Men over 70 years of age have special nutritional needs that can be met through dietary supplements. Eating a healthy well-balanced diet of nutrient-dense foods and avoidance of processed foods and fast foods can improve your health. However, when you are older, certain nutrients are needed in higher quantities, and your ability to absorb nutrients into your body may be compromised. Consult your doctor about supplements to take for men over 70 years of age.
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin found in animal products, such as shellfish, meat and dairy that is essential for synthesis of DNA and proteins. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is common in elderly people, primarily because of diminished ability to absorb the nutrient. A vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause abnormal neurological and psychiatric symptoms. The recommended daily allowance for men over 70 years of age is 2.4 micrograms per day. Taking a supplement can satisfy your nutritional requirements, but you may need to take a much higher dose to absorb the required amounts. Scientists at Wageningen University in The Netherlands found the lowest dose of vitamin B-12 supplement required to normalize a vitamin B-12 deficiency in older individuals is approximately 3 micrograms, which is more than 200 times greater than the recommended dietary allowance, according to research published in the "Archives of Internal Medicine" in May 2005.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that your body produces after skin exposure to sunlight and is found in a very few foods that include cod liver oil and organ meats.However, the risk of vitamin D deficiency in older men is very high, even among men over 65 years of age who live in sunny climate. Older men are susceptible to a vitamin D deficiency and require supplements due to increased risks of malabsorption, aging kidneys that are unable to convert the dietary form of the nutrient into its active biological form, and insufficient time in the sun to manufacture the vitamin. A vitamin D deficiency increases your risk of bone disease, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. The recommended dose of vitamin D in supplements for older men ranges between 400 to 1,200 IU, depending on your health and specific disease risk.
Calcium
Older men need calcium to sustain strong bones. The recommended daily intake of calcium for men 70 years and older is 1,200 milligrams. Calcium is in dairy, soy and green vegetables. Adequate calcium intake and physical activity may reduce osteoporosis risk in elderly men, according to research by scientists at St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, and published in the "Journal of Bone and Mineral Research" in 2000.
Zinc
Elderly men are susceptible to infections and prostate cancer and can benefit from zinc supplements. Zinc stimulates the immune system and reduces the risk of infections. Zinc can also reduce your risk of vision loss due to macular degeneration. The recommended daily allowance for adults is 8 to 11 milligrams.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Vitamin B12; 2010
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Oral Cyanocobalamin Supplementation in Older People with Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Dose-Finding Trial; Simone Eussen, et al.; May 23 2005
- MedlinePlus; Vitamin D; 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Calcium; 2010
- "Journal of Bone and Mineral Research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research"; Osteoporosis in Elderly Men and Women: Effects of Dietary Calcium, Physical Activity, and Body Mass Index; T.V. Nguyen, et al.; February 2000
- Linus Pauing Institute at Oregon State University; Zinc; Emily Ho; February 2008
