Some herbs that are considered helpful in overcoming fertility problems are:

• Damiana – Stimulates nerves, metabolism, circulation and the genitals. The leaves are used in tonics and teas to restore impotence and sexual vitality. Damiana also helps to relax the nervous system.
• Dong Quai – Has been proven successful in promoting fertility during the time between ovulation and menstruation. This herb should only be used in combination with other herbs that promote fertility.
• False unicorn root – Used as a tonic to promote a healthy uterus. It also helps the ovaries, bladder and kidneys to become more alkaline.
• Nettle leaves – Chlorophyll and minerals contained in this herb are great to balance hormones. When used as a tonic, it helps to keep the uterus healthy. Kidneys and the adrenal glands are also benefited by the use of nettle leaves.
• Raspberry leaf – This is perhaps the most popular of all herbal remedies used to increase fertility. It’s high in calcium and is also used as a tonic for the uterus.
• Red clover blossom – Some consider this as the most useful herb to increase fertility and establish pregnancy. Used daily, it can help balance hormones. This herb is also high in magnesium and calcium and contains trace minerals.

Calcium and Magnesium are also important in ensuring the conception of a healthy baby and the ability to carry it for the full nine months. Research the use of vitamins, minerals and herbs to better understand how you can benefit from their use in the quest to establish a pregnancy.

Fertility problems are complicated and varied, but many couples have used herbal remedies with excellent results. Keep in mind that nutrition and lifestyle can be important factors in treating infertility.

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2. Alternative Ways to Boost Your Immune System When Coping With Stress
3. Natural Remedies for Treating Uterine Fibroids

There isn’t just one overall reason for female infertility — there are many common causes. Thankfully, great strides have been made in medical technology and now the majority of infertility causes can be treated. Once the problem is diagnosed and corrected, many women can go on to experience a viable pregnancy. It’s helpful to know a few of the most common infertility causes.

One of the most common causes of infertility in women is fibroids. Fibroids are benign tumors usually found inside the uterus, but sometimes they can grow in other places. They can grow outside the uterus, underneath the uterine wall or at the cervix. Depending on their size and location, fibroids can delay or prevent pregnancy.

If the fibroids are inside the uterus and become large enough, they can cause extremely heavy monthly periods. One woman began to hemorrhage because of uterine fibroids and had to have an emergency hysterectomy to stop the bleeding.

Fibroids cause anemia and anemia can cause infertility as well. If you have heavy monthly cycles, get checked for fibroids and have the doctor check your iron count as well.

Fibroids can grow so large that they can cause the uterus to extend and appear anywhere from the size of a six week to a few months pregnancy. Fibroids may be treated with medications or surgery, depending on the severity of the problem.

Another cause of infertility is endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition in which the uterine tissue grows in areas where it shouldn’t rather than in the uterus lining. If endometriosis is severe enough, it can cause scarring. Endometriosis can be treated with hormone therapy or surgery if needed, to remove scarring.

Having diabetes can cause infertility. Some studies suggest that the cause of infertility in overweight diabetic women is a direct result of being overweight while others suggest it is due to the overall health risks associated with too much weight gain. However, poor control of blood sugar levels does raise the risk of miscarriage.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (also known as PCOS) can also cause infertility. Two of the widely known symptoms of PCOS are noticeable facial or body hair and monthly periods that are not regular.

This condition can be diagnosed by having an ultrasound done or by having bloodwork drawn and the blood tested for too much androgen. Androgen is the hormone that makes a man look like a man.

For example, growth of coarse facial hair and hair growth on the back are part of the effects of androgen hormone associated with men. This condition can also lead to insulin resistance, weight gain and type II diabetes, which is why it’s important to catch it early and get treatment.

Female infertility may also be caused by too much caffeine, medication or by thyroid malfunction. Get a check up done to see if one of these reasons is the cause of infertility.

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1. What Are Fibroids (fibromyomas, leiomyomas or myomas)?
2. Dealing with a Heavy Bleeding Period
3. Natural Remedies for Treating Uterine Fibroids

What can we do to help ourselves with all this stress? There are many ways to relax and de-stress every day. You can try things like meditation, visualization, a nice bath, writing in a journal, a good workout or some self-pampering.

The problem is that many women say they simply don’t have time for any of this. The simple answer to that is that if you don’t take time to take care of yourself, you’re going to be ineffective at best at taking care of anyone or anything else.

You really need to find time to allow yourself to de-stress. Here is a list of techniques and things you can do to reduce stress in your life:

1.) Organize, simplify and delegate. Stop thinking you can or you have to do everything all at once and all by yourself. Find ways to better organize your life and your home. Use calendars and lists.

Get rid of the clutter that you don’t use or need (be brutal), stop worrying about dusting the house every week – if it’s that important, have one of the kids do it or hire a housekeeper to come in every other week. Or, better yet, realize that the sun doesn’t rise and set depending on whether your coffee table is dust-free or not.

2.) Practice tried and true forms of relaxation. Meditation isn’t difficult to learn and it can do wonders for helping you reduce stress in your life. Even if you only meditate for 10 or 15 minutes a day, you can use a mediation CD to learn, or join a class.

Another method used for deep relaxation is visualization or guided imagery. You can purchase CDs that guide you to a state of deep relaxation and back out again. For many women, these are very helpful.

3.) Get some exercise! You can use Asian exercise forms such as Qigong or Tai Chi which can be learned in class or by using an instructional DVD. Yoga is also wonderful for helping to reduce stress.

These forms of exercise have other benefits beside stress reduction. You can also reduce stress by doing a more traditional workout every day – or even every other day. Join a gym, or get a workout buddy. Walk or run for exercise or take a kickboxing class to really get some pent up energy out.

Other good ways to reduce stress include:

• Writing in a journal every day. Just let it all out.
• Allow yourself to go to the spa for a massage once in awhile and really enjoy the experience.
• Practice deep breathing and pay attention to your breathing all day long. If you notice yourself shallow breathing, stop and concentrate on taking some good, healthy, deep breaths.
• Take a warm bath and follow by cuddling up in your favorite pajamas with a good book.

The pressure to perform is intense for women. We are mothers, partners, daughters, employees and employers. We serve on committees and help with the local volunteer group.

Sometimes we get stressed out. The need for time to relax and pay attention to our own bodies and minds is great, and we cannot ignore that need. If we do, we may end up not being able to serve others or ourselves in the ways we want to.

Visit our bookstore to get more ideas to reducing stress in your life.

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If you had severe headaches in adolescence during the years after starting your period, you might find that the same migraine type headache returns at menopause. Hardly seems fair, does it?

It’s as if your hormones want to get back at you both coming and going. These headaches are probably related to hormonal shifts in your body. As a teenager, your headaches stopped after your body became use to your monthly cycle.

When your body is transitioning away from its childbearing years into menopause, the headaches are back again until the body levels off. For some women, hormonal headaches are more intense during ovulation or just after ovulation is over.

Unless you’re tracking ovulation in order to get pregnant or prevent pregnancy, you may not even know when that is. So pay attention to your cycle for a few months and note whether your headaches start a few days to a week before your period or just after your period.

Going on birth control pills may reduce or eliminate hormonal headaches for some women. No matter what the source of your hormonal headaches some ways to deal with them include:

• Eat fewer processed foods, especially processed meats
• Avoid any foods with MSG or other food additives that you may be sensitive to
• Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily. Triple shot lattes, sodas and wine spritzers don’t count for hydration. In fact, this intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol may actually contribute to worsening the headaches
• Don’t snack on junk food during the day and then eat a big meal at night. Eat a balanced diet, divided into 5 or 6 small meals during the day. This supports your blood sugar levels and provides online nutrition during your busy daytime hours.
• Get regular exercise – aerobics or running for strength and yoga or Pilates for muscle tone and flexibility

These prevention measures might help you avoid a hormonal headache or at least reduce the impact of the headache.

Related posts:

1. Dealing with a Heavy Bleeding Period
2. Reduced Libido or Lack of Sex Drive in Women

Women are often dismayed to go through years of what would be considered “normal” periods, only to find at some point that their period has become heavy and rather unmanageable.

Having said all that, a “heavy period” is still a very subjective term as periods vary from woman to woman in duration, the span between periods, discomfort and amount of blood loss. Heavy periods are not necessarily a problem unless they cause undue inconvenience or other physical issues such as anemia, which can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, faintness and when severe enough, angina.

Causes may be due to abnormal blood clotting, disruption of normal hormonal regulation of periods or disorders of the endometrial lining of the uterus. Depending upon the cause, it may be associated with abnormally painful periods (dysmenorrhea).

In order to determine the cause in each individual, a visit to the doctor is necessary. Here are some possibilities:

• Hormonal Imbalance – During the course of the menstrual cycle, hormones rise and fall regularly. Sometimes around the time of perimenopause, these hormonal fluctuations get out of hand, causing heavier periods. Hormonal imbalances related to thyroid disease can have the same effect.
• Uterine fibroids – These are benign tumors that form in the uterus during childbearing years. They commonly cause heavy bleeding and/or longer periods.
• Polyps – Like uterine fibroids, polyps are benign, but they are smaller.
• Dysfunction of the ovaries – If the ovaries are not ovulating properly, menorrhagia may result.
• IUD (Intrauterine device) – IUDs are a well-known form of birth control, but are also well known for causing heavier periods.
• Miscarriage – One single very heavy period my signal miscarriage. An ectopic pregnancy may also cause heavy bleeding.
• Certain medications – anti-inflammatory drugs and anticoagulants may cause heavier periods.
• Cancer – Uterine, cervical or ovarian cancer can sometimes be the cause of heavy bleeding.
• Other conditions – pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, thyroid problems, or liver or kidney disease may be the cause of heavy periods.

If you’re suffering from heavy periods, you should see your doctor to rule out any problems that require immediate attention. Most often, heavy periods signal hormonal imbalances that can be fairly easily corrected or other condition that may require little or no intervention unless the bleeding is causing disruptions in your life.

It isn’t necessary to panic over heavy periods, especially if they come at regular intervals and you’re feeling well otherwise. If you’re reaching the years of perimenopause, heavier periods almost always come with the territory.

Be sure to always have your yearly exam done and if you feel the need, visit your doctor before it’s time for your next exam to discuss your concerns. If you notice sudden, unusually heavy bleeding, or heavy periods accompanied by unusual discomfort, you should seek the advice of your doctor immediately.

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Women often have issues with libido or sex drive too, but the problem is often brushed off as women not being as sexually driven as men. Nothing could be further from the truth. Women have just as deep a need and desire for sex as men.

Just as a man’s sex drive decreases with age, there are some things that will reduce the female libido or sex drive. Fortunately, they are all treatable!

Here are some of the causes of reduced libido or sex drive in women:

• Hormones – As women enter their perimenopause and menopause, hormones begin to fluctuate wildly. These hormonal imbalances are often accompanied by other symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings and weight gain. Women often just don’t feel “sexy” when experiencing these symptoms. It is interesting to note that females (human) need their own pheromones to feel turned on. Lack of pheromones makes it more difficult to be in the “mood for sex.”
• Physical Changes – As women age and get closer to the years of menopause, changes take place in the vagina due to lowered levels of estrogen. This may cause thinning of the mucus membranes, along with a loss of elasticity in the walls of the vagina and an uncomfortable feeling of dryness. This can cause pain during intercourse, so a woman may begin to dread sex because of the pain.
• Daily stresses – Stress is one of the major causes of lack of sex drive or reduced libido in women. Stress robs the body of many of the essential building blocks it needs to produce estrogen and testosterone. Both estrogen and testosterone are a necessary for a healthy sex drive. When over-stressed, a body will choose to try to protect itself and conserve energy rather than seek sexual pleasure.
• Emotional issues with spouse/partner – Sometimes the stress of a relationship that isn’t working dampens sexual desire. Often this happens after several years into the relationship when a woman enters perimenopause or menopause. Her feelings about “how life should be” begin to change. Behavior that was once tolerated is now resented, making it harder to enjoy a healthy sex life.
• Poor nutrition – Quick weight loss diets and/or very low-fat diets are bad for a woman’s sex drive. The body needs lipids (found in fats) to make hormones, including testosterone which can boost a woman’s sex drive.
• Social norms – Some women grow up with the belief that once you reach “a certain age,” your sex life is over. It’s no longer socially appropriate to consider yourself a sexual being. This mindset will have an adverse effect on a woman’s libido or sex drive.
• Marital status – Sometimes being single and the whole prospect of dating is just too overwhelming. So some single women avoid it and give up having sex.

For women, rediscovering their sex drive isn’t as easy as taking a small pill a few hours before intercourse as men do. However, it’s not impossible to regain your libido and enjoy sex with all the exuberance that you did before.

Here are some tips that may help:

• Have an honest talk with your doctor – Don’t automatically assume that hormone replacement therapy is going to be your best bet if you are perimenopausal or menopausal. See your doctor to discuss options and rule out other possible problems.
• Relax – Stress is a major player in wreaking havoc with sex drive. Explore the many ways available to reduce stress in your life. Exercise, meditate, pray, write in a journal, take time each day for YOU, go to the salon once a week for a pedicure, take a walk in the park, see a counselor, take a kick-boxing class. You get the idea. Find ways to relax, even if it’s for ten minutes a day.
• Address the physical changes in your body – If you’re suffering from vaginal dryness and discomfort, use vitamin E suppositories a couple of times a week, or go to the pharmacy and purchase a personal lubricant made especially for helping with this problem.
• See a nutritionist – Make sure your diet is correct for your needs. Also, ask about vitamin, mineral and/or herbal supplements that may help.
• Be sexy, feel sexy – So, you might not be 20 any longer. You can still be sexy and hot. Go to the makeup counter at your favorite store and learn some new makeup tricks. Freshen your hairstyle, put on a sexy fragrance and light some candles. It’s amazing what wonders small changes like these can produce.
• Communicate – Your partner probably has no idea what’s going on. Be open and honest. Let your partner know what you need to help things along. Maybe you need some time and understanding until the hormones or supplements kick in. Maybe you need to see a couple’s counselor. Do your best to communicate openly.

Sex drive is an important part of human life. We are meant to enjoy sex well into our golden years. If you are suffering from a waning libido, there are steps you can take to refresh your desire for sex.

Visit our bookstore to find books on women’s sex drive.

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Fibroids are benign tumors that nearly 30% of women will experience at some point in their lives.

Many of these fibroids do not cause any symptoms at all while some women suffer from debilitating symptoms that can adversely affect personal and social lives.

Fibroid tumors are excessive growth in the muscle of the uterine wall. They are not cancerous and are not believed to be precancerous. In other words, they do not grow into a tumor that may spread to other parts of the body. In very rare cases, fibroids that begin to grow very rapidly can become cancerous.

Fibroids can be the size of a microscopic seed or exceed the size of a small basketball. It is easy to see why tiny tumors may not be detected during a routine examination nor produce any symptoms.

Unfortunately, because more and more women are delaying their childbearing until their late 30’s, fibroid tumors may affect fertility.

Current research

Researchers now understand that these fibroid tumors are dependent upon estrogen levels in the blood. In other words, estrogen hormone is required to be present in order for these tumors to continue to grow and expand.

Interestingly it turns out that fibroids and menopause have usually been mutually exclusive. This is because the levels of estrogen in the body fall dramatically during menopause and therefore no longer stimulate the growth of the fibroid tumors. This loss of hormonal stimulation usually leads to the demise of these tumor growths.

In many cases, these fibroid tumors begin to resolve or decrease as a woman enters menopause. Women who develop fibroids during menopause, or after menopause, are at greater risk for developing fibroids that are precancerous.

Although some researchers believe that 30% of women will experience fibroids in their lifetime others believe that this number is much higher because many women will not experience symptoms at all.

Scientists are still unsure of how and why fibroids grow. In some cases, fibroids have been found to grow after menopause. These growths have a higher potential of becoming cancerous.

Risk factors for developing fibroids

Researchers have also identified specific risk factors that increase the potential of a woman experiencing fibroids in her later years.

These risk factors appear to be more common among African Americans/Canadian women, suggesting that there may be a genetic link. Women who have close female relatives also have fibroids are more likely to develop fibroid tumors with resulting symptoms.

Women who develop fibroids, often have heavy menstrual bleeding that can result in anemia. They will also have feelings of heavy pressure in the lower abdomen, bladder problems, bowel problems and lower back pain.

Some women will experience constipation, bloating and pain during intercourse.

When the fibroids grow large, it is very possible to feel a hard spot in the center of the abdomen where the fibroids are positioned.

Everyday plastic bottles and containers may pose fibroid risks

Some researchers now believe that xenoestrogens, a molecule similar in structure to estrogen and commonly found in pesticides and plastics have affected the number of women who are suffering from fibroids.

In 1993, at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dave Feldman, professor of medicine was experimenting with a yeast estrogen protein that binds to estrogen. He and his team found that the polycarbonate bottles, commonly used to hold bottled drinking water contained bisphenol-A.

Bisphenol-A binds to the estrogen protein found in the yeast. This polycarbonate plastic is routinely used for the giant jugs used in shipping water.

The Stanford team found that 2-5 parts per billion of bisphenol-A was enough to cause the breast cancer cells to proliferate. Professor Feldman noted that though bisphenol-A is 2000X less potent than estrogen, “it still has activity in the parts per billion range.”

A Dartmouth University Study showed that plastic wrap heated in a microwave oven with vegetable oil had 500,000 times the minimum amount of xenoestrogens needed to stimulate breast cancer cells to grow in the test tube.

Menopause and fibroids have always been mutually exclusive because of the dependence of fibroids on the presence of estrogen. Unfortunately, because of the amount of estrogen, or xenoestrogens, that is available in everyday plastic containers to hold milk, meat, dairy products and water, some women continue to experience tumors long after menopause has come and gone.

See “Natural Remedies for Treating Uterine Fibroids” >

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1. What Are Fibroids (fibromyomas, leiomyomas or myomas)?
2. Natural Remedies for Treating Uterine Fibroids
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Some women are more interested in beginning with natural remedies to treat their fibroids which may help to decrease the size of the tumors and reduce the symptoms. Most often these symptoms will reduce completely as a woman enters menopause and her natural blood levels of estrogen drop. During this period in time the size of the fibroids also decreases significantly. Most natural remedies for fibroids may decrease the symptoms but they do not usually get rid of the tumors.

The least invasive type of treatment is called watchful waiting. When the tumor is causing no symptoms and they do not grow quickly physicians usually advise the patient to have a physical examination every six to 12 months to measure the growth of the tumors. Physicians also look at physical examination and medical history during these intervals in order to determine whether or treatment protocols should be advanced. If a woman experiences abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding and resulting anemia several dietary and supplemental changes can be recommended to increase the levels of iron and help the body maintain blood levels.

Dietary supplements of iron include spinach, beans, peas, dried fruits, nuts, organ meats and fish. Unfortunately the iron in meat can be poorly absorbed and also caused growth of the fibroids because of the growth hormones fed to the animals before slaughter. These growth hormones are very similar in molecular structure to estrogen, which stimulates the growth of fibroids. For this reason it is better to increase the dietary supplementation of whole fruits and vegetables to increase iron than it is to increase the amount of meat eaten.

Vitamin C can also help to increase the absorption of iron which will help to decrease the problem with anemia. Regular vitamin C does not appear to have a significant effect on iron stores. Interestingly, nutritionists have found that one orange or 6 ounces of orange juice can double the amount of iron the body absorbs from plant sources.

Another dietary supplement that helps the body to produce more hemoglobin and reduce the incidence of anemia is B12 and folate. B12 and folate are both added to dried commercial cereals and bread products and can also be found in the avocados, bananas, orange juice and green leafy vegetables.

Prevention is the best medicine. By avoiding meat that has been injected with growth hormone, most plastic storage containers and pesticides which contain xenoestrogens women can reduce the rate of growth of the fibroid tumors. Many women who have eliminated or significantly reduced the amount of meat in their diet have found relief from their symptoms as the extra estrogen no longer stimulates the growth of the tumors.

Other women have found relief from pelvic pain and heaviness using acupuncture and yoga. Each of these alternatives does not offer relief from heavy menstrual periods but it does help with the physical discomfort associated with large fibroids. Others also find relief using black cohosh which has some significant research behind it showing improvements with hot flashes. Although these remedies offer relief in the feelings of pelvic heaviness they do little to stem the heavy monthly menstrual flow and do not cure the fibroids.

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The medical term for uterine fibroids is a leiomyomata (lie-oh-my-oh-mah-tah). Fibroids can grow as a single growth or can occur in groups within the uterus. As they grow larger and heavier the symptoms they incur are also larger. Women will have feelings of heaviness in the pelvic region as well as urinary urgency and frequency because of the size and weight of the uterus on the bladder. Larger fibroids can also cause constipation and pelvic pain as well as increasing amounts of monthly menstrual bleeding leading to anemia.

At this time researchers are not able to pinpoint a conclusive or definitive reason why fibroids grow in who gets them. But they do know there are significant risk factors for some women to get fibroid tumors. Fibroids are more common in women who are in their 30s and 40s, who are African-American or African Canadian and who have women in their own families who have suffered from fibroid tissue.

Women who are obese have a slightly higher risk for developing fibroids while women who have given birth are at a lower risk than women who have never had children. Researchers also know that fibroid growth and maintenance is dependent upon the presence of the hormone estrogen.

Doctors classify the type of fibroid a woman is experiencing based upon the location of the fibroid within the uterus. These tumors can grow underneath the lining of the uterus, on the inside of the cavity, between the muscles or on the outside of the uterus. The most common fibroids are those that are present within the wall of the uterus and not within the cavity or on the outside.

Fibroids continue to increase in number of those diagnosed as the years progressed. We do know that they decrease in size and may disappear during perimenopause and menopause. We also know that a woman has one fibroid they usually have another.

Thankfully fibroid tumors are not cancers and they are not pre-cancerous. They are totally benign overgrowth that occur in the uterus and uterine wall. They do affect the health and daily lives of many women and can be very frustrating to live with. Many women who have fibroids also do not have symptoms and the tumors may be picked up during the regular pelvic examination. Because they are benign tumors most doctors made no recommendation for treatment unless the woman begins to suffer symptoms.

One of the most significant symptoms a woman experiences its heavy menstrual bleeding each month. The bleeding often includes large clots and lasts beyond the usual five to seven days. This heavy amount of bleeding that lasts for longer periods of time has a secondary side effect, anemia. This results in fatigue, shortness of breath and a low blood counts that places the individual at higher risk for illness, infection and in the long-term, cardiac side effects.

Anemia affects the daily living abilities of any woman who suffers from it. She will struggle to do daily activities, climb stairs or exercise and the condition will affect the long term ability of the hear to pump adequately and effectively.

Anemia decreases the ability of the cells to gain the oxygen they need to survive. Because the heart is responsible for pumping the blood and the blood doesn’t have enough oxygen the heart must work harder to pump more. This increased workload on the muscle that also requires oxygen can cause long-term problems if the anemia isn’t addressed and the blood counts brought back to normal range.

Addressing the fibroids will ultimately cure the anemia but in the meantime women can eat a diet higher in iron, take iron supplementation and decrease their activity level to decrease the workload on the heart.

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2. Are Fibroid Tumors and Menopause Mutually Exclusive?
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And the answer is — as much as women and men like to believe that there are very little differences between the genders, this is actually not true when it comes nutrition and vitamins. Let’s take a look at some of the differences in the vitamin and mineral requirements of both men and women to accurately determine why supplementation must be different.

Vitamin A is a key nutrient that our bodies cannot produce naturally. Therefore we must obtain it from diets and supplements. It is not only helps to prevent vision problems, but also promotes a healthy immune system. It is essential for the growth and development of cells and will keep skin cells healthy, one reason why it is such a popular topical factor in skin care regimens. Good sources are milk, eggs, darkly colored vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes and orange fruits such as cantaloupe and apricots. Men require of 900 mcg of vitamin A each day and women need only 700 mcg. It is very possible to get too much vitamin A which will result in toxicity and significant side effects.

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, helps turn food into energy in the body. It will maintain healthy skin and it is important for nerve function. Niacin is found in red meat, poultry, fish and fortified hot and cold cereals. Because of the different muscle mass between men and women the average man require 16 mg of niacin a day and the average woman needs 14 mg a day in order to provide overall optimal health.

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is needed to form collagen, which is the tissue that holds the cells together. It is essential for healthy bones, teeth and gums and helps the body to absorbs iron and calcium as well as aiding in wound healing. There are high levels of vitamin C in red berries, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and spinach. The requirements for non-smokers are different than those who smoke because of the action of tobacco on the body and the destruction of vitamin C. Non-smoking men need 90 mg and women need 75 mg, while smoking men need 125 mg and smoking women need 110 mg.

Many of the differences in the vitamins required by both men and women are related to body mass size, muscle mass and hormonal balances. The body uses vitamins and minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and enzymes to support the balance of hormones necessary for good health. Women require a different balance of vitamins and minerals in order to support their female hormones and reproductive system than do men.

Let’s take a look at some of these:

Iron is another mineral which would be dangerous to nonmenstruating women and men. Only menstruating women should take an iron supplement because of the blood loss they experience every month. Otherwise, the body stores the iron and it can reach toxic levels very easily.

Calcium is another requirement which differs between men and women because osteoporosis affects a larger percentage of older women than it does men.

Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K and phosphorus all work together to build strong bone density and the greater amounts of bone which is laid down in the early teens and 20s the less risk woman face for osteoporosis as she grows older.

Interestingly, while scientists and researchers do understands that nutritional guidelines for men and women are different most products in the vitamin and supplement industry are not guided by guidelines. And currently there are no studies which show that gender specific vitamins have any particular health benefits because they would be very difficult and costly to undertake.

Some of these nutritional differences, such as the requirement for calcium and iron, are significantly different between the genders and must be addressed while other vitamins, such as vitamin A. or vitamin C, have minimal differences and don’t require a different vitamins.

Other nutritional differences between men and women fall under category of products which are not vitamins and minerals such as protein and fiber. Men require more protein than women do simply because of the difference in muscle mass and because excess protein will accelerate calcium loss in the urine. Interestingly, men also require more fiber than women because requirements are calculated based on how much protection and they offer against heart disease. Since men in general require more calories they also need more fiber.

So the bottom line is that a good multivitamin without iron can be used for both the men and postmenopausal women, while premenopausal women require a higher iron intake in order to decrease their risk of developing anemia. Women who are entering menopause in their latter years may also find it necessary to increase their iron intake based on their amounts of menstrual flow and blood loss.

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