The last few blog posts have focused on menopause. Mostly because Jana and I have both felt so under-educated about it!! Maybe this is a “me problem” – but I don’t think so. As I have navigated this mid-life phase, I have had different discomforts that I have searched for solutions for individually. I really feel like the supplements I have added into my routine have been helpful – so while I’m not a nutritionist or doctor, I thought I would share some of my experiences and what has helped me in case it can help you as well. Reminder that we are Amazon affiliates – so we get (a VERY SMALL) compensation from purchases you make using the links in this blog post – which costs you nothing and helps us continue to generate free content for you.
1 – Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamin D
Calcium:
I have been worried about my bone health. Maximum bone density and strength is reached around age 30, and then begins to decrease after that. Bone density is particularly affected by the decreases in estrogen that occur in perimenopause and menopause.
There are several things that can help and one of them is to make sure you are getting enough calcium. Women under 50 should get at least 1000 mg of calcium/day and women over 50 should get 1200 mg of calcium/day (this is from food and supplements together). Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium – so you often see these paired in vitamins. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin D is 600 IUs, but many doctors may recommend even more.
I have personally realized that I am not getting enough calcium in my diet, so I have added a calcium supplement (without vitamin D3) or this one with vitamin D3 into my daily routine.
Magnesium:
Over the last 3 years or so I have really struggled with muscle cramps. They started when I was exercising, I would have a hamstring or back muscle seize up and then it would be sore and need rest for a week or so after. I did some research to figure out WHY! I can’t say for sure, but I can tell you that I started taking a magnesium supplement and these types of muscle cramps have not really happened to me since. Lately I have gotten some leg cramps at night, and have upped my magnesium supplement (with guidance from my doctor) as well as my electrolyte intake. That has seemed to help. So, I take 400-1000 mg of magnesium/day. I’ve had good luck with this one: https://amzn.to/3EWKu5j and this one: https://amzn.to/41yNr4W
2 – Sugar free Metamucil
This was recommended to me by the gastroenterologist after my first colonoscopy, and it’s worth it to me. I have friends who use the fiber gummies which I just ordered – they will be especially nice for travel. I was concerned about extra carbs, but these seem to have the same carbs as the sugar free Metamucil – so maybe I’ll be a convert!! As a side note, traveling with fiber powder flags my bag EVERY TIME I go through security. So, I have started packing it into a really small cosmetic bag that I can take out of my carry-on. Then when the bag gets flagged they only have to go through the small cosmetic bag.
3 – Daily Vitamin
Most of the supplements I take I started in order to solve a specific problem. As I have consistently taken them I can usually see improvement, so I continue to take it. However, I take a multivitamin because it feels like the right thing to do (how’s that for an endorsement??). There are so many out there, and information is difficult to sort through, but I’ve been happy with the One A Day 50+ Women’s vitamin. It does not have the amount of magnesium and calcium that I want which is why I also add those in, but it does have enough vitamin D and Zinc (which I just realized writing this post!!) so I will probably switch back to a more vanilla type of calcium supplement.
4 – Collagen
I started taking collagen to prevent potential hair loss during a diet phase and have loved what it has done for my hair and skin. It also can help with joint health – although the thing that has helped my achy joints the most is cutting back on my sugar intake (side note that probably deserves its own post). Again, there are lots of different types of collagen, and the information quickly becomes overwhelming and I don’t know what to trust. But this is the one I have been using and I like it. They sell this one at Costco for quite a bit less than the Amazon price. This is hard to travel with, and I may try some powdered ones for travel. I’ll let you know what I find!
5 – Hormone Replacement
I recently started on a hormone replacement regimen. I haven’t had hot flashes, so no one had offered it to me, but after reading about it, I decided to ask for it, and I feel like my brain is so much clearer and I am sleeping so much better!! I used to lose my train of thought mid-sentence and struggle to find words, and that seems to have disappeared. I’m also hopeful that it will help my overall health.
6 – Creatine
Another thing that happens as we age is we lose muscle. Creatine can help prevent this IN CONJUNCTION WITH STRENGTH TRAINING. If you are not exercising, it may be a waste of money, but if you have regular exercise as part of your routine (and this is really important for bone and muscle maintenance) then, adding creatine can really help you maintain and even gain muscle. I mix a scoop of this in with my drink every day.
7 – Zicam: Not a daily supplement, but something I love and keep on hand
I swear by Zicam. I always have it in the house and I even travel with it. If I start to get a cold I will take Zicam religiously and it nearly always stops a cold in its tracks. Don’t buy store brand Zicam – it tastes terrible. The ones I like best are the elderberry citrus and the gummies (which I may just start buying online, I haven’t found them in stores in ages). The active ingredient in Zicam is Zinc.
I know some people take zinc daily which can help with general immunity. I was really intrigued recently when I saw a combo supplement for Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin D and zinc, but upon further investigation I realized that the multivitamin I take has PLENTY of zinc in it and I should not double dose. This is a good time to point out that you should be aware as you take multiple supplements of the cumulative amounts you are taking of each vitamin.
So, there you have it – my daily supplement regimen. Even though all the information available can be overwhelming and confusing, I feel so blessed to have so much more information than our parents had, and I’m really hopeful that paying attention to my health now will pay dividends later. What is working for you? Share in the comments so we can all learn together!
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