Menopause marks a significant transition in a woman’s life, bringing a myriad of physical and hormonal changes. While this is a natural stage in every woman’s life, its accompanying symptoms and health implications can vary widely, from hot flashes, mood swings, and difficulty sleeping to increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. In the midst of these transitions, a nutritious diet plays a crucial role, and supplements can lend a major helping hand in ensuring you’re fitting in all of the nutrients your body needs every day. By incorporating targeted supplements into your daily routine, you can alleviate symptoms, support bone health, and optimize overall well-being during this transformative phase.
But what are some of the best supplements out there to do just that? To find out, we spoke to Heather Hirsch, MD, a Board Certified Internist specializing in Menopause. She sheds light on the top three supplements crucial for menopausal women’s health: Calcium with vitamin D, multivitamins, and magnesium with ashwagandha. Discover the benefits of each below.
1. Calcium with Vitamin D
For starters, Dr. Hirsch emphasizes the critical role of taking a calcium supplement that includes vitamin D, particularly for women experiencing menopause. "Especially for patients who have stopped making estrogen or are closer to the decline of estrogen, it’s so important to take calcium with vitamin D," she tells us.
As estrogen declines, Dr. Hirsch explains, "The bone quality is going to decrease. The bones are going to thin." That's why she recommends New Chapter’s Bone Strength Take Care Slim Tablets, citing their efficacy in combating these issues.
"It’s so easy to forget about our bone health," she says, but its crucial not to overlook this area of your health as you age. With osteoporotic fractures affecting 1 in 2 women—"That’s going to land a healthy woman in a nursing home," she warns—prioritizing bone health becomes imperative.
In addition to New Chapter's supplements (which we love), other options include Nature Made Calcium with Vitamin D3, Care/of Calcium Plus, and Garden of Life mykind Organics Plant Calcium. Of course, it's always good to get ample calcium in your diet, too.
2. Multivitamin
Dr. Hirsch also recommends incorporating a multivitamin into your daily regimen, advocating for simplicity and effectiveness. "I recommend a multivitamin in the morning. New Chapter’s Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin has 20 essential vitamins and nutrients," she says.
As Dr. Hirsch notes, your supplement routine doesn't have to be over-complicated. "I see patients a lot complicating it with a whole list of supplements, but I’m a big fan of having one standard vitamin," she tells us. This streamlines supplementation, ensuring the intake of essential nutrients without an overwhelming load.
Along with New Chapter, other good multivitamins include Ritual's Essential Multivitamin and Nature Made's Multivitamin.
3. Magnesium and Ashwagandha
Dr. Hirsch also praises the benefits of magnesium and ashwagandha during menopause, particularly emphasizing their role in promoting quality sleep. "I’m the biggest fan of magnesium and ashwagandha," she says. "It’s not necessarily for everyone, but it’s so healthy for sleep."
Sleep is crucial to your health. "If we maintain good sleep, we’re going to maintain such better health. We’re going to maintain better function, cognitive function, mood, metabolism, so many things," Dr. Hirsch stresses. However, it can be difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night as you navigate menopause. In addition to taking other measures, a great supplement like New Chapter's Magnesium + Ashwagandha Tablets can help along the way.
Although there aren't many brands out there that combine these two great allies in one simple supplement, there are many separate magnesium and ashwagandha supplements to choose from. Natural Vitality's Calm Magnesium Citrate Supplement and Moon Juice's Magnesi-om are two popular options if you're looking for a powder you can mix into a relaxing tonic. Nature Made and Goli are good choices for ashwagandha. But if you want the two-in-one, look no further than New Chapter!
Bottom line
As you navigate menopause, there are many steps you can take to keep your health, wellbeing, and comfort in the best shape possible. Among these steps, prioritizing supplementation tailored to your unique needs can be a game-changer. Taking Dr. Hirsch's advice and adding these three supplements to your routine is a great place to start.
READ MORE: 4 Simple Dietary Changes Experts Say You Should Make If You Want To Lose Weight During Menopause
