The trouble is, your body can’t produce or store zinc. So it’s a good idea to get a a steady amount from your diet (good sources include shellfish, dairy products, beans, lentil, nuts and seeds) and to top up reserves with a multivitamin containing it.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C comes with a laundry list of health benefits. Numerous studies show that vitamin C acts as an important antioxidant to protect cells in the immune system. “It also helps promote tissue growth and cell repair,” says Shabir. Specifically, it helps the body produce collagen – a protein used to make cartilage, ligaments, skin and blood vessels – and helps with wound healing.
Magnesium
It’s thought that magnesium may play a role in regulating a neurotransmitter called GABA, which is why it can calm the nervous system and act as a sedative to promote sleep. “Magnesium is required for a healthy cardiovascular function [it also regulates blood pressure],” says Shabir, plus magnesium is crucial for maintaining bone density.
Calcium
The main role of calcium, says Shabir, is for building and maintaining strong, healthy bones. This is especially important for women as hormonal changes mean we lose bone density faster than men, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Vitamins B & folate
B vitamins are like an eight-strong girl band (made up of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folate and cobalamin) who each have their own role but are basically “essential for the immune system, metabolism, energy production, cell growth and healthy muscle and nerve function,” says Shabir.
Collectively, B vitamins also help your body’s skin, blood and brain cells to develop and they convert food into energy.
Rhian namechecks folate (or folic acid) as being an especially beneficial B vitamin for adult women – and not just during pregnancy to aid fetal development, or during breastfeeding. “I think that all women who are cyclical should take a fertility focused multi-nutrient,” she says. “Taking care of our hormonal and menstrual health is important for fertility but it also a key vital sign for women and impacts how we experience energy, mood and more on a weekly basis.
“So focusing on it proactively will not only give you a better chance of having good levels of key nutrients for conception should you decide to go down this route, but it also helps to optimise your menstrual health regardless,” she adds. (Good multi-nutrient options containing folate include Artah Enhanced Fertility and Inessa Pregnancy Multinutrient).
Coenzyme Q10
“When it comes to multivitamins for women looking for prenatal support, look for a good dose of CoQ10, a fat-soluble compound that is abundant in almost every cell in the body,” says Rhian. “It’s required for energy production in the ovaries and is an important reproductive antioxidant because it prevents the oxidation of cell membranes and DNA.”
Vitamin E
Last but not least, “vitamin E helps to support the cardiovascular and circulatory system, it also serves as an antioxidant,” says Shabir, making it an important nutrient for the health of your blood (vitamin E also helps your body make red blood cells) and skin, as well as protecting against serious diseases including heart disease.
And the mineral your multivitamin supplement shouldn’t contain…
Iron is essential in making haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of your body (it plays a key role in energy production, strengthening the immune system and better brain function, among other things).
However, Rhian recommends avoiding multivitamins that contain it, unless you’ve had your levels tested and a doctor has prescribed iron supplements.
“While iron is incredibly important, we have no way to excrete it from our bodies, so it’s important that we only supplement with iron when needed – this can be done with a single iron supplement so you can control the dose and timing,” she says.
For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR’s Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton.
