The gender lens in Nutrition: Addressing women’s health through Nutraceutical Innovation

For many years, nutritional science used a “one size fits all” method, which ignored the fact that women’s bodies have different nutritional needs that change a lot as they get older.

- AMIT SRIVASTAVA

Hormonal changes that happen during menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, and post-menopause make it so that generic supplements can't meet your specific nutritional needs.

It’s about time the nutraceutical industry realised that gender-specific nutrition isn't just about adding calcium or iron to existing products. It’s about making specific solutions that help women through their biological changes.

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN'S NUTRITIONAL GAPS

Indian women have a very complicated diet. Research shows that almost half of Indian women are anae-mic, and more than 80% of women lack vitamin D. These numbers don’t just mean numbers; they mean tiredness, a weakened immune system, problems with bone health, and higher health risks during pregnancy.

It gets harder when we remember that women’s nutritional needs aren't always the same. A woman in her twenties with PCOS needs different help than a new mother who is recovering from childbirth or a woman in her fifties who is going through menopause.