In an ideal world, we’d all get the perfect amount of nutrients straight from our diet every day. Of course, though, that isn’t the case for everyone, which is where daily supplements come in. Taking the right vitamins every day in order to make sure you’re nourishing your body with everything it needs to thrive and function properly can make all the difference in your overall health, from your heart to your brain to bones. And they can be especially helpful as we age and our body’s absorption and production of certain things begins to decline. In fact, there are two vitamins that health experts say every woman over 40 can take in order to keep their health in check: Vitamin D and B12.
To learn more about why Vitamin D and B12 are so important to our wellness as we age, we spoke to registered dietitian Catherine Gervacio, writer for Living.Fit. She gave us a rundown on how each can help promote better brain and body health. Find it all below!
1. Vitamin D
When it comes to maintaining a healthy body over 40, we can’t forget about the importance of bone health–and that’s why Vitamin D is essential. Gervacio notes that this vitamin “works with calcium to make the bones strong.” While we get it naturally from the sun and certain foods, it’s safe to say that we don’t all get as much sun exposure as we should, and, as she points out, “Dietary food sources, on the other hand, aren't efficiently absorbed by the body as compared to the sun.” For this reason, taking Vitamin D as a supplement can be extremely helpful in ensuring you’re getting enough of it. “That's why supplements are usually prescribed especially for people over 40s since there is a need for it to prevent brittle and weak bones,” Gervacio explains.
READ MORE:
3 Vitamin D-Rich Foods You Can Eat Every Day For Stronger Bones
2. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is another supplement that can do wonders for both your body and your brain. “This vitamin is essential for nerve function and it is the most commonly prescribed vitamin when people reach their 40s," Gervacio tells us. So, what exactly makes it so important as we age? She says it comes down to the fact that it helps maintain blood health and brain function: “It is needed for creating red blood cells and DNA," she explains. Deficiencies in this vitamin have been linked to issues like memory loss, inflammation, depression, and more. And while there are plenty of ways to get B12 through your diet (like fish, eggs, and fortified milks), our bodies aren’t always able to absorb it easily. “The absorption of Vitamin B12 gets less efficient as we age, so this vitamin is very important to maintain overall health,” Gervacio says. Noted!
The bottom line
Of course, there are so many vitamins and minerals that are essential to our overall health. The best thing to do in order to maintain healthy levels of nutrients is to maintain a balanced diet, and beyond that, the best supplements for you will depend on your specific needs and/or deficiencies. However, B12 and Vitamin D are two of the most important vitamins to consider as you grow older–and taking a daily supplement of each definitely won’t hurt.
READ MORE:
We Asked A Doctor About The Best Supplements To Beat Fatigue And Boost Energy
Doctors Say You Shouldn’t Waste Your Money On This One Type Of Vitamin–It’s Practically Useless!
