A Guide to the Essential Vitamins and Minerals for Older Adults

Online pharmacies advise older people to speak with their doctor before taking vitamins and minerals to prevent issues.

Eating well and being active is crucial no matter your age. It is essential to consume the proper amount of nutrients daily for various physiological processes and optimum health as our bodies' nutritional needs change as we age.

The chance of acquiring several health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, bone loss, and osteoporosis, is decreased by consuming the recommended vitamins and minerals.

Even if your body needs fewer calories as you age, it's still important to ingest calories that are rich in nutrients. Other issues with getting older include the body's decreased capacity to absorb nutrients from meals, a deterioration in taste perception, appetite loss, and difficulty chewing or digesting specific foods. These could cause your body to run out of nutrients as you age.

To solve this issue, pharmaceutical companies provide a comprehensive list of all the vitamins and nutrients your body requires as you age, along with advice on ensuring you get enough of each.

Calcium And Vitamin D

A crucial vitamin that supports the health of your bones and teeth is calcium. With aging comes the need for a diet high in calcium to lower the risk of osteoporosis (bone thinning), fractures, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. If you already use blood pressure medicine, an online pharmacy can deliver them to your home whenever you need them.

Dairy products are a great source of calcium; three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products per day can help older people meet their calcium needs. Foods low in saturated fat help lower your risk of heart disease and limit weight gain because it's important to maintain a healthy weight as you age.

Other excellent sources of dietary calcium are salmon with bones, dark-green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, tinned sardines, dried beans, and canned fish with soft bones.

Similar to calcium, vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium from meals, maintaining bone health. For older people, bone health is especially crucial since osteoporosis and weakening bones can make falls far more deadly.

Additionally, vitamin D helps your immune system fight off bacteria and viruses that attack your body and facilitates neurotransmission between the brain and other body parts and muscular activity. Research suggests that it may also aid in lowering the risk of inflammation, diabetes, and heart disease.

Sunlight is the richest source of Vitamin D, thus making it necessary for the older age groups to spend sufficient time outdoors to acquire direct sunlight exposure. That will help complete their daily requirements of vitamin D. Fortified milk and milk products, egg yolks, fortified cereals, fatty fish, and fish liver oils are additional sources of vitamin D.

People who spend their time indoors or in cold climates may need more Vitamin D supplements to make up for the nutrient's absence because the body does not store much of this vitamin. Consider that you have decided to use calcium supplements or A-Z multivitamins. In that situation, picking one that contains vitamin D is advised.

Vitamin B6

This vitamin aids in red blood cell production. Additionally, it ensures that the brain and nerve cells have strong connections. An online pharmacy suggests using vitamin B6 tablets to manage diabetes, memory loss, and arthritis. Non-citrus fruits, beef liver, chicken breasts, fish, and vegetables like potatoes and other starchy vegetables all contain vitamin B6.

Vitamin B9

In those over 60, memory loss is a prevalent issue. In older people, vitamin B9, sometimes called folate or folic acid, may reduce or prevent memory loss. Additionally, it facilitates the conversion of carbs into energy, which is essential for older people. You can obtain this vital vitamin for your body by eating oranges and vegetables like broccoli, spinach, beans, peas, and Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin B12

The job of vitamin B12 is to maintain the health of the body's neurons and blood cells. It contributes to the production of DNA, the genetic material that powers all living things. A sufficient intake of this vitamin is vital to preventing megaloblastic anemia, a disease of the red blood cells that causes weakness and exhaustion.

Due to low levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, ageing (especially after 50) does make it harder for the body to absorb Vitamin B 12, naturally available in food. However, being a strict vegan can worsen matters because the vitamin is naturally found only in animal-based meals. Eggs, fish, fortified morning cereals, nutritional yeasts, and meat, particularly beef liver, poultry, and dairy products, are enriched with vitamin B12.

Potassium

One of the minerals your body needs is potassium, essential for controlling some bodily functions. Collaborating with your kidneys to remove extra sodium from your body through urine also helps control your blood pressure.

Additionally, it can help lower the possibility of acquiring kidney stones. By relaxing the blood vessel walls, this mineral supports a healthy heart in old age and aids in the appropriate flexing and contraction of muscles. Potassium makes up 80% of the muscle cells in your body. You can get enough of this mineral by including bananas, broccoli, mushrooms, avocados, strawberries, yogurt, raisins, prunes, dates, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes in your regular diet.

Magnesium

This mineral is essential for every cell to function properly since it facilitates about 600 processes in your body. It aids in transforming food into energy, controls the neurotransmitters that transmit signals throughout the brain and neurological system, and supports the contraction and relaxation of your muscles.

Lower magnesium levels can raise the risk of depression, an issue widespread in older age groups owing to loneliness, which can have a variety of causes. The chemist online would therefore encourage including mood-enhancing meals strong in magnesium, such as Halibut, mackerel, black beans, almonds, and cashews. Foods high in dietary fiber, such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, morning cereals, and other fortified foods, also contain this mineral. Dietary fiber aids in regularity and lowers the chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Conclusion

In addition to the vitamins and minerals stated above, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, zinc, sodium, etc., are essential for sustaining older people's health. Older adults' health issues can worsen if they lack critical vitamins or minerals. A nutritious, well-balanced diet is therefore essential.

Even while it is possible to obtain all the nutrients you need through food; online pharmacies advise that you speak with a doctor if you believe you may be deficient in any vital vitamins or minerals.

Avoid taking over-the-counter vitamins and supplements because they could contain many additional needless substances or might even combine poorly with any prescription drugs you might be taking. The fact that these medications must be taken at the right time to maximize absorption and prevent adverse effects is another reason to visit your doctor.

Read More: What Are Some of the Reasons to Take Supplements?

Pharmacist at Staple Pharma