In this article, we will discover how much you really know about vitamins, and tell you which the best vitamins for women’s hormone imbalance are.
Now, I’m almost 100% sure that you know that vitamins are essential to being healthy, however, most people are unaware of the role each vitamin plays in the body. In this article, we will give you the best vitamins for hormonal imbalance and balance, explain their functions, and in which foods you can find them. We hope this will make you understand how vitamins influence your well-being in general and your hormonal health.
First things first, what are vitamins?
Vitamins are organic substances fundamental to your health (!). They are needed for the good functioning of your organs. The best way to keep all vitamins in fair amounts is to have a balanced and varied diet as you get these vitamins from the food you eat!
There are two major groups of vitamins:
Water-soluble and fat-soluble.
Water-soluble vitamins (you guessed it) are those that are soluble in water. There are 8 water-soluble vitamins: the ones in group B vitamins and vitamin C. You only need a daily intake of these and they are excreted through urine.
Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, are soluble in lipids (also known as fats). These you don’t need a daily intake of and they are excreted through the feces.
Now let’s jump to the most important subject.
What vitamins are best for women’s hormonal imbalance?
Hormonal imbalance is classified by the excess or lack of hormones in the blood, which in turn can lead to small changes in the body or even more serious consequences. For women, hormonal shifts happen due to the menstrual cycle, the menopause, and pregnancy but hormonal imbalance can emerge from the sorts of food you eat. Therefore, the body needs important nutrients and vitamins to carry out the biochemical reactions that are involved in the production of hormones. If you are worried about your hormones health, here’s a list of the best vitamins to improve hormone imbalance in women:
Omega 3 (fish oil)
How is Omega 3 good for women’s hormone imbalance? Omega 3 is a type of good fat that has a strong anti-inflammatory action and, therefore, can be used to control cholesterol and blood glucose levels or prevent cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. In addition, it improves your memory and good mood (in fact, it helps fight depression).
Where do you find omega 3?
Sources of fish oil include:
- salmon
- tuna
- sardines
- cod
- nuts
- vegetable oils
- spinach
- watercress
- lettuce
- cauliflower
Vitamin B3
How is the B3 vitamin good for women’s hormone imbalance? Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is important for keeping the nervous system in good condition, promoting good digestion, for good blood oxygenation, reducing cholesterol, and getting a more positive mood. It is also responsible for removing toxic substances from the body and helping the production of steroid hormones.
Lacking vitamin B3 can cause fatigue, irritability, insomnia, headache, depression, digestive problems, and even neurological problems.
Where do you find vitamin B3?
Sources of this vitamin include:
- red meat
- chicken
- fish
- fruits
- cereals
- milk
- dairy products
Vitamin B5
How is the B5 vitamin good for women’s hormone imbalance? Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, helps in the development of cholesterol, of vitamin D and is used for chronic stress and anxiety treatments. Vitamin B5 is important for your energy levels, in metabolizing fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, for gray hair prevention, and to increase and improve your ability to focus.
Lacking vitamin B5 can cause anemia, insomnia, fatigue, vomiting, muscle pain, and hormonal changes.
Where do you find vitamin B5?
Sources of vitamin B5 include:
- mushrooms
- broccoli
- cabbage
- salmon
- kale
- eggs
- wheat
- peanuts
- nuts
- milk
- dairy products
Vitamin B6
How is the B6 vitamin good for women’s hormone imbalance? Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, regulates hormones, is responsible for maintaining energy levels in the body, balances the nervous-, immune- and liver system, and even improves the health of your eyes and skin.
This vitamin is important for you to be able to deal with stress, to stabilize your blood sugar levels, for general well-being (especially during pregnancy and menopause), and for optimal brain function. Vitamin B6 is linked to the production of serotonin, also known as the ‘happy hormone’ 🙂
Where do you find vitamin B6?
Sources of vitamin B6 include:
- all meats
- eggs
- avocado
- bananas
- carrots
- spinach
- almonds
- sunflower seeds
Vitamin B12
How are B12 vitamins good for women’s hormone imbalance? This vitamin is water-soluble and is a very important vitamin, as it is involved in the formation of your erythrocytes (red blood cells) and also acts directly on the nervous system. It’s good for the muscles and can prevent depression.
Where do you find vitamin B12?
Sources of vitamin B12 include:
- salmon
- trout
- tuna
- liver
- pork
- milk and other dairy products
- eggs
- oysters
Folic Acid
How is folic acid good for women’s hormone imbalance? Known as the ‘wellness vitamin’, folic acid is important for the creation of red blood cells and for healthy fetal development. It also strengthens your immunity system, manufactures neurotransmitters, and slows down cognitive deterioration, while also improving your mood.
Where do you find folic acid?
Sources of folic acid include:
- kale
- spinach
- avocado
- green peas
- lentils
- chickpeas
- beans
- walnuts
- peanuts
- almonds
- chestnuts
- lemons
- oranges
- strawberries
Vitamin D
How is vitamin D good for women’s hormone imbalance? Also known as the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, vitamin D is actually a hormone and plays an important role in the production and activity of other hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Vitamin D is fat-soluble and is important for your dental health. It also strengthens the immune system, prevents osteoporosis, colon- and breast cancer. Vitamin D is the key to regulating and producing thyroid hormones.
Where do you find vitamin D?
Sources of vitamin D include:
- liver fish oil
- salmon
- tuna
- beef liver
- sardines
- eggs
- and, of course, the sunlight!
Extra helpful tips: 15-30 minutes of sunlight is the recommended daily intake. However, if you live in those places where sunlight is almost none, you should take vitamin D supplements to avoid its lack thereof.
Zinc
How is Zinc good for women’s hormone imbalance? Zinc is a mineral nutrient found in the body which plays an important role in your immune system and metabolic function. It is also important for maintaining healthy skin, hair, nails, and vision.
Lacking zinc can weaken your immune system and will make the healing of sores slower. Some diseases like Crohn’s disease, chronic liver- and kidney disease, or ulcerative colitis can cause zinc absorption problems.
Where do you find zinc?
Sources of zinc include:
- oysters
- red meat
- chicken
- crab
- lobster
- cooked beans
- chickpeas
- lentils
- almonds
- peanuts
- cashews
- whole grains
- cereals
- milk and dairy products
The 2 most important vitamins to balance women’s hormones?
Hormonal balance is important for your health and quality of life and that’s because hormones are the basis of life. They are the chemical messengers responsible for sending messages through the bloodstream for human tissues and organs to perform their tasks. They are responsible for managing several functions, including your mood, libido, immune function, and digestion.
Magnesium and Vitamin E are two vitamins that are super important for your health and every woman should take them. Have a look below!
Magnesium
Plays an important role in your body and also acts in hundreds of fundamental biochemical reactions on the body. This vitamin is good for aiding muscle and nerve functions, regulating blood pressure, and contributing to the immune system.
In addition, it relieves menstrual cramps and PMS. Yes, you read it right!
Where do you find Magnesium?
Sources of magnesium include:
- avocados
- nuts
- almonds
- beans
- lentils
- fatty fish
- pumpkin seeds
- oats
- whole wheat
- brown rice
- bananas
- kiwi
- broccoli
- pumpkin
- kale
- spinach
- milk
- yogurt
- red meat
- and last but not least, dark chocolate (is not ideal but is better than no chocolate at all)
Vitamin E
Has an antioxidant function, is fat-soluble, and is the most known vitamin for helping with hormone imbalance. It helps calm down depression symptoms, mood swings, while it also soothes your PMS symptoms and stress during menopause.
Lacking vitamin E can lead to neuromuscular diseases, retinopathy (non-inflammatory lesions on the retina), neurological problems, decreased immunity, anemia, and loss of hair.
Where do you find vitamin E?
Sources of vitamin E include:
- sunflower seeds
- peanuts
- almonds
- walnuts
- wheat germ
- olive oil
- spinach
- kale
- arugula
- watercress
- liver
- egg yolks
Now, you may be wondering if vitamins actually help improve and balance women’s hormones?
Yeah, they do! Hormones are produced by the endocrine glands and work as messengers that travel through your bloodstream. And just like vitamins, hormones regulate certain organs and are crucial for growth and reproduction among other processes.
If you suffer from hormone imbalance, you should always contact your doctor, because everybody and every diagnosis are different. Although, you yourself can help your hormones to function better in a natural way: with vitamins, because they support and balance the normal hormone production in your body.
Lifestyle and hormonal imbalance
It should be obvious that lifestyle directly affects your hormones, so it’s important to implement some healthy practices to help you maintain the proper functioning of your hormones.
Here are some ways to balance your hormones naturally:
- Exercise regularly
- Try to maintain healthy body weight, eat a nutritious and balanced diet (also, swap sugar and carbs for good quality fat)
- Learn how to manage stress
- Practice yoga or meditation
- Use adaptogenic herbs
- Take probiotics regularly (yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, or sauerkraut) and if you are not a big fan of those, mozzarella cheese is a good option too.
- Avoid using hormonal contraceptives
- Sleep well, at least 8 hours a night
- Buy fruits and vegetables that are organic
Get more tips on how to balance hormones naturally here.
We promote a healthy lifestyle as a vital habit in life, so here’s our advice to you: sunbath as much as you can (but use SPF!), keep an eye on what you eat (without depriving your body of what it wants), try to live with optimism and just be happy. We actually believe this is the safest way to assure a balanced body and wellness as a whole.
Last but not least, look at vitamins as your health God-fairy, for the sake of your hormones!
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