Take, take, take your vitamins?

A study released last month says the antioxidant vitamins taken by tens of millions of people around the world won't lead to a longer life.

In addition, a review of a large number of separate studies found no long-life benefits from vitamins A, E and C and beta carotene and selenium.

One part of the patient assessment at Hoag Hospital Women's Wellness Center includes a review and recommendations of vitamins and supplements.

"Every so often an article comes out saying vitamins can kill you," says Dr. Jolanta Lukawski, medical director of the wellness center, who also maintains a private practice in Aliso Viejo, Calif.

"They say to take an aspirin a day, but they don't tell you the kind or the dosage. The same applies to these supplement studies. A lot don't discuss dosages and brands, and not all brands adhere to the same rigor.

"There are brands that say what vitamins are in their tablets and the exact milligrams of vitamins."

Q: You participated in an integrated medical fellowship with Dr. Andrew Weil in Arizona. He is a great proponent of supplements.

A: Yes. The saying "let food be your medicine and medicine your food' is so true. But I don't know anybody in the United States who gets adequate servings of fruits and vegetables every day. If they did they would be way ahead of the game.

Q: What's adequate?

A: At minimum five servings a day, seven to nine would be better. And that must include variety like berries, colorful vegetables, squash, peppers, cauliflower. A lot of time, salad doesn't count.

Q: What do you think of multiple vitamins and antioxidant supplements?

A: Some of the ingredients in multiple vitamins are not necessary. Some are fillers. There are "proprietary blends' in some antioxidants, for example, that raise questions about that supplement. Do you need green tea extract, for example?

Plus some of the things in multiple vitamins could interact with other medications. Like ginkgo is an herb and a blood thinner. If you are already on a blood thinner, that could cause problems.

Q: Do you believe in vitamins?

A: I'm a big fan of vitamins but not a super pill. It's not out there. Most people feel better when they take vitamins. I take nine or 10 a day.

Q: You said it's better to "eat your vitamins.' What about juicing?

A: You need to use a lot of fruit to get juice so you ingest more sugar. Plus you are not getting the skin and pulp.

Q: How do I know what vitamins to take?

A: This is where you really need to talk to your doctor. The doctor needs to evaluate what you eat, what your blood work shows, what medications you are on. Then your physician can make recommendations for what you need for your age and health conditions.

Q: Checking for vitamins in the system is something you do at Hoag Hospital's Women's Wellness Center. That's not routine.

A: No, it is not common. Physicians practicing traditional medicine usually don't check unless there's a suspicion of vitamin deficiency. Now we are learning we should check more for B12, for example, and vitamin D. Both are important to help offset the risk of osteoporosis, for example.

Q: What supplements should the average woman 50+ be taking?

A: The average woman should at least take calcium with D and magnesium, although the dosage varies by age and pre- or post-menopausal needs. Then there is the B complex for energy and for stress. We do not recommend vitamin A as it has proven to increase incidences of lung cancer. C is recommended to support the immune system, 500 milligrams. Anything after that should be tailored by your doctor.

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(Contact the writer, (949) 679-6913 or jghaascox.net)

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(c) 2007, The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.).

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AP-NY-03-23-07 0603EDT