Vitamins for Over 60 Females

As women, we have a lot of different needs to men in terms of diet and supplements. But even between women, we have differing needs. Whether you're 25 or 70, things like B vitamins, antioxidants, iron, zinc, and others are all critical, but as we age, what else do we need?That's what you're going to learn in the following article.But first, let's talk about what happens as we age, because that's key to understanding why you need more of certain nutrients. First, collagen production slows, which is why we experience physical signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots. The skin also dries out because of a decrease in the production of oil that naturally keeps the skin moisturized. Organ systems slow down, meaning they don't function quite as well as they did 30 years ago. The natural wear and tear that bones and joints go through can lead to decreased range of motion, pain, inflammation, and bone loss.

Vision loss may also creep in, along with increased difficulty with night vision and colour perception. Digestion impairment may occur because of a decrease in the enzymes needed to break down and absorb food. And of course, the risk for age-related diseases like Alzheimer's increases.Now, depending on your lifestyle, you still may kick in top gear, and few of these apply to you, but most of them are a natural and inevitable part of the aging process.But regardless of whether you've hit these points, the good news is that you can take preventative measures to help decrease the impact of aging on your body. How is this done? You ask. With supplements! 

If you're looking to get your daily dose of essential vitamins and minerals with ease, then the best multivitamin for women has you covered.

And if you choose a multivitamin with biotin and other fundamental nutrients, that's even better!

Here are the top 5 nutrients every woman over 60 needs:

1. Zinc

Zinc is a nutrient that you should take, regardless of your age. But once you surpass 60, zinc becomes that much more critical. That's because of its role in the immune system and stimulating the immune and antioxidant defences against aging and age-related diseases like atherosclerosis, degenerative diseases of the nervous system, immunosenescence, cancer, diabetes, and age-related macular degenerative disease [1, 2]. As we all know, the immune system can take a hit as we age, which means you're more susceptible to illness and infection.

But why zinc is so important is because it regulates both the adaptive and innate immune responses, while also decreasing levels of inflammation. It also plays a vital role in the thymus's function—the gland that releases immune cells.

A deficiency in zinc has been linked to a decrease in the production of the thymic hormone thymuline, which is required for the maturation of T cells [3]. A zinc deficiency has also been linked to things like cerebral aging, depression, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's [3].And did you also know that there are over 300 enzymes in the body that contain zinc? It's used either directly in catalysis, as a cofactor, or for structural stabilization [4]. So, with inadequate zinc levels, you're further contributing to a decreased functionality of nearly every system in the body.

2. EFAs

Did you know that the brain is the most energy-demanding of all organs in the human body, accounting for 2.3% of total body weight, but 23% of the body's energy use? And over 60% of the brain is composed of phospholipids [5].

So, it only makes sense that adequate intake of fat supports proper brain function and health. And those fats are EFAs—omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

EFAs play an essential structural role in brain tissue, especially in cell membranes, making them a must for preventing cognitive decline as we age.

Adequate intake of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids support two specific structures in the brain: the neuronal membrane, which comprises about 50% fatty acids (FAs), and the myelin sheath, which make up about 70% FAs.

Studies show that EFAs can mediate immunological function is several disorders, including Alzheimer's and schizophrenia [6].

Not only that, but EFAs are also involved in the synthesis and process of brain neurotransmitters. These regulate mood, while also forming part of molecules of the immune system.

But the tricky thing with EFAs is that the body can't produce them, so you have to get them through diet or supplementation.

Studies show that supplementing with fatty acids can reduce the risk of impaired cognitive function, as well as decrease the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease [6].

3. Collagen

Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body, and it plays a significant role in the health of connective tissues; this includes bones, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and skin [7].

And as we know, connective tissue health declines and they become less functional as we age. How do you prevent that? Collagen. Endogenous synthesis of collagen declines by approximately 1% every year beginning at the ripe age of 20, so by the time you're 60, the amount of collagen your body is producing is substantially less. Hence why we see bone and joint health decline, our skin sags and wrinkles develop, and we're overall more fragile than we used to be.

But adding a daily dose of collagen to your diet can help maintain the health and strength of connective tissues in your body. And if that's not enough, collagen also contains a whack of protein, which can help to reverse age-related muscle loss.

4. Vitamin D3 + K2

Vitamin D is pretty much the superwoman of all vitamins. It has roles in immunity, mood, bone health, inflammation, reproduction, glucose control, among others.

But when it comes to aging, vitamin D plays an increasingly important role in keeping your bones healthy and preventing injuries. Because women are more susceptible to bone loss after menopause, adequate vitamin D levels help to maintain levels of calcium and phosphate in the body.

Vitamin D controls the absorption of calcium in the gut, stimulates osteoclast differentiation and calcium reabsorption of bone, and promotes mineralization of the collagen matrix—all of which work together to keep bones strong [8]. A deficiency of vitamin D impairs calcium absorption. It causes calcium to be mobilized from bone, decreasing the strength of bones and increasing the risk of bone fractures and injuries, as well as developing osteoporosis [9]. Along with vitamin D, we also have vitamin K2, which plays a central role in calcium metabolism and functions synergistically with vitamin D. That's because we need vitamin D for the production of vitamin K-dependent proteins.

These regulate the activity of matrix Gla protein (MGP) and osteocalcin (bone Gla protein) [10], while MGP functions as an inhibitor of vascular mineralization.

It also plays a role in bone organization, while osteocalcin has a minor role in bone health, but also controls physiological pathways similar to endocrine hormones [11].

5. Vitamin E and C

Fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, scars, and sagging skin are one of the telltale signs of aging. And let's be honest, every woman wants to avoid them at all costs and keep their skin smooth, taut, and radiant.

How do we do that? Antioxidants. They function to fight damage caused by free-radicals; free-radicals damage the DNA of cells and speed up aging. Vitamin C and E function synergistically to neutralize free radicals by donating an electron to make them stable, reducing their ability to damage cells.

Also, Vitamin C is a necessary part of collagen synthesis, and as we discussed before, we need collagen to support the health of connective tissues [12]. But they're not just useful for keeping your skin looking youthful; antioxidants also help to fight obesity, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cancer [13, 14].

So, if you want to stop free radicals in their tracks and prevent aging, you need to be consuming an abundance of antioxidants daily.Whether you get these nutrients from food or supplements, you must consume them daily to help reduce the effects of aging on the body.