Supplementing vitamin D for menopause could help to support your bones and help promote a lighter mindset. Menopausal people may experience a loss in bone mineral density, and vitamin D is an essential nutrient to support strong bones. The “sunshine vitamin” is an essential nutrient to supplement throughout your life, and especially in menopause.
Table of Contents:
- Can Vitamin D Help Ease Menopause Symptoms?
- Which Type of Vitamin D is Best in Menopause?
- How Much Vitamin D Do You Need in Menopause?
- Low Vitamin D in Menopause
- Best Vitamin D Supplements with BetterYou
- BetterYou & GenM: Our Menopause Promise
Can Vitamin D Help Ease Menopause Symptoms?
Vitamin D for menopause could help to ease menopause symptoms such as aching bones and mood changes due to heightened stress. Vitamin D supplements are recommended during menopause to help protect against weak bones.
The NHS suggests vitamin D can help to keep your bones healthy during the menopause. BetterYou’s menopause supplements include vitamin D to help support your symptoms during this transitional stage of life.
Find the best supplements for menopause to help support the following symptoms:
Aching Bones
One of the common symptoms of the menopause is aching bones and joint stiffness. This is caused by a loss of bone density and increased bone turnover triggered by declining estrogen levels. This can lead to increased risk of fractures.- Vitamin D supports strong bones by regulating calcium and phosphorus levels in your bones.
- Both calcium and phosphorus are essential types of minerals which support strong bones.
- Calcium is the most abundant mineral in our body, which hardens and strengthens bones.
- Our bodies cannot make calcium, so we need to obtain it from the food, drinks and supplements we intake.
- Vitamin D’s role in mineral homeostasis is to increase calcium absorption in the intestine.
- Without enough vitamin D for menopause, your body cannot effectively absorb calcium.
- Studies suggest that optimum vitamin D levels can help to minimise fracture risk.
Intaking vitamin D for menopause through bone supplements is important in order to support your bones during this time.
Unbalanced Moods
Vitamin D for menopause could have an effect on the mood imbalances you may experience during this time.
- Vitamin D can increase serotonin levels in the brain.
- Vitamin D activates the gene that makes the enzyme which converts the essential amino acid tryptophan into serotonin.
- Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (carries messages from the brain) known as a “happy hormone” because it is important for keeping your mood up and you feeling your best.
- Studies highlight that higher levels of serotonin can indicate a positive mood.
- Therefore, ensuring you intake enough can help you see this vital benefit of vitamin D.
- It may be especially important to take vitamin D for menopause, where changes in hormones can affect your nutrient levels, and lead to changes in your mood.
Which Type of Vitamin D is Best in Menopause?
When intaking vitamin D for menopause, it is important to source the most effective form of the vitamin. There are two main forms of vitamin D, all under the name calciferol. These forms are:
- Ergocalciferol (known more commonly as D2)
- Cholecalciferol (known more commonly as D3)
Vitamin D3
D3 is the biologically active form, produced in humans and animals when skin is exposed to sunlight. Studies have shown that D3 is more effective in raising vitamin D levels than D2.
Both D2 and D3 convert into calcifediol in the liver (also known as calcidiol), but D3 yields more calcifediol.
During menopause, where you may need more vitamin D, or are at risk of developing low levels of vitamin D, it may be more effective to supplement D3 to optimise your intake.
BetterYou’s vitamin D supplements are formulated to provide vitamin D3, available in various dosage strengths. We also have a vegan supplement which provides a vegan-friendly form known as D3V®.
How Much Vitamin D Do You Need in Menopause?
When supplementing vitamin D for menopause it is important to intake the recommended vitamin D dosage:
- We recommend a dosage level based on body weight and advise supplementation of 1000 IU of vitamin D per 25 kg of body weight.
- This usually equates to around 3000 IU vitamin D per day for adults in the UK.
The recommended safe upper limit for intake is 4000 IU vitamin D. It is important to bear in mind the nutrient reference value guidelines when supplementing.
Low Vitamin D in Menopause
During the menopause, your body composition changes, often causing increased fat mass and decreased lean mass. This means you may be more at risk of experiencing vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to:
- Constant coughs and colds
- Aching bones
- Weak muscles
- Feeling low
Therefore, it is essential to obtain the correct levels of vitamin D in menopause to avoid these issues alongside any menopause symptoms.
You should seek medical advice from your GP or other health professional if you think you have the signs of a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Always consult medical advice before taking supplements.
Best Vitamin D Supplements with BetterYou
BetterYou make obtaining vitamin D during menopause easier than ever with our pill-free supplements. Designed to be effective, easy to take, and convenient, these oral spray supplements have been absorption tested by the Universities of Sheffield and Cardiff. You can improve levels of vitamin D in menopause with BetterYou, without having to swallow a tablet or pill!
BetterYou & GenM: Our Menopause Promise
BetterYou have partnered with GenM to be a part of a collective of brands with a mission to make menopause a more positive experience. GenM helps to spread awareness of this transitional time in life for many women and people who menstruate, to help from being overlooked at home, work and across society.
The majority of our products are suitable to help manage your symptoms, including vitamin D for menopause. Look out for products with the M-Tick for those which are vital to support your health through the menopause.
Why Choose BetterYou?
At BetterYou, we pioneered transdermal magnesium and oral spray nutritional supplementation. Our Better Planet Project helps us make sustainable options in all of our products and business. With energy supplements for that needed boost, and sleep supplements to help you drift off, you can support your healthy lifestyle.
