Women Aren't Getting Enough Nutrients. That's Incredibly Problematic
By Tieraona Low Dog
For women, iron could be the key to boosting brain function.
That's the conclusion of a recent study that examined a group of female college students. The students performed a series of cognitive tests that progressively increased in difficulty. Those who were deficient in iron struggled to keep up.
That makes sense; iron ensures the brain has enough oxygen and energy to perform complex tasks. Yet more than one in ten U.S. women lacks the iron they need. By contrast, just one in 50 men does.
This isn't the only area of nutrition where women lag behind their male counterparts. Nearly four in ten women fail to provide their bodies with all the vitamins and nutrients they need.
A daily multivitamin can help women fill those gaps. Many women can simply add these supplements to their grocery lists. But millions of poor women struggle to do so. Fortunately, policymakers can easily expand access to needed vitamins.
Nutritional deficiencies can cause severe health problems.
Iron deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue, headaches, and shortness of breath -- and impede thinking. It can also increase the risk of developing pancreatic, liver, and kidney cancer.
Vitamin D helps prevent osteoporosis -- a condition in which the bones become weak and break easily. This condition disproportionately effects women. In fact, half of all women will experience a fracture from a fall at standing height or less in their lifetime. Vitamin D deficiency is largely responsible; nearly four in ten women are short on this nutrient.
Nutritional deficiencies can particularly harm pregnant or breast-feeding women and their babies, as more nutrients are needed to support healthy fetal and post-natal growth. Alarmingly, nationwide, half of these women don't get enough vitamins.
For one, vitamin A. During pregnancy, the body saps maternal tissue of this vitamin to support fetal growth. So, pregnant women can suddenly find themselves falling short of a critical nutrient that protects vision and the immune system. Many women lack this nutrient. This deficiency can also hurt the fetus. One study of pregnant women found that those short on vitamin A were less likely to carry their babies to term.
Folic acid, or vitamin B9, supports the development of a baby's brain and spinal cord. Shortages can result in serious birth defects, including paralysis, and even death. Yet nearly three in four women of reproductive age don't get the government recommended amount.
Eating better can help people dodge these risks, of course. But millions of poor women struggle to access healthy food. Fast food is easier and cheaper.
For many women, buying cheap food is the only financially feasible option. One in eight women lives in poverty, compared to one in ten men. Women are also more likely to live in extreme poverty.
That's why multivitamins are critical. One review of over 10,000 women concluded that those who took iron supplements were less likely to be anemic than those who did not. Another review found that calcium plus vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of all fractures by 15 percent -- and hip fractures by 30 percent.
For low-income women who would struggle to buy multivitamins, policymakers could easily help by expanding the list of what's covered by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Doing so would come at very little cost to the government. But it would drastically improve health.
Millions of women aren't getting the vitamins they need. Multivitamins offer a solution.
Tieraona Low Dog, M.D. is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of integrative medicine, dietary supplements and women's health.
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exitingMore Nutrition Information:
- Group 1
- Group 2
- Group 3
- Group 4
- Group 5
- Group 6
- Group 7
- Group 8
- Group 9
- Group 10
- Group 11
- Group 12
- Group 13
- Group 14
- Group 15
- Group 16
- Group 17
- Group 18
- Group 19
- Group 20
- Group 21
- Group 22
- Group 23
- Group 24
- Group 25
- Group 26
- Group 27
- Group 28
- Group 29
- Group 30
- Group 31
- Group 32
- Group 33
- Group 34
- Group 35
- Group 36
- Group 37
- Group 38
- Group 39
- Group 40
Related Articles
The Great Influence Of Vitamin B to the Nervous System
In order for a person to actually have a healthy well-being, one must always remember to have an adequate daily intake of the prescribed vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs in order for it to stay healthy and fit.Unfortunately, due to stress and the increasingly fast-paced environment that we're often subjected to, it's quite easy to neglect one's body, most importantly one's health.
Nutrient Requirements of Women in Sport
Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly comparable way. As volume and intensity of training increases, so does aerobic capacity and hence performance.
Healthy Eating
Recently I found the book : "Eating and health according to the teaching work of The Master Peter Deunov" . I've never red something so simple and so senseful about the man's everyday healthy needs.
Green Tea and Cholesterol Facts
A green and lush oasis in the middle of a scorching dessert. A cool breeze on a hot summer night.
Vitamins and Minerals for a Healthy Reproductive System
Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to the development and proper performance of the reproductive system. Nutrition plays a vital role in the development and maturity of the reproductive system through childhood and adolescence and can even affect the endocrine system which regulates the hormones that rule the functions of the reproductive system.
TsuNoni - Green Tea Meets Noni
East Meets WestAsian cultures have realized the medical benefits of green tea for centuries. Those who drank it lived longer, healthier lives.
Most of Us Talk and Think About Nutrition and Exercise as a Distant Activity to be Started Some Day!
If you do not take time to stand back at your nutrition and exercise habits then be ready with a big paycheck for those hospitals bills and some loans because you will not earn when you are hospitalised.Taking care of our nutriton and fitness is one of the best decisions we can take in our life.
Fighting Fatigue and the American Diner Breakfast
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)I went out for lunch yesterday and ordered a portobello mushroom wrap with some fresh vegetables, no dressing at the local sandwich and coffee shop.As always, it was a struggle to find something at a deli, restaurant or take out place that fits my somewhat stringent and holistic dietary requirements.
Is Eating a Raw Food Diet Actually Healthy for You?
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you eat has to provide your body with the nourishment to properly balance your body's chemistry. If you have health challenges, are overweight or obese, chances are you are not in balance at all.
Nutritional Support in Critically Ill Patients
The nutritional support in critically ill patients can be explained in 2 ways1.Enteral Nutrition2.
Preventing Heart Disease: What to Eat
About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.
Preventing Heart Disease: What Not To Eat
About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.
Seafood - the Healthy Alternative
Most red and white meats are very fatty and are not a healthy way to eat. Seafood on the other hand offers you a great tasting alternative.
Why You Should Eat Lentil Soup at Least Once a Week
If you're looking for a power-packed entrée or soup to spice up your life, look no further than the lowly lentil. Perhaps there was a reason why that lentil pottage was so tempting in the biblical story of Jacob and Esau.
Keratin Fact Sheets
Keratin is an extremely strong protein that is a major component in skin, hair, nails, hooves, horns, and teeth. Since the substance is produced by amino acids, the best sources for its consumption are high protein foods.