During menopause, a woman’s body undergoes profound hormonal changes, which can radically affect bone health and cardiac well-being. This phenomenon is one reason why health experts recommend that mature women take vitamin supplements containing calcium and vitamin D.

As far as the latter nutrient is concerned, peri- and post-menopausal women often don’t get enough in their daily diet. That is the conclusion of a study recently published by the Spanish medical journal Nutricion Hospitalaria.

Researchers measured the dietary intake of more than 3,500 women, all of whom were between the ages of 45 and 68. The team reported being shocked to find that just 39 percent of all participants got the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D.

The authors recommended that menopausal women eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while avoiding excess protein and fat. Another simple way to get all the vitamin D one could ever want is by taking dietary supplements.

In later life, being vitamin D-deficient can increase the risk of poor bone health among mature women.