The Core Four
Vitamins and minerals are the nutrients that help your body thrive day in and day out. For women, a good rule of thumb is to think of Iron, Calcium, Folic Acid and Vitamin D as the “Core 4” vitamins and minerals important to maintain overall health.* According to reports by the National Institute of Health, women are challenged to eat sufficient amounts of these nutrients.4,5
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Calcium
Calcium is important for bone growth and strength. It also plays a crucial role in blood clotting, muscle contraction (including your heart), and regulating blood pressure, nerve signals and hormones.
Adults between ages of 18-70 need 1,000 mg/day 8
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Vitamin D
Vitamin D works in conjunction with calcium to promote bone and teeth health by aiding in the proper absorption of calcium.
Adults between the ages of 18-70 need 600 IU/day 8
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Iron
Iron is crucial to the makeup of red blood cells and enzymes, which are important in transporting oxygen to muscle and other tissues throughout the body.
Females age 18-50 need 18 mg/day, while the amount for women above the age of 50 (and men of all ages) drops to 8 mg/day 7
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Folic Acid
Folic acid, or folate, is central to the development of cells and essential proteins. It is especially important for women of childbearing age as it helps protect against neural tube birth defects. 6
4) Position of the American Dietetic Association: nutrition and lifestyle for a healthy pregnancy outcome. Kaiser L, Allen LH; American Dietetic Association. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008 Mar;108(3):553-61. Erratum in: J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Jan;110(1):141. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Jul;109(7):1296.
5) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2011. Total Nutrient Intakes: Percent Reporting and Mean Amounts of Selected Vitamins and Minerals from Food and Dietary Supplements, by Gender and Age, What We Eat in American, NHANES 2007-2008. Available: www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/fsrg
6) Institute of Medicine (IOM), Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Science. Dietary reference intakes for thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, and choline. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000.
7) Institute of Medicine (IOM), Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Science. Dietary reference intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.
8) Institute of Medicine (IOM), Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Science. Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2010.