Vitamins for women aren’t anything new. It’s long been known that men and women have different needs when it comes to nutrient intake, with everything from common ailments specific to the fairer sex to the demanding health implications of pregnancy to consider.
However, that doesn’t mean that vitamins and supplements targeted squarely at the female demographic have always been effective, with plenty of confusing jargon and half-baked health claims to confuse the average consumer. However, a new name on the scene, Ritual, aims to change all that.
This vitamin supplement aimed purely at women brings a more honest approach to holistic vitamin supplements, with candid declarations about what’s included and why. If you’ve already hit upon this supplement brand before in your own research but failed to make sense of the countless Ritual vitamin reviews out there, our thorough breakdown and analysis is on hand to shine a little light on the situation.
A bit of background on Ritual
If you keep your ear to the ground when it comes to multivitamin reviews, chances are you’ll have heard something about Ritual before. If not, no worries. We’ve put together a bit of useful history to help you get to grips with what these vitamin supplement solution for women is all about.
The founder of Ritual claims that the product began life with a simple question about what exactly women’s vitamins were and what was included in them. The brains behind Ritual claim they’re not the kind to quote half-baked science and quasi-proven results. Instead, they’re focus has always been on what the bodies of women require and how to deliver those requirements in an effective manner with quantifiable science behind the ingredients used. The result, they claim, is arguably the best vitamin for women looking for a daily supplement.
Transparency and honesty are key philosophies of the brand. In addition to promoting good relationships with their suppliers, the team behind Ritual claim they strive to develop new relationships with suitable suppliers and partners, never settling for second-rate in this respect.
They also make a point to distance themselves from other vitamin manufacturers who try to confuse their target market with false claims or irrelevant information. They claim not to include unnecessary ingredients in their vitamin recipes, as many competitors argue the inclusion of ingredients that aren’t often called for are included for a specific reason. This kind of thinking only clouds the alleged benefits of a vitamin and Ritual is adamant this kind of strategy is something it will never stray toward.
Ingredients included
Underlining the transparent philosophies at work with Ritual vitamins, these supplements only contain a succinct list of nine ingredients. Ritual Essential supplements claim to include nutrients that women really need and are likely to be lacking in. These ingredients have been decided upon after much study to identify the average needs of their everyday consumers.
The nutrients Ritual’s team have found to be lacking in the body of the everyday female consumer are vitamins D3, B12, K2 and E. In addition to these vitamins, they have also bolstered the composition of their vitamin supplements with additional omega-3 and omega-2, folate, magnesium, boron and iron.
Not only do Ritual highlight these nine ingredient nutrients are what women are most likely to be lacking and will see benefit from including in their diet in supplement form, they also make a point to explain these ingredients have been arrived at due to their absorbency rates. All nine ingredients included in these supplements are relatively easy to absorb by the body, meaning they stand as relatively effective additions when compared to other nutrients that some supplements are often loaded with. It’s a case of quality over quantity, you could say.
The smaller number of ingredients also has a practical application. When collated in pill form, ingredients remain separate from one another, reducing the chance of them interacting before ingestion and ensuring the individual consuming them gets the benefits of them as intended.
Why are these ingredients so important to health?
Almost all of the ingredient nutrients included in Ritual Essential vitamins carry multiple benefits to the one consuming them. Vitamin D3 is said to promote healthy bones, boost immune system strength, encourage better levels of cognition and improve calcium absorption levels. Vitamin E is also claimed to carry anti-ageing benefits, while also serving as a natural anti-inflammatory agent and helping maintain an overall healthier immune system.
Vitamin K2 also has claimed health benefits for the skin, the bones, and primary organs like the heart. Vitamin B12 also carries a multitude of health benefits, helping alleviate feelings of tiredness and fatigue, combat stress levels, minimise hair loss and more.
Aside from the conventional vitamins included, there’s folate, which is a more potent alternative to everyday folic acid supplements. It’s a go-to supplement for pregnant women looking to maintain optimum levels of health when carrying. The iron included helps combat obvious things like tiredness and exhaustion symptoms, while also providing a boost for anybody suffering from a general iron deficiency.
The inclusion of magnesium here is particularly desirable, with positive effects on the immune system, heart tissues and bone health. It’s also been known to combat ill effects of stress on the body, while also potentially serving to improve sleep quality.
The addition of boron means this supplement carries benefits for bone health and brain health, while also encouraging better metabolism, particularly when it comes to absorbing and utilising vitamins and minerals within the body.
It may also bring positive impact to hormone levels. Finally, there’s the inclusion of omega-3, a fatty acid staple. All three fatty acid agents can be found here, helping alleviate a whole host of health issues, including hypertension, skin issues, heart disease and more.
What ingredients aren’t included and why?
Anyone halfway familiar with vitamin supplements for women will notice that common ingredients like Vitamin C and calcium aren’t included on the list. Why? Well, according to Ritual and claiming the results of extensive research, there simply isn’t a need for supplemental levels of these things when it comes to most women.
They make a point to explain most women consume all the Vitamin C they need from their diet, so long as they’re following recommendations on a healthy diet that is. In lieu of calcium, they’ve included the likes of boron and vitamins K2 and D3. All three of these are known to encourage how our bodies naturally utilise calcium consumed in more organic ways via diet.
This last point is particularly important, underlining how Ritual has been meticulously crafted to not only deliver what women’s bodies are in actual need of when lacking, but also how the supplement encourages the body to utilise natural functions and nutrients that find their way into our bodies in more conventional ways. Those after a more holistic approach to daily supplements will certainly want to give Ritual a second look.
How effective is Ritual?
Like any multivitamin supplement, Ritual should not be seen as a one-stop solution for ensuring you’ve the right nutrients in your body. It definitely shouldn’t be used as a substitute for a proper diet and well considered nutrition. If you’re completely new to the world of vitamin supplements and have some reservations, it’s advised you consult with a medical professional beforehand to alleviate any concerns. This is particularly true if you have any pre-existing medical conditions which might be affected by the consumption of supplement medication.
Dosage and usage recommendations
You’ll find thorough instructions on dosage and usage packaged with your supplements themselves, but as a general rule, you’re advised to consume two pills daily. You can consume Ritual pills with or without food, with no limits to the time of day you consume them.
This makes them a particularly handy choice for those with busy schedules who don’t want to be tied down to specific consumption rules. For example, if you’re unsure of what time you’ll be dining on any given day, you can simply pop two of these pills with water, rather than wait to sit down with a meal or light bite.
Possible side effects to consider
Because of the minimal amount of ingredients that make up Ritual supplements and the relatively gentle nature of the nutrients included, there aren’t any side effects of note to consider before taking them. That being said, the included documentation outlines all possible effects any given user might experience.
Should you encounter any significant feelings of nausea and sickness, vomiting, diarrhoea and the like, you’ll want to cease consuming them and consult a doctor’s advice as soon as possible. This is a general rule however, and nothing specific to the concerns of consuming Ritual supplements.
Final thoughts…
If you’re a woman who’s looking for a holistic vitamin supplement that will partner nicely with a healthy diet and lifestyle choices, Ritual Essential is certainly worth looking into.
The transparent nature of the company as a whole, particularly in regards to what it’s looking to tackle with its selected list of ingredients, means you don’t have to worry about getting lost in a list of false claims and half-truths. If you’re hoping to notice discernible results, such a streamlined supplement is certainly the way to go
