A healthy diet and lifestyle can be the foundation of good health, but women over 50 may have difficulty absorbing vitamins from food, or may need higher amounts of certain nutrients than younger adults. According to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, women over 50-years-old may need to emphasize vitamin B12, vitamin C and vitamin D to be sure that they get optimal amounts to stay healthy and reduce the risk for chronic diseases.
Vitamin B12
Women over 50 may need more vitamin B12 than they can get from natural food sources, such as fish, poultry, meat and dairy products. According to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, your body needs vitamin B12 for making DNA and for producing hemoglobin in healthy red blood cells. Cells in your stomach normally produce a protein called intrinsic factor that you need for absorbing vitamin B12 from food. Many older adults suffer from food-bound vitamin B12 malabsorption because these cells can no longer produce enough intrinsic factor, and these adults should take care to get vitamin B12 from fortified foods or supplements. Older adults who suffer from pernicious anemia may need intramuscular vitamin B12 injections because they cannot absorb enough from food.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that may promote women's heart health and reduce the risk for cataracts, gout or Type 2 diabetes. It is an essential water-soluble vitamin for immune function, wound healing and collagen formation in cartilage, and some deficiency symptoms are bleeding gums and weak joints. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center states that older adults tend to eat less vitamin C because they have lower overall calories needs than younger adults, and older adults may actually need more vitamin C than younger adults to get the same benefits. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits and juices, bell peppers, strawberries and potatoes.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining strong bones and according to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, women over age 50 may need extra. A major function of vitamin D is to help the body absorb calcium from food and incorporate that calcium into your bone mineral. Throughout your life, your body constantly breaks down and rebuilds bones, and insufficient vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis and an increased risk for dangerous hip or spine fractures. Healthy adults can make their own vitamin D if their skin gets enough exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, but older adults may not be able to make enough of their own vitamin D. This vitamin is only in a few food sources such as cod liver oil, fatty fish and fortified foods. Post-menopausal women should get enough vitamin D to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: Micronutrients for Older Adults
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: Vitamin B12
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: Vitamin C
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D
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