Supplements and vitamins, what do women really need to take?

Glucosamine information. You can spend a lot of time and a whole lot of money trying to find the vitamins and supplements that are right for you. But if you¹re a woman of say, 45 or older, in generally good health, which of these pills and potions do you really need?

"The general rule of thumb, the only thing that is absolutely recommended for those women is a calcium D magnesium supplement and that's mainly because the evidence is good that it really helps prevent osteoporosis and bone loss," said Nurse Practitioner Karen Roberts.

Beyond that, Roberts says if a woman is eating in a health way --­ and that means plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains --­ all other vitamins, herbs and supplements are optional, including a multi-vitamin.

"I certainly think it's something that wouldn't hurt every woman, to take a multi, and most of us could do better with our diets, absolutely," Roberts said.

In addition, there are three supplements that are recommended to women over 40 that have proven effective with certain conditions. Research has shown fish oil with Omega 3 to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Another supplement shown to be good for the heart, is CoenzymeQ10, recommended by many area cardiologists.

"They feel that it has substantiated the claim that it improves circulation and reduces the oxidated damage of the tissues which is thought to be related to those free radicals," she said.

The third supplement, Glucosamine, can help with those middle-aged aches and pains.

"Glucosamine has had some pretty solid evidence in terms of assisting with joint issues," she said. "So for people who have osteoarthritis or any other kind of condition that would effect the joint, there¹s been some pretty good evidence that glucosamine does, in fact, seem to help with cartilage repair in the joint and ease some of those joint-related symptoms.

In the end, the best way to get your vitamins and minerals is from a healthy diet based on the new food pyramid, available at mypyramid.gov.

Karen Roberts writes a column on women's health issues called Dear Crabby at www.BoomerGirl.com.