Guide To Vitamins In Your 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s
Supplementing with vitamins and other essential micronutrients is a great way to ensure you’re supporting your health and wellbeing, but the needs of your body change as you grow, and you if you’re going to maintain an optimal level of health, you need to know exactly which vitamins you should be taking at each age.
In this guide, we’re going to be telling you which vitamins you should be taking in your 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, to support your mental and physical wellbeing in the best way possible.
So, let’s dive right in and get bettering your health now!
The Most Important Thing To Know: Supplements Don’t Replace Balance Diets
Before we take a look at the different types of vitamins that can support you, it’s important to take a moment to say that vitamins and other supplements should not and cannot replace fresh, balanced diets. Fresh foods are not only bursting with essential micronutrients that your body and mind needs to function optimally, but a balanced diet will support your health in so many aspects that supplements alone can’t.
When it comes to taking supplements, you should think of them as exactly what they’re intended to be: a supplement to your diet. However, ensuring you have a balanced diet that explores food freedom (link food freedom article) and provides you with macro and micro nutrients that you need to thrive is the first step in supporting your health!
Additionally, it’s important to note that a large majority of the vitamins and other micronutrients that are mentioned within this article can be found in naturally occurring substances and wholefoods. So, if you’re looking to add more of a certain vitamin or micronutrient into your diet, you may want to look at how you can naturally add this into your diet first before deciding to add it as a supplement into your diet!
Vitamins and Supplements In Your 20s
Generally, your 20s are a time of both big change and big energy. There’s a lot to deal with as you grow through your twenties and both your body and mind are likely working overtime. So, you need to support it to keep it as healthy as possible. These 4 vitamins and supplements are great for your 20s:
Vitamin B Complex
B vitamins help the body to take energy from the food you consume and increase the production of red blood cells, whilst also supporting cognitive function and reducing the likelihood of infections. B vitamins can also be especially useful at supporting the overall health of those that are on birth control since contraceptives can often reduce the availaibiility of B vitamins in the body.
Folic Acid
Whether or not you are planning to have children, folic acid is an importnat supplement to take during your 20s since it helps the body produce and maintain new cells and can prevent radical change that may cause cancer and other serious illnesses. Additionally, if you are planning to get pregnant (regardless of when that is), folic acid may be even more important since it can help to reduce the likelihood of neural tube defects in babies during pregnancy.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an important vitamin to take during your 20s since research shows that most women in their 20s don’t consume enough of it - it’s vital in improving energy levels, combatting depression and anxiety, reducing PMS symtpoms, and providing anti-inflammatory benefits.
Iron
Iron is essential for growth, development, and hormonal balance. Since menstruation can put women at risk of iron deficiency, it is an important mineral to add to your diet in your 20s, especially if you have heavy periods.
Vitamins and Supplements In Your 30s
In your 30s you might already have a supplement routine that works for you (which is great in itself - we’re here for women that know themselves and their bodies!), but these 4 vitamins and supplements may help support your wellbeing further:
Choline
Regardless of whether or not you plan to have children, your 30s are biologically seen as the “childbearing years” and therefore your body tends to change and need further support. Choline can help to support early development of fetuses and since not enough is naturally produced in the liver, it may be important for you to add this into your diet.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an incredibly important role in boosting the mood and reducing the risk of depression, whilst also helping support the immune system and a whole host of other important functions within the body. If you don’t live in a particularly sunny climate, supplementing with vitamin D may be essential!
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that supports healthy skin by promoting the production of collagen, the levels of which start to reduce when you hit 30. Additionally, vitamin C supports the immune system and can help with combatting illnesses and infections.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant that reduces levels of oxidative stress within the body. It’s also an essential vitamin to reproduction, blood health, and cognitive function. Additionally, it also supports the health of the skin and can prevent scars.
Vitamins and Supplements In Your 40s
Generally, there may be quite a lot of change occurring within the body in your 40s and therefore, you may need to take a little more of a hands-on routine when it comes to supplementing with vitamins and micronutrients. Here are 4 vitamins and supplements that may be great to supplement in your 40s:
Calcium
Although calcium is typically an important supplement for all ages, it’s incredibly important after the age of 40, especially if your diet is deficient in calcium. Calcium supports the health of the bones and can even reduce the risk of heart disease and cardiovascular related illnesses.
Vitamin D
As mentioned above, vitamin D is an essential vitamin that boosts mood, reduces the risk of mental illnesses, and supports the immune system amongst a whole host of other benefits. Absorption of vitamin D decreases after the age of 40 and therefore it’s important to ensure you’re getting enough of it during your 40s, meaning you may want to supplement with it.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids, which can either be consumed through the diet or in commonly known fish oil supplements, help to improve energy levels, boost the immune system, and can even reduce the likelihood of psychological symptoms caused by perimenopause and menopause.
Vitamin B Complex
As well as the benefits mentioned above in relation to B vitamins, these vitamins also support metabolism which can be incredibly beneficial to those in their 40s - typically, metabolism starts to slow in the late 40s. Therefore, you may want to increase your vitamin B complex intake.
Vitamins and Supplements In Your 50s
In your 50s, you’ll likely have your supplement routine perfected. But, if you aren’t including these vitamins and supplements below, then you need to give it a little update! Here are 4 vitamins and supplements that can support your health and wellbeing in your 50s and beyond:
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 supports the production of red blood cells and DNA whilst also supporting cognitive function and the development of nerve cells. Since vitamin B12 absorption decreases with age, taking a vitamin B12 supplement may be essential in your 50s and beyond to ensure you don’t suffer from a B12 deficiency.
Turmeric
Although technically not a vitamin, turmeric is a potent herbal supplement that can help to provide the body and mind with antioxidants. Turmeric also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and can support joint, cardiovascular, and brain health.
Vitamin K2
Vitamin K2 is a powerful vitamin that helps to not only decrease the likelihood of age-related bone mineral density that can lead to issues such as osteoporosis, but it’s also powerful at improving cognitive function, heart health and mobility.
Calcium
Estrogen production drops after menopause and therefore the risk of osteoporosis increases due to the faster breakdown of bone strength. Therefore, supplementing with calcium can help women in their over 50s to support the preservation of bone mass and lower the likelihood of such conditions.
Now Is The Time To Start Supplementing!
Regardless of the age you are, there’s no better time to start supplementing with essential vitamins and micronutrients than right now. Hopefully, you’re ready to start adding a few supplements into your diet, or maybe you’re simply keen to head to the health food shop and learn more.
Either way, just make sure you’re supporting your health and wellbeing in a way that feels good for you, your body, and your mind and don’t hold yourself back from seeking support and advice if you need it - we’re all working on our wellbeing together in our own ways!
Disclaimer: this article is here for educational purposes only and we are not giving active advice. You should always seek the advice and support of medical professionals if you have queries about your health or want to change your lifestyle dramatically.
