Does Digestion Slow Down As People Age?

The life expectancy for Americans is 78.2, according to statistics released by the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention in 2011. A longer life span is the goal for many, but it's important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to help keep those years enjoyable. Your body goes through many changes as you get older; in fact, even your digestive system is affected. Understanding how digestion changes as you age can help lower your risk of conditions common to seniors.

Digestive Changes

Digestion involves the breakdown of food and the absorption of nutrients from what you consume. The process begins in the mouth and food continues to move through the esophagus, stomach and intestines. Digestion tends to slow as you get older. Saliva plays a key role in the beginning stage of digestion by wetting the food; it also contains an enzyme that helps break down starch. As you age, however, your body produces less of this liquid. In addition, you also produce less of the stomach acid needed to further moisten and break down.

Malnutrition

This slower functioning and reduced production of digestive aids can have a direct impact on your ability to get proper nutrition, according to Dr. Jennifer Anderson, RD, a professor and nutrition specialist at Colorado State University. Slower digestion may prevent your small intestine from adequately absorbing vitamins and minerals from the food you eat. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is of particular concern as you age because certain digestive problems that affect absorption, such as thinning of the stomach lining, are more common in those age 50 or older.

Foodborne Illness

You can partly blame slow digestion for your greater risk for foodborne illness as well. Lower amounts of stomach acid and the slower movement of food through the digestive tract increase your chances of getting sick from infectious agents in contaminated food. Adding to this concern is that your risk of developing type 2 diabetes also increases as you get older; this disease can slow down digestion as well. This is one reason why diabetics are more likely to develop illness from food pathogens.

Prevention

While changes in digestion are a normal part of getting older, there are things you can do to lower your risk for chronic conditions and deficiencies that affect -- or are affected by -- the digestive process. Filling your diet with whole grains, veggies, fruits and lean protein sources is important at any age. You should also get plenty of fiber because this helps prevent constipation that is more common as you get older. You may want to talk with your doctor about taking a multivitamin or other nutritional supplements to ensure you're getting adequate amounts of B-12 and other essential vitamins and minerals.