- FAQ / Vitamins & Supplements
- Vitamins & Supplements
Your questions, answered.
- Do you have questions about your mid-life health?
We have gathered a list of the most common questions women ask regarding topics that affect your overall health and well-being.
- Can't find what you're looking for?
- Calcium
Calcium is an essential nutrient for our body and plays a vital role in keeping our teeth and bones strong, but also is important for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve function to name a few. Unfortunately, calcium is absorbed less effectively as we age, making many individuals at risk for osteoporosis if they aren’t getting enough calcium through diet or supplements.
- Calcium-Rich Diet
- Canada’s Food Guide recommends: 3 servings (ages 50+) or 2 servings (<50) of dairy products or alternatives
- Foods include: yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified beverages, custards, puddings, kefir, dark leafy green vegetables, almonds, fish with bones, and more
- It is better to get calcium through diet, rather than supplements
- Go to Calculate my Calcium at www.osteoperosis.ca to determine if your diet is calcium sufficient – you’ll see there are LOTS of non-dairy, calcium rich foods!
- Excess sodium in your diet can deplete calcium, so pay attention to labels and decrease the amount of sodium you eat or drink
- Calcium Supplements
- Adults over 50: 1200 mg daily
- Adults 19-50: 1000 mg daily
- Calculate the elemental calcium on the supplement label to determine how much calcium is in the tablet
- Excess calcium from supplements can cause kidney stones, heart problems, prostate cancer, constipation and digestive problems
- Side effects may include nausea, constipation or upset stomach
- Take calcium carbonate with food and calcium citrate with lots of water
- Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking calcium supplements
- Vitamin D
Vitamin D is critical for healthy, strong bones because it helps your body absorb calcium from food in your digestive tract, rather than taking it from your bones. It also increases muscle strength, which reduces your risk of falling and breaking a bone.
- Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to UV rays from the sun
- Most Canadians typically do not get enough vitamin D due to our climate
- The winter sun is not adequate for vitamin D production
- Wearing sunscreen in summer prevents vitamin D production (wear SPF 15 if in the sun for more than 10-15 minutes to reduce risk of skin cancer)
- As we age, our skin isn’t as efficient in producing vitamin D
- Low levels of Vitamin D are associated with:
- Higher risk of heart failure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Colorectal cancer
- Balance problems
- Impaired lower extremity function
- High fall rates
- Low bone mineral density
- Muscle weakness
- Vitamin D Diet
- Milk
- Cereal
- Vitamin D-fortified orange juice and bread
- Eggs
- Fish (with bone in)
- Cod liver oil
- Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) Supplements:
- Adults over 50: 800 – 2000 IU daily
- Adults 19-50: 400 – 1,000 IU daily
Read labels of other supplements (ex: a multivitamin or calcium) to calculate your total vitamin D intake.
If you miss your daily dose, double up the next day. If you miss a week, you can take all the missed doses together at the end of the week.
*Don’t do this with other medications
*This should only be done with a week’s worth of vitamin D
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Fish oil contains two omega-3 fatty acids called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In addition, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which the body then converts to EPA and DHA. These fatty acids are highly correlated with heart health, making it important to include these in your diet.
- Omega 3 Diet
- Fish oil
- plant, nut, and canola oils – 1 tsp
- catfish –75 g
- halibut – 75 g
- salmon – 75 g
- striped sea bass – 75 g
- albacore tuna – 75 g
- tofu – ¾ cup
- walnuts – ¼ cup
The recommended daily EPA and DHA intake is 0.3 – 0.5 grams and a daily ALA intake of 0.8 – 1.1 grams.
*Canada’s Food Guide recommends at least two servings of fish per week
*2 Omega 3 fortified eggs have 0.2 grams of EPA/DHA 0.5 grams of ALA
- Omega 3 Benefits
- Reduce risk of heart disease
- Lower triglycerides
- Reduce the risk of heart attack, abnormal heartbeat and stroke in people who have heart disorders
- Lower blood pressure
- Lower cholesterol and reduce plaque in the arteries
- Increase bleeding risk
- High LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Blood sugar control problems
- "Fishy" odor
- References
American Geriatrics Society (2014). Recommendations abstracted from the American Geriatrics Society consensus statement on vitamin d for prevention of falls and their consequences. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 62(1), 147-152. doi:10.1111/jgs.12631
Dieticians of Canada (2013). Food sources of omega 3 fats. Retrieved from http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Fat/Food-Sources-of-Omega-3-Fats.aspx
Mayo Clinic (2013). Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil-alpha-linolenic-acid/background/hrb-20059372
Osteoporosis Canada (2016). Calcium: An important nutrient that builds stronger bones. Retrieved from http://www.osteoporosis.ca/osteoporosis-and-you/nutrition/calcium-requirements/
Osteoporosis Canada (2016). How do I know if I need a calcium supplement? Retrieved from http://www.osteoporosis.ca/osteoporosis-and-you/nutrition/supplements/
Osteoporosis Canada (2016). Vitamin d: An important nutrient that protects you against falls and fractures. Retrieved from http://www.osteoporosis.ca/osteoporosis-and-you/nutrition/vitamin-d/
Shah, D., & Gupta, P. (2015). Vitamin d deficiency: Is the pandemic for real? Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 40(4), 215-217. doi:10.4103/0970-0218.164378
Created by Katie Cotter for:
The Women’s Mid-life Health Program
Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing. March 2016