Why should elderly take supplements?

Dietary supplements can be beneficial at any age, but they can also have unwanted side effects, such as dangerous interactions with prescription drugs. They might also not work at all. Your goal is to eat a well-balanced diet that meets all your nutritional needs through food. However, you may not eat enough variety of foods every day.

Multivitamins for the elderly are designed to fill dietary deficiencies by supplementing the vitamins and minerals the body needs to thrive. What supplements are worth your money? Ask 10 different people and you're likely to hear 10 different answers, most of them related to a dietary supplement that magically cures some type of ailment. About half of people over 65 buy dietary supplements, but experts say it would be better to spend the money on fresh produce and shoes that fit them well. Since your body produces vitamin D when you're exposed to the sun, you may already be getting enough vitamin D or not.

Older adults who don't spend as much time outdoors or who have skin changes that slow the body's production of vitamin D may need additional vitamin D, Dr. Talk to your doctor about your diet and lifestyle, and ask if you're getting enough vitamin D. Again, don't start taking it without first talking to your doctor. According to Nothelle, “this way you can control treatment with a supplement.

Doctors used to recommend that all women over 50 take calcium to help fight osteoporosis. However, more recent research has shown some serious drawbacks of calcium supplements, such as the increased risk of having a heart attack. Adults over 50 often need extra calcium, Dr. Nothelle notes, but it doesn't need to come in pill form.

Along with calcium and vitamins D and B12, vitamin B6 is on the NIA list of nutrients that older adults sometimes need to increase. Vitamin B6 helps protect nerves and form red blood cells. Potatoes, bananas, and chicken are good sources. Your doctor may do a blood test to check your level.

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements states that ALCAR may be useful for people with mild cognitive impairment or with Alzheimer's disease. In the studies, subjects took 1.5 to 3.0 grams a day of acetyl-L-carnitine for 3 to 12 months.