As you age, your vitamin requirements may change. This is due to the changes that your body goes through, as you get older. Seniors are typically on different diets and eat different foods when compared to younger generations. This often causes a dietary deficiency in certain vitamins. Often, this may require dietary augmentation with vitamin supplements. Understanding which vitamins are necessary in seniors can help establish life-long nutritional health.
Aging and Vitamins
As you age, your body undergoes numerous physiological changes. Often this alters your nutritional requirements. Active, healthy seniors over the age of 75 may not require vitamin supplements, because they are able to get sufficient amounts of vitamins from their diet. However, homebound seniors, who are frail, have a chronic disease or are unable to eat properly may require extra dietary augmentation, the Cleveland Clinic explains. In either case, seniors require daily doses of vitamins, whether as part of their diet or via vitamin supplements.
Malnutrition in the Elderly
Seniors often consume fewer calories and food than younger adults. This may be due to their aversion to certain foods, a decrease in appetite or hormonal imbalances. This decrease in food intake often results in a deficiency in certain vitamins, especially in vitamins C and D, an article in the February 1974 issue of "The British Medical Journal" reports. Malnutrition in seniors must be treated in order to prevent complications and other comorbidities. Monitoring vitamin levels require a combination of physical exams, food intake and blood tests. Unfortunately, many seniors are unable to undergo this process and are often lacking the vitamins they need to stay healthy. Carefully regulating your diet can ensure that as you age you are continuously receiving all the vitamins you need.
Vitamins A, D, E and K
Vitamin A, D, E and K are often grouped together as fat-soluble vitamins. This means that these vitamins are often absorbed with fat and can be stored in the fat tissues of your body. These vitamins function as antioxidants, bone formation and blood coagulation. According to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," older males require 1,000 micrograms of vitamin A, while women require around 800 micrograms. For vitamin D, seniors of both genders require approximately 5 micrograms per deciliter per day. Vitamin E daily allowance for male seniors is 10 mg and 8 mg for women. Finally, for Vitamin K seniors should consume 65 to 80 micrograms per day.
B Vitamins and Folic Acid
For nutritional purposes, the B vitamins are commonly divided into vitamins B1, B3, B6 and B12. The B vitamin complex is essential in DNA synthesis, energy production and growth and development of cells. You will need adequate amounts of each vitamin to stay healthy as you age. You need around 3 to 30 micrograms of each B vitamin in order to make sure that your body has enough to function properly. B complex vitamin supplements easily provide enough of each B vitamin for your daily recommended allowance.
Folic acid is also a part of the vitamin B complex and is used to synthesize cells, especially red blood cells. A deficiency in vitamin B will cause a deformity in your red blood cells and lead to a disease called megaloblastic anemia. According to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," older men will need 200 micrograms of folic acid, while elder women will need 180 micrograms.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that you need in order to fight cancer and produce collagen, which is used to anchor your teeth and strengthen the connective tissue of your body. Without vitamin C you will develop scurvy, which can cause gum disease and tooth loss. Seniors need approximately 60 mg of vitamin C per day.
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