Table of Contents
- Aging Leads to New Nutritional Needs
- Senior Men Dietary Supplements
- Natural Supplements for Senior Health
- Use Dietary Supplements Wisely
As men age, their nutritional needs change. Taking natural supplements for senior health is a common way to balance the nutritional requirements that are not met through diet. The best vitamins for senior men deliver many benefits, including supporting the immune system, bones, the heart and more. Taking care of your body as it ages through good nutrition supplemented with vitamins can increase energy, lower the risk of developing various medical conditions and promote general wellness.
Aging Leads to New Nutritional Needs
Aging is a process that brings many physical changes, but often, the diet is not thoughtfully changed to accommodate new nutrient needs. Men, like women, may:
- Develop medical conditions that lead to a need for additional specific vitamins
- Have digestive issues that impair the absorption of naturally occurring nutrients like vitamin B12
- Not follow a nutritionally balanced diet
- Have a weakened immune system due to normal aging or disease
- Experience a slowing metabolism
- Have a lowered capacity to synthesize vitamin D through sun exposure
- Take medications that interfere with nutrient absorption
The nutritional deficiencies can lower energy levels and make you more susceptible to things like viruses due to immune system impairment. The lack of proper nutrition needed for healthy aging also creates a higher risk of developing chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and even some types of cancer.
Senior Men Dietary Supplements
Following are some of the vitamins that senior men often need. The amount of vitamin supplementation you should take depends on the amount of vitamins and minerals obtained through diet. Taking more than is needed is unnecessary because the body will flush out the extra amounts.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C cannot be synthesized from any environmental factor, like the sun, so it must be obtained through food or supplements. This vitamin plays a vital role in the biosynthesis of collagen and neurotransmitters, protein metabolism and wound healing. It is essential to protecting against free radical damage and supporting a strong immune system. Older men have a higher risk of vitamin C deficiency. Seniors with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable to low vitamin C.
Vitamin D
This essential vitamin plays a significant role in promoting strong bones, a healthy immune system and good muscle movement. It helps the body absorb calcium. The best sources of vitamin D are food and sunlight, which triggers vitamin D synthesis when absorbed through the skin. Too often, the diet does not include enough foods high in vitamin D, like eggs and salmon, and too much sun exposure causes skin cancer. Many senior men are also not out in the sun enough to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D supplements combined with foods high in the vitamin can supply the necessary amount of vitamin D for good health.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that supports cardiovascular health, muscle strength and a healthy nervous system. It plays a role in immune functioning and inflammatory processes and can support resistance to infection.
B vitamins and folic acid
B vitamins include a variety of elements.
- Vitamin B1 -thiamin for the nervous system and energy
- Vitamin B2 – riboflavin for energy, healthy cells, fat metabolism
- Vitamin B3 – niacin for cell functioning that processes energy from food
- Vitamin B6 – protein metabolism
- Vitamin B12 – central nervous system, red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis
- Folic acid or folate – helps DNA and RNA formation, protein metabolism, breaking down the amino acid homocysteine to prevent high amounts from accumulating and producing red blood cells
Men are particularly prone to having lower B12 levels compared to younger men after supplementation. Older men also tend to have a lower B6 level than younger men, which researchers believe is due to malabsorption due to changes in enzymatic conversion in the digestive system that develops with aging. The same study found that older adults taking a B multivitamin had a more significant increase in absorption of vitamins B1, B2 and B5 compared to younger men.
B12 is only found in animal foods, like dairy, meat, eggs and chicken. Vitamin B12 is the B vitamin most likely to be deficient, and it supports cellular functioning. It is essential to cognitive functioning, red blood cell formation, nerve functioning and much more.
Calcium
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, making up bones and teeth and supporting movement. Calcium is stored in the bones, and age can affect its absorption. Absorption declines from 60% in children and continues to decline to 25% in adulthood. From there, calcium continues its decline during the aging process. For men with higher stomach acid levels, calcium citrate is best for absorption. If you have low stomach acid, calcium carbonate is a better choice and should be taken with food.
Magnesium
Adult men over 71 years old are likely to have low magnesium. Magnesium never seems to get the same attention as vitamins, but it is crucial to good health. It plays a role in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate various biochemical reactions, including blood glucose, blood pressure and muscle and nerve functioning. It also contributes to the transport of calcium and potassium across cell membranes, supporting nerve muscle contractions and heart rhythm.
These are just some of the best vitamins for senior men. Your doctor can advise you on the supplements you should take. Other than the ones mentioned, some men need vitamin A to improve immune functioning and support vision. There is vitamin E for seniors over 70, which, through its antioxidant power, also supports vision health plus reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer and cognitive decline. Taking supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish oil, may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Natural Supplements for Senior Health
Natural supplements for senior health are dietary supplements made from plants. You can buy vitamin and mineral supplements made that are plant-based, like plant-based magnesium and plant-based vitamin D.
Herbs and other botanicals have been used for thousands of years to promote wellness or address medical conditions. Some of the natural supplements for senior health include:
- Turmeric
- CBD (cannabidiol) with botanicals and/or minerals
- Ginseng
- Ginkgo Biloba
- Echinacea
- Black cohosh
There are so many more. The critical point to remember is to discuss the use of any supplements and botanicals with your doctor before taking them. There is the risk that a supplement could interfere with some medications.
Use Dietary Supplements Wisely
Everyone has changing nutritional needs as they age. One of the simplest ways to ensure you are balancing your vitamin supplementation is by taking multivitamins for aging men. They are formulated to supply the vitamins aging men typically need.
It is important to remember that senior men’s health vitamins are not a substitute for following a healthy lifestyle. Try to get as much of the daily recommended amount of each vitamin for your age from food choices. Supplements are called that because they fill nutritional gaps. They are not intended as dietary replacements.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9967583/
- https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/nutrition/Nutrition-Needs_Vitamin-D_FINAL_508.pdf
- htps://www.yalemedicine.org/news/vitamin-d-myths-debunked
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140432/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/
- https://www.nutraingredients-asia.com/Article/2021/01/05/Age-gender-and-vitamins-Older-males-have-lower-B12-B6-level-post-supplementation
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-b12/art-20363663
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/