Your diet provides your body with the vitamins and nutrients that it needs to run your body's systems and to keep you healthy. If you are a senior, a healthy diet can decrease your risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers. To be sure that your diet is supplying your body with what it needs, consider adding a multivitamin that contains the essential vitamins. Always discuss the use of vitamins with your physician.
What Seniors Need
If you are a senior, you require the same vitamins and minerals as a younger person, but in different amounts. The essential vitamins are a group of 13 vitamins that are vital to your metabolism, your cardiovascular function, your nervous system and your immune system. They are considered "essential" because your body needs them every day and if you do not consume them, you can develop certain health problems, such as poor vision, osteoporosis and heart problems. The essential vitamins are vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B complex, which includes thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate. In addition, an ideal multivitamin for seniors will contain some macro and trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.
How to Choose a Safe Multivitamin
The safest and best multivitamin is one that supplies your body with what it needs without providing too much. Therefore, if you are eating properly, you do not need mega doses of vitamins. Instead, choose one that supplies your body with the Recommended Dietary Allowance of each vitamin for your age group. Seniors require a slightly larger amount of each vitamin and mineral than a younger person, but the exact amount varies with your age and gender. This ensures you are getting the minimum amount needed to sustain your body, and you will not be at risk for consuming too much of any one vitamin. This is important because too much of some vitamins can cause gastrointestinal problems and toxicity symptoms.
Multivitamins and Your Diet
The best way to get your essential vitamins and minerals is to consume them through healthy foods. Vitamins are naturally found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lean meats, dairy products, eggs and in vegetable oils. If you consume these types of foods each day and you take a multivitamin that supplies you with the RDA, you will get ample amounts of the essential nutrients. This is the safest and best way to ensure that you have the energy that you need to live an active lifestyle.
Considerations
If you are a senior and you take medications, you need to be aware of any interactions that could take place between your vitamins and your medications. Some vitamins can interfere with medications such as anticoagulants, which can cause these medications not to work properly. Therefore to ensure that you have the safest multivitamin, you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any complications that could exist before you take the multivitamin.
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