Many nutritionists say that good diets that include a variety of fruits and vegetables don't need to be supplemented with vitamins. But evidence is mounting that a moderate daily multivitamin dose for women over 40 may be beneficial. The American Dietetic Association, for instance, recommends vitamin supplements for women that help them achieve Dietary Reference Intake limits (what used to be called the Recommended Daily Allowances). As a woman ages, her ability to absorb nutrients declines, so vitamin supplements are helpful.
Multivitamins
After the age of 40, a woman's metabolism slows down and she needs less food for energy. Researchers at the University of Southern California recommend that women over 40 reduce their food intake by 100 to 200 calories a day and start taking a multivitamin supplement. The National Institutes of Health recommends that women over 40 who do not take estrogen replacements during menopause take at least 1,500mg of multivitamins per day.
Vitamin E
University of Florida researchers have found that women over 40 who exercise regularly and take vitamin E supplements significantly decrease their risk of health problems related to unstable molecular fragments known as free radicals, which contribute to aging and disease.
Vitamin C
According to the Florida Institute of Aging, younger bodies produce enough antioxidants to counteract free radicals. However, after the age of 40, a woman starts to produce fewer antioxidants and more free radicals, which play a role in cancer, clogged arteries, Alzheimer's and scores of other diseases. One way to boost defenses is by consuming foods with beta-carotene and by taking vitamin C.
Vitamin B
Folic acid, a B vitamin, is recommended for women over 40 who could become pregnant. An increasing number of women over 40 are getting pregnant, but they face an increased risk of complications, such as genetic disorders, in their baby. But if a woman takes prenatal vitamins with folic acid before geting pregnant, University of Michigan researchers say she decreases the risk of neural tube defects, particularly spina bifida.
Vitamins for Better Eyesight
After the age of 40, there is an increasing likelihood that a woman will develop presbyopia (difficulty reading up close) or age-related macular degeneration (AMD). But according to researchers at the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science in New Jersey, daily supplements of antioxidants such as vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, zinc and copper decrease the risk of advanced AMD by 25 percent.
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