As you age, the needs of your body change. An senior's body requires less energy but more nutrition. A one-a-day vitamin can help give you all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs each day. Aging brings many concerns regarding the body, but with a multivitamin, malnutrition doesn't need to be one of them.
Significance
Malnutrition occurs when you do not get all of the necessary nutrients the body needs. This can begin from not eating enough, eating the same unhealthy foods daily or from simply not eating enough healthy foods. Malnutrition can easily happen if your doctor has you on a restricted diet due to a physical condition. You may feel confused about what you are allowed to eat. Taking a one-a-day vitamin can help reduce malnutrition.
Signs and Symptoms
Your body sends you feedback based on your health. To determine if you or someone you know is malnourished, look for signs and symptoms. A person suffering from malnutrition will experience fatigue, depression, anemia, muscle weakness, increased incidents of falling, digestive issues, lung problems, heart problems and bad skin integrity.
Vitamins and Aging
Certain vitamins can provide benefits to you as you age. According to a study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2007 by Martha Savaria Morris and colleagues, vitamin B-12 and folate can help protect cognition. This study explains the relationship between two B vitamins and their importance for the aging brain.
Recommended Intakes
Recommended intakes of certain vitamins and minerals increase as you age. Vitamin B6 recommendations increase to 1.7 mg for men 70 and older and 1.5 mg for women. After you reach age 51, your calcium needs increase. This is due to the increase in bone loss that comes with aging. A man or woman older than 51 should get 1,200 mg of calcium daily.
Convenience
You have better things to do besides keeping track of all the vitamins and minerals you've eaten each day. Taking a one-a-day vitamin, specifically formulated for a senior, will give you all of the nutrients you need. This paired with a diet that focuses on low sodium and unsaturated fats, will leave you with enough health for years of playing with your grandchildren. One-a-day vitamins for seniors are available at most pharmacies. If you have trouble deciding which one is right for you, ask the pharmacist for help.
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