microbial with overall health. Besides digestive health, the gut microbiome affects mood, lipid profile, immune system, and inflammation-related issues involving bowels, skin, and other allergies.
For women, probiotic supplements are of particular interest. Studies show probiotics support balances vaginal microflora to reduce urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and pre-term delivery.
Antioxidants - Vitamin C & Vitamin E: Free radicals are the byproduct of metabolic functioning that converts food to usable energy. When free radicals are out of balance with antioxidants, it puts the body into oxidative stress, damaging DNA, lipids, and proteins. Years of oxidative stress are the underlying cause of many diseases, including diabetes, inflammatory disorders, cardiovascular disease, cognitive diseases, chronic fatigue, and more.
Foods and supplements rich in antioxidants chemically counter free radicals. Vitamin C & E are potent antioxidants for healthy aging.
Best Supplements for Women in Child-bearing Years
The child-bearing years are from puberty to menopause. Women in the child-bearing years have particular nutritional needs as their bodies ebb and flow with menstrual cycles, pregnancies, and lactation. Special consideration should be given to supplementing with folic acid, iron, and magnesium.
Folic Acid: The number 1 vitamin for all women of child-bearing years is folic acid. Folic acid is also referred to as folate or vitamin B9. Folic acid is required for cell division and DNA replication. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) urges all women of child-bearing age to consume 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Folic acid consumption before becoming pregnant and in the first few months of pregnancy helps prevent brain and spinal birth defects.
Iron: Sufficient levels of iron are critical for hemoglobin formation and proper cell oxygenation. Menstruation and pregnancy strain the body to replace or generate new red blood cells.
The recommended daily amount for teen girls is 15 mg; for women (19-50 years old), 18 mg; and for pregnant women, 27 mg.
Magnesium: Magnesium is widely used throughout the body and participates in over 300 enzyme reactions. For women, magnesium and calcium play essential roles in the menstrual cycle. Studies indicate low magnesium levels negatively affect cardiovascular health, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, menstrual migraines, and menopause symptoms.
Dietary surveys indicate at least half of the US population has a dietary intake of magnesium below recommended amounts. The daily recommended amount for women is 320 mg; for pregnant women, 360 mg.
Best Supplements for Women Over 40
Many of the above supplements apply to women in their 40s as their body shifts into perimenopause. After 40 aches and pains seem to surface earlier and stay longer. The best additional general supplement for women over 40 is turmeric.
Turmeric: The curcumin in turmeric (paired with black pepper or some lipids to increase bioavailability) has been clinically shown to reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis, inflammation, and general pain due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies involving healthy adult participants found curcumin supplementation improved blood serum and saliva markers for triglycerides, inflammation, stress, liver function, and amyloid plaque (aging brain).
The recommended dosage is 500 mg taken twice a day.
Best Supplements for Women Over 50
With age, the body does not make or absorb vitamin B12, vitamin D, or melatonin as well as it once did. For women over age 50, these supplements can help energize and support healthy aging.
Vitamin B12: The B Vitamins help metabolize food into usable energy. Vitamin B12 plays an additional role in cell reproduction. Low blood serum levels of vitamin B12 are linked fatigue and muscle weakness due to unhealthy and insufficient numbers of red blood cells. B12 deficiencies can also cause problems with balance, confusion, and depression.
B12 absorption goes down with age. The National Institute of Health estimates between 3% and 43% of older adults are Vitamin B12 deficient.
Recommended daily intake is 2.4 mcg for adults.
Vitamin D: As the body ages, its ability to produce vitamin D from sun exposure goes down. The need for supplementation goes up. In addition to a slight reduction in the risk of bone fractures caused by falls, vitamin D supplementation has also been clinically shown to notably help reduce falls in the first place in the elderly population.
Melatonin: A full night’s sleep is how humans refresh, heal, and reboot. The hormone melatonin promotes sleep. However, melatonin production goes down with age. For insomnia patients over age 55, significantly improved sleep quality and morning alertness were shown in a clinical trial with 2 mg melatonin supplementation over 3 weeks.
Melatonin may support postmenopausal women experiencing psychosomatic issues. Any physical symptom without medical explanation is called a psychosomatic disorder. Medical science believes these symptoms are linked to reduced estrogen levels. A year-long study found participants taking 3 mg of melatonin in the morning followed by 5 mg at bedtime had improved menopausal symptoms and reduced body mass index (BMI).
Dosages range from 0.5 mg to 5 mg, depending on individual reactions. Melatonin supplementation appears to be well tolerated without rebound or withdrawal issues.
Origin Nutraceutical Supplement Manufacturer
Origin Nutraceutical is a full-service supplement manufacturing company located in Spanish Fork, Utah. Origin knows customer service is the origin of success. Our service team is respectful and knowledgeable. We honestly and patiently answer clients’ questions and concerns.
Origin’s Research and Design (R&D) team knows the market and can guide interested parties through the custom formulation of uniquely designed dietary supplements. We produce your product at the lowest possible cost in the quickest turnaround time with our established high-quality supply chain.
We partner with other companies to take your supplement idea from conception to market. The market is waiting. Contact us today!
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