Boost Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation for Menopause Symptom Relief

During perimenopause and after the onset of full menopause, it is highly beneficial for women to reevaluate their diets and vitamin supplementation regimen. Adequate dosages of several vitamins and minerals can help with the discomfort of many of the most common symptoms of menopause, including vaginal dryness, moodiness, and hot flashes. In addition, taking a quality multiple vitamin for menopause can help counteract some of the increased risk for development of osteoporosis and heart disease characteristic of menopause.

Average multiple vitamin supplements are generally adequate prior to perimenopause, but probably will not suffice as an appropriate vitamin for menopause. Popular multiple vitamin supplements tend to contain minimum doses of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For example, the 150 or 200 mg of calcium many brands contain is a far cry from the 1250 mg. required by women during perimenopause. For postmenopausal women, the recommended dosage jumps to 1500 mg. Vitamin E and Folic Acid can be extremely beneficial prior to and during menopause, but in accordance with the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) most supplements contain only a fraction of doctor recommended doses.

It is wise to consult with your doctor about choosing a multiple vitamin for menopause or premenopause as soon as you begin experiencing signs or symptoms. The following are general guidelines outlining some of the benefits vitamin supplements may offer menopausal women, and at what dosages they may be most effective.

Vitamin A: 4,000 to 10,000 IUs daily helps prevent vaginal dryness; deters infections; boosts collagen levels for skin and bone health

B Vitamins: 50 mg. B-complex daily helps boost energy levels; prevents vaginal dryness; prevents water retention; deters infections; helps relieve emotional symptoms (mood swings, anxiety, etc.)

Vitamin C: 500 to 1000 mg. daily helps alleviate vaginal dryness; reduce hot flashes; prevent infections; boosts collagen levels for skin and bone health; promotes heart health; helps relieve emotional symptoms; alleviates insomnia

Vitamin D: 400 IUs daily promotes bone health

Vitamin E: 100 to 800 IUs total daily (taken in two or more doses) reduces mood swings and anxiety; helps prevent cancer and heart disease; slows effects of aging; prevents thinning/irritation of the vagina (atrophy)

Calcium: 1000 to 1500 mg daily helps prevent osteoporosis; may promote heart health; may prevent cancer

There are several other minerals that if included in a multiple vitamin for menopause, may be beneficial. These include Iodine, Magnesium, and Potassium. A healthy diet that features fish, vegetables, and citrus fruits or bananas regularly combined with a supplement containing the RDA of all three minerals is likely to provide adequate, beneficial quantities.

It is crucial that a doctor be consulted before an increase in the dosage of any vitamin for menopause symptom relief. In combination with other health conditions and or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), higher doses of vitamins and minerals can result in illness, the worsening of pre-existing conditions, or toxicity. Discuss dietary changes, too, such as the inclusion of new foods such as soy products or the reduction of consumption of others, such as red meat.