Reduced estrogen also affects blood vessel and bone health
The body of middle-aged women undergoes major changes before and following menopause. Hot flashes, sleep disturbances, as well as major diseases that directly threaten health show signs of developing. During this time, you need to be very careful not to run out of essential nutrients. What are the nutrients that middle-aged women are particularly deficient in? Why do I need to supplement?
◆ Menopause that harasses women… Bone health following obesity and blood vessels?
A middle-aged woman’s body fluctuates because estrogen (female hormone) gradually disappears. It is a hormone that protects blood-vessels and maintains bone health when young. The reason that middle-aged women have a significant increase in vascular diseases such as stroke (cerebral infarction – cerebral hemorrhage) is because this protective barrier is removed. Osteopenia-osteoporosis also increases significantly because estrogen decreases.
◆ Calcium, why is it important? Fall and fracture of hip bone, hospitalized for 3 months
According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service’s ‘Nutrition Deficiency and Obesity Statistical Analysis (2017-2021)’, among the 10 nutrients that Koreans lack, the highest proportion of women was a calcium deficiency from food. It was 7.7 times shorter than that of men. Vitamin D deficiency was also 3.5 times higher than that of men. When middle-aged women suffer from decreased estrogen and calcium deficiency, osteopenia can progress rapidly. If you fall and break your hip bone, you can be hospitalized for up to 3 months. Even following being discharged from the hospital, the walking posture should be corrected through rehabilitation treatment.
◆ The relationship between calcium and vitamin D, why is it important?
Vitamin D plays an important role in accumulating enough calcium in the body. It absorbs calcium contained in food well in the intestine and suppresses calcium excretion through the kidneys. It also releases calcium from the bones into the blood. In this way, the calcium level in the blood is maintained normally. When the body is deficient in vitamin D, it cannot absorb enough calcium, which can affect bone health. Calcium has various functions, such as maintaining nerves and muscles, and normal blood clotting.
◆ Small anchovies, bone-eating fish, dairy products, etc.
Calcium is also good from natural foods. It is helpful to eat small anchovies, boneless fish, and dairy products at meals. If you have to take it as a supplement, the form of calcium citrate, which is not affected by the acidity of the stomach, is good for absorption. Excessive intake of calcium can interfere with constipation and absorption of zinc and iron. It may also impair kidney function. It can be dangerous to take more than 4 times the recommended amount, so when taking calcium supplements, you should consult with a professional before taking an appropriate amount.
◆ Vitamin D production, 20 to 30 minutes of sunlight in the morning
Vitamin D deficiency in middle-aged women is also greatly affected by sunscreen, which has become a daily routine. Vitamin D is abundant in milk, butter, liver and eggs, but sunlight is very effective. When the skin is exposed to sunlight, a chemical change produces vitamin D. Vitamin D is needed in the body to maintain normal blood calcium levels. It is best to expose your skin to the sun for 20-30 minutes in the morning.
