Are Supplements for Seniors Necessary? In the ideal world, you would get all your essential nutrients from vegetables, fruits, and other unprocessed foods. Eating a variety of healthy foods is undoubtedly the best way to get the nutrients you need.
But as you get older, hormonal changes in your body make it harder and harder to achieve the required intake of certain minerals and vitamins. Your body will gradually begin to weaken and lose the ability to stay free from disease, fight infection and produce muscle mass.
However, dietary supplements can make an important contribution to the aging process. Supplements for seniors contain substances that can be used to reduce the risk of health problems or to add nutrients to your diet that you would not otherwise be getting.

Seniors have different nutritional needs

Seniors Healthy Aging1Supplements can be essential for any age group, but seniors need them more because they may have specific difficulties in getting the right nutrients.
Chronic conditions and medications can reduce the ability to absorb crucial vitamins – even from vitamin-rich foods and beverages.
In general, seniors have a deficiency of vitamins A, C, D, and E. But a deficiency of vitamin K also occurs regularly in the elderly. With regard to a deficiency of minerals, one should think of, for example, zinc, calcium, iron, and magnesium. It would help if you, as a senior, would also focus on supplements that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and glucosamine.
Multivitamins are the most commonly used nutritional supplements in the Netherlands. By supplementing your diet with the essential nutrients through multivitamin supplementation, you can achieve better health and immunity. These kinds of supplements for seniors are therefore very suitable!

The need for supplements for seniors because of their diet

There are several issues that can affect the diet of seniors. For starters, changes in the ability to smell and taste food can contribute to loss of appetite.
Many older people also spend less time cooking than before, and dental disease can affect the consumption of certain foods as well. In the foregoing cases, supplementation by the elderly can be an effective way to supplement the missing nutrients.

Seniors also need to consider other factors

Seniors Healthy Aging2As we get older, we tend to spend more time indoors. Our skin is less exposed to UV rays and can therefore release less vitamin D to the body.
The sun is responsible for activating the synthesis of vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important for promoting bone mineralization, strengthening the immune system, and the absorption of calcium.
Vitamin B12 is another vitamin that we don’t easily absorb as we get older. For optimal absorption of this vitamin, stomach acid is necessary. Seniors often produce less stomach acid than before. Supplementation of vitamin B12 can ensure that this deficiency is effectively remedied.
Supplements are sold in the form of capsules, pills, gel tabs, powders, extracts, or liquids. You do not need a doctor’s prescription to buy these products, but we advise you to contact your doctor before using dietary supplements.

Supplements for seniors summarized

When looking at the hormonal changes the human body goes through as it ages, seniors should be aware of the likely vitamin and mineral deficiencies associated with them. Supplements for seniors, as previously described, can help fill these deficiencies. Taking the right supplements for the elderly has been proven to improve the overall quality of life.
If you choose to take supplements, focus on 50+ multivitamins, for example. This supplement group is related to the right substances for your age category. Before you start taking dietary supplements, however, consult a (family) doctor first.

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