Introduction

Public health messages rarely emphasize the particular nutritional needs of women, and especially how they vary over the course of a lifetime. Physical and physiological transitions in the female body demand speNutritional needs of women cific nutritional support, such as during menstruation cycles, vary over the course of pregnancy and lactation, or as we transition into menopause a lifetime. Physical and and beyond. All these are natu ral life events. physiological transitions in Many women think a good diet is the female body demand sufficient for health. Of course, healthy dietary habits are the specific nutritional basis of health; however, not everyone can consume freshlysupport, such as during harvested organic produce at all times. For most people, food selection varies. Thanks to admenstruation cycles, vances in agriculture and food processing, our diet is calorie pregnancy and lactation, or sufficient, but it often lacks vitamins, minerals and other transition into menopause micronutrients – the essential elements of health. Given the difand beyond. ficulties in adapting our diets to meet the body’s fluctuating demands for specific vitamins and other nutrients, nutritional supplementation is a viable solution.

We focus here on the importance of micronutrients throughout the course of women’s lives. The vital role of vitamins for health was recognized decades ago, but we have since learned much more about the health benefits of natural compounds, minerals and other nutrients. All these nutrients are necessary to support multiple functions in our body, such as enzymatic activity, biological communications within and outside of cells, and the provision of the building components of biological structures. Daily micronutrient intake, in sufficient quantities, is critical for maintaining hormonal balance and optimum immunity, protecting cells against damage, supporting normal functions of our body organs, mental health and much more. Which micronutrients we need, and in what quantities, varies with age and our body status.

Public information sources advise higher intakes of vitamins D, C, calcium, and zinc at certain life stages and support dietary supplementation to meet these needs. However, they fail to inform us that individual nutrients inside our bodies do not work in isolation. Rather, they interact with each other in a variety of nutritional cycles at the cellular level. A vitamin or mineral, in excess, can shift the metabolic balance and mask deficiency of other nutrients. Hence, the proper selection, doses and combination of micronutrients are critical for achieving desired health effects.

The information presented here is based on our own research conducted at the Dr. Rath Research Institute, the pioneering institution in developing micronutrient synergies for various aspects of human health. Our team of scientists, with expertise in a wide range of scientific fields, has

been working on designing and testing the most effective combinations of micronutrients that can help in addressing common health challenges facing women.

We share this knowledge with women of all ages to empower them to stay healthy. This will help them to pay attention to their body’s needs at important biological stages and alleviate the impact of health issues that disproportionately impact upon women.

The Dr. Rath Research Institute has been working on designing and testing the most effective combinations of micronutrients that can help in meeting important health challenges facing women.