Author: Craig Schake NSCA-CPT at The Gym Inc. Watertown, SD
In a world full of misinformation and confusion, when it comes to dietary supplements, its important to make sure you are actually getting the products that will help you. This has been an increasing dilemma in the realm of women’s dietary supplements. The market is now ever flooded with brands tailoring to female health and supplements claiming to be the cure all for certain conditions, whether its health or physical appearance. It can be very easy to fall prey to attractive marketing and promising claims. That’s why I really wanted to write this article, along with personal experience of family and friends, coming to me with confusion and questions on the subject. Let me first start by saying, just because the product has pink or bright, colorful packaging, doesn’t mean its going to be a spectacular women’s supplement product. Often times the colorful packaging or “cute” designs are used as marketing tactics, and you often times pay extra for those marketing tactics. That’s not to say that there aren’t any women’s specific brands out there that are high quality though. The main point here is that women can also take other supplements that aren’t marketed as “women’s supplements”. With that being said, I’ve put together a list of my top 5 dietary supplement recommendations, for women’s foundational health. As a quick disclaimer, these are my personal opinions and recommendations, based upon my experience, both personally and as a certified personal trainer. This is not meant to be used as medical or health advice. Lets jump right into it!
High Quality Multi-Vitamin
I included a high quality multi-vitamin on the list, because lets face it, most of us are falling short in our micro nutrient requirements from day to day. Women, for example, need more of specific nutrients, such as calcium, iron, and b vitamins than that of a male. A high quality women’s multivitamin is going include all of the basic essential vitamins and minerals, as well as cover the bases of those important extra micros, such as I mentioned above. However, a multivitamin shouldn’t be used to “out-supplement” a healthy diet, but should rather be used as an insurance policy to make sure your micronutrient requirements are covered.
Collagen
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Protein
Protein is an essential macro nutrient, that a lot of us don’t get enough of in our daily diets. As a personal trainer, I often times notice that women in particular, are lacking enough protein in their overall diet. Protein is important not only for fitness goals, but also for general health and maintaining a strong body. Protein is critical for maintaining and building strong muscle, as well as important connective tissues and strong bones. The list of benefits is quite extensive, but that’s just to name a few. Now, you can get most of the protein you need from a healthy diet, but most of us fall short, because we simply don’t eat enough, in a day. This is especially true, if your goal is to gain strength, build muscle, or lose body fat. Yes, you read that last part correctly! Eating a diet, high in protein, can actually help you lose body fat and maintain a lean physique. This is due to protein being more difficult for the body to breakdown and digest, than carbohydrates for example. That in turn leads to more of a metabolic demand from the body, or put simply, you will burn more calories digesting protein than you will from carbohydrates. You can boost your protein intake with protein supplements such as whey protein, vegan protein, or even whole food animal based proteins. These come in a variety of choices, from protein powders to protein snacks. Which protein source you choose will largely depend on your goals and your personal preference, but all of them are going to have the same added benefits.
Hair, Skin, and Nails 
The last product on the list, is a hair, skin, and nails supplement. This type of supplement is not only good for the beauty benefits, but also for general health as well. Hair, skin, and nails supplements are designed to give your body the additional support it needs for strong hair, skin, and nails. You’ll see ingredients such as biotin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin c, collagen peptides, and silicon, as well as some extra ingredients such as zinc, vitamin d, calcium, iron, and b vitamins. These extra ingredients can also be a helpful boost for the immune system and general health, which is why I included it on the list. Between the positive health benefits and the beauty aspect of the product, this is a great addition to a women’s foundational health stack.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss what products may benefit you, stop by Smoothie Plus Nutrition Store in downtown Watertown SD and I would be happy to help you and give you the information you need to make smart choices.