Essential Vitamins for Women

Today’s women are more health-conscious than ever before. They are eating better & working out harder, however the subject of supplementation is still somewhat misunderstood. Women of every age, weight and activity level need to consume a wide variety of vitamins to have optimal health and prevent different types of health problems. Vitamins are organic compounds that help different parts of the body function properly and a deficiency of any can contribute to some serious health problems.

It’s believed that around 30% of women are deficient in one or more of the most important vitamins or minerals. Today’s food simply doesn’t have the vitamins and nutrients it once did – the required 6 servings of fruit and vegetables a day has more than doubled to get the same nutrients in the last 20 years.

Absorption of supplements has become increasingly difficult for most people due to compromised digestive health & poor quality oral supplements. So how are you supposed to get all the vitamins you need if you cant absorb them? Enter intravenous (IV) therapy, this process bypasses the digestive system, which can render some substances inactive due to poor gut health.

With IV Therapy your body is not burdened with processing unnecessary ingredients or converting synthetic compounds. By bypassing the gut, IV therapy allows for direct delivery of nutrients at the cellular level. What you put in your body controls how your cells function at the cellular level, and when your cells are working properly, your organs are working properly, and when your organs are working properly and optimally, your overall health improves.

I never recommend any health products or services unless I’ve tried them for myself. In October 2017, I decided to see if intravenous vitamin therapy, also known as “vitamin infusions” or “drips” lived up to the hype and headed down to The Elixir Clinic in Dubai for a test run. I had the VIP Elixir VitaDrip – a cocktail containing B-Complex (B1, B2), B5, B6, B12, Vitamin C, Glutathione, L-Carnitine, Magnesium, Selenium and Zinc. I was under the impression after the VitaDrip I would feel ready to run through walls but it was quite the opposite; I felt completely relaxed and quite drowsy. High doses of Vitamin C & Magnesium will drop your cortisol (stress hormone) so low you could sleep standing up, hence my feeling of complete relaxation. I went to bed early that night and normally, I get between 5-7 hours of sleep but that night I slept 9 undisturbed hours! That feeling the nurse described to me, of being ready to run through walls, was apparent when I woke up – boundless energy. I hit the gym and crushed an amazing workout

I’ve spent time and money improving my digestive health so to properly absorb nutrients and minerals and have seen good results from supplements because of this, but nothing as rapid and noticeable as IV vitamin therapy. I can only imagine someone who’s health isn’t optimal must feel after a vitamin infusion! I strongly recommend you try it for yourself! I have tried the VIP Elixir, Fitness, Immunity, and Antioxidant VitaDrip so far, and I must say my favourite is the Antioxidant VitaDrip!

Key nutrients that I always recommend to my female clients:

B Complex: Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and Biotin participate in different aspects of energy production, vitamin B6 is essential for amino acid metabolism, and vitamin B12 and Folic Acid facilitate steps required for cell division. Like the other B vitamins, B12 helps with the conversion of food into energy, which makes it a great metabolic booster. Vitamin B12 is also essential for healthy skin, hair and nails because it plays a major part in cell reproduction. Vitamin B12 benefits skin health by reducing redness, dryness, inflammation and acne blemishes. It can also reduce hair breakage and help nails to become stronger.

Vitamin D is important for bone health, brain functions, preventing mood disorders and hormonal balance, since it acts very similarly to a hormone once inside the body. Both men and women are at high risks for vitamin D deficiencies since more people spend a large majority of their time indoors these days or wear sunscreen diligently when outdoors.

Vitamin C: As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C helps to defend the cells of the body against free radicals that can damage them and lead to illness, while also boosting the immune system. Vitamin C helps the hair retain moisture to prevent breakage or dryness – having hair that’s splitting or dry is a common sign of vitamin C deficiency. Iron is needed for maintaining healthy red blood cells and muscle tissue. Vitamin C has been shown to help the body absorb this important mineral more easily for better use throughout the body.

Author: Jeremy Gwyer, Men’s Health Middle East contributor and Personal Trainer