Could the right supplement help you minimize your risk of a body-numbing disease that affects twice as many women as men?

Early research says yes. In a study, women who took supplements with vitamin D slashed their risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) by 40 percent. Here's how much your daily dosage should be.

Advised Amount Does It
Women who daily got at least 400 IU of vitamin D from supplements had a 40 percent lower risk of developing MS compared with the women who didn't take supplemental D. (Read up on the symptoms and causes of this nervous system disease.) Researchers speculate that D may have some sort of anti-inflammatory effect that helps protect the nervous system, but more research is needed to confirm if the benefit truly exists. In the meantime, here's what else vitamin D can do for you:

• Guard against this joint problem
• Protect against this cancer
• Prevent this bone problem
• Make it less likely you'll experience this female problem

Are you getting enough of the nutrients you need? Here are eight easy ways to improve your nutrition and make your RealAge younger.