Calcium and vitamin D may play an important role in women's health.
In a study of women who had never had premenstrual syndrome (PMS), the women with the highest intakes of calcium and vitamin D were significantly less likely to develop the condition than women who consumed the least amount of these nutrients. Get your daily fill of 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D from food and supplements.
Calcium and vitamin D deficiency can lead to the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. A new study suggests these nutrients also may prevent premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in women who have never had the condition. PMS is a condition that causes symptoms such as abdominal cramps, fluid retention, backache, breast tenderness, mood changes, upset stomach, sleep difficulties, headaches, food cravings, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue 1 to 2 weeks before menstruation. In the study, women who got approximately 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 700 IU of vitamin D per day were significantly less likely to develop PMS over the course of 10 years than women who reported the lowest intake of these nutrients -- about 530 mg of calcium and 110 IU of vitamin D per day.
If you have PMS, exercise regularly, get 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night, eat a healthy diet, and take a multivitamin that includes at least 400 micrograms of folic acid, as well as calcium and vitamin D if you do not get adequate amounts from your diet. Calcium and vitamin D may help lessen symptom severity in women who experience PMS. Steer clear of alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and salt, which may make PMS symptoms worse.
RealAge Benefit: Getting 400 IU of vitamin D and 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day can make your RealAge as much as 1.3 years younger.
Take the RealAge Test
In a study of women who had never had premenstrual syndrome (PMS), the women with the highest intakes of calcium and vitamin D were significantly less likely to develop the condition than women who consumed the least amount of these nutrients. Get your daily fill of 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D from food and supplements.
Calcium and vitamin D deficiency can lead to the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. A new study suggests these nutrients also may prevent premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in women who have never had the condition. PMS is a condition that causes symptoms such as abdominal cramps, fluid retention, backache, breast tenderness, mood changes, upset stomach, sleep difficulties, headaches, food cravings, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue 1 to 2 weeks before menstruation. In the study, women who got approximately 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 700 IU of vitamin D per day were significantly less likely to develop PMS over the course of 10 years than women who reported the lowest intake of these nutrients -- about 530 mg of calcium and 110 IU of vitamin D per day.
If you have PMS, exercise regularly, get 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night, eat a healthy diet, and take a multivitamin that includes at least 400 micrograms of folic acid, as well as calcium and vitamin D if you do not get adequate amounts from your diet. Calcium and vitamin D may help lessen symptom severity in women who experience PMS. Steer clear of alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and salt, which may make PMS symptoms worse.
RealAge Benefit: Getting 400 IU of vitamin D and 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day can make your RealAge as much as 1.3 years younger.
Take the RealAge Test
