Every single day we have a basic requirement for a complete range of essential vitamins and minerals to promote long term optimal health. And for many a healthy diet and lifestyle should provide everything we need. However modern 21st century living increases our nutritional needs due to factors such as pollution, stress, poor sleep, alcohol, sugar, and chronic disease resulting in many people lacking the essential micronutrients they need for optimal health.

Here at Nutri Advanced, we think of a daily multivitamin & mineral supplement as a kind of health insurance that is intended to complement rather than replace a healthy diet. In addition to providing high levels of a range of important nutrients, they can also provide some additional support that are specific to male, female, or pregnancy/breastfeeding nutrient needs. Here we take a closer look at some of the ingredients that are specific to female health, and commonly found in women's supplements.

Pomegranate extract
Much has been written about the power of pomegranate in recent years, especially its high antioxidant activity. Less well known however is the phytoestrogen properties of pomegranate seeds which may help to support women’s hormonal balance. Unique phytochemicals in pomegranate can help to deliver added benefits in a multivitamin designed specifically for women.

Broccoli extract
Oestrogen balance is a significant concern for women’s health and there are natural plant compounds which may help to support this balance. Broccoli contains specific phytochemicals such as sulforaphanes which are particularly useful to support a healthy balance of oestrogen in the body.

Boron & vitamin K2
Bone density decreases as we get older, and especially in women after 40 years. Boron is a trace mineral that supports bone health by supporting optimal calcium metabolism while vitamin K2 works synergistically with vitamin D to ensure that calcium is not only absorbed but sent to our bones where we need it the most. The K2 form of vitamin K has demonstrated more beneficial effects on our bones than other forms.

Iron
Women are most prone to lower levels of iron because they lose blood through menstruation as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding because of the extra demands placed on the body’s resources. Iron bisglycinate is a well absorbed form that is gentle on digestion.

Methylated and active B vitamins
Ensuring adequate provision of B vitamins can support specific pathways that are required for the processing of oestrogens in the body. B vitamins come in a variety of forms, some of which are easily absorbed in the body and some of which are not. Methylated and active forms of folate (5-methyltetrahydrofolate/5-MTHF), vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) mean they are ready to be used as soon as they are consumed and don’t need to be converted by the body, which some people may struggle to do.