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Menopause has always been dreaded by women because it has been viewed as the "end of youth" in a woman's life. The fact is that menopause is not at all a medical illness, but a natural biological process that every woman will experience in her life. Today at least 50 million American women have reached menopause and most women will spend at least one third of their lives in or beyond menopause. On average, menopause begins affecting women when they near 50 years of age. There is much life to be lived after menopause, but it is important for women to know how to protect against threats to their bodies after menopause.
The process of menopause is considered complete when a woman has not menstruated for a year. Estrogen exerts a protective effect on the woman's body including protection against osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Symptoms vary from woman to woman and some women may not have any symptoms at all. Symptoms also differ from population to population which could be due to diet variation. Common symptoms are hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, declining libido, osteoporosis, weight gain, and headaches.
Vitamin D and Calcium are vital to women of menopausal age because these nutrients help the body to retain bone mass and protect bone from osteoporosis. Vitamin D is essential for Calcium absorption, therefore Vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal women has been linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis. Although these nutrients are found in dairy products, consuming them also means consuming extra, unwanted calories. Not only does Vitamin D protect against osteoporosis, but it has been shown to decrease weight gain associated with menopause and also exerts cardioprotective effects on the heart. UVB rays stimulate the production of Vitamin D in the skin, but as skin ages, this
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process begins to wane and becomes less effective. Experts claim that in order to get an adequate amount of Vitamin D, you need to spend at least 30 minutes in the midday sun for 2-3 times a week. This can be difficult for some of us to achieve, especially in the winter months. Some studies have shown that 50% of older adults have low blood levels of Vitamin D. This has been found to be true in those who live in the northern hemispheres, those who have dark skin, and those who spend the majority of their time indoors. 400IU daily of Vitamin D is recommended for women between the ages of 50 and 70 and 600 IU in women greater than 70 to protect against osteoporosis. Vitamin D supplements are available individually and also in combination with calcium.
The recommended daily dose for Calcium is 1250 mg for perimenopausal women and 1500 mg for postmenopausal women. It is imperative for women to know that Calcium, alone, is not adequately absorbed in amounts greater than 500mg. Since Vitamin D enables Calcium absorption, it is often paired with Calcium in supplements. Women have the option of taking Calcium and Vitamin D separately or together in supplements such as Caltrate, Citrical Maximum with D, and Oyst-Cal-D 500.
It is extremely important for women nearing menopause and those in menopause to be aware of the changes your bodies are going through. Along with these changes come threats to your bodies such as osteoporosis. Vitamin D and Calcium, together, help to fight against this ominous threat. Taking vitamin supplements may be burdensome, but these nutrients will be beneficial in the long run. Decreasing the risk of osteoporosis could mean a decrease in potential medical costs such as doctor visits and costly prescriptions and wouldn't we all love to take that money and put it towards vacations and retirement.
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