Have you ever found yourself aimlessly wandering through the countless vitamin aisles at your local chemist, asking yourself Do you really need all these supplements? Well, depending on the status of your health, you most likely don’t. However, supplements are beneficial to our health and wellness and if you’re taking the right ones that your body needs, you may see improvements in your health.
While having a balanced diet should provide you with all the necessary vitamins and nutrients, consistently making the right food choices can sometimes be difficult. As you get older, your nutritional needs change, and for women over 60, this may mean consuming more nutrient-dense foods with fewer calories.
The food we eat plays a massive role in the outcome of our health. Having the right nutrition leads to healthy body weight, protection against infection, and reduces the risk of chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Food supplements and vitamins can be extremely beneficial for a woman’s diet as they can help reach those nutritional needs that aren’t being met by the food you consume.
So if you’re someone who doesn’t consume enough oily fish (Omega-3 and Vitamin D) or greens like broccoli (Vitamin B), you may want to consider taking daily supplements to support healthy ageing.
Why older women need it:
Getting enough calcium is important to protect your bones and teeth but also your heart, muscles, and nervous system. Age-related changes to the gut mean you absorb less calcium.
How to incorporate it into your diet:
You can find calcium in tofu and some soy products made with calcium, dairy products, canned fish such as salmon and sardines, and green vegetables.
Why older women need it:
The major source of vitamin D is the interaction between sunlight and a cholesterol-like substance in the skin. But it becomes difficult to absorb as the skin gets thinner, which is common as we get older.
How to incorporate it into your diet:
First things first, ask your GP to test your blood vitamin D levels. If your levels are low, think about adding some more vitamin D-rich foods to your daily diet. You can find vitamin D in fatty fish such as salmon and herring, cod liver oil, fortified foods like cereals and fruit juice and mushrooms. Your doctor may also recommend a vitamin D supplement.
Why older women need it:
Vitamin B12 is a large water-soluble vitamin needed for healthy blood cells and maintaining healthy brain function. But between 10 to 30 per cent of people over age 50 find it harder to absorb vitamin B12 from their diet. Taking antacids and other medicines that suppress stomach acid can make it even more difficult to absorb vitamin B12, which can result in a deficiency over time. That’s why it’s super important to add more vitamin B12 to your diet after a certain age.
How to incorporate it into your diet:
The good news is you can find B12 in eggs, fish, meat, dairy and fortified foods including breakfast cereals and even iconic Vegemite. If you’re consuming a restricted diet, you may want to consider fortified foods or a supplement.
Why older women need it:
A low intake of magnesium, the use of medications and age-related changes in gut function mean that you may benefit from an increased intake of the nutrient.
How to incorporate it into your diet:
You can find it in almonds, soybeans, peanut butter, spinach and other leafy green vegetables, dark chocolate, and flaxseeds.
Why older women need it:
Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in older people. After menopause, a woman’s risk of heart disease increases. But studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can lower heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and raised triglycerides (a certain type of fat).
How to incorporate it into your diet:
Choose oily fish such as salmon or fresh tuna two or three times each week. If you’re considering taking supplements, be sure to talk to your GP first, especially if you’re taking blood thinners.
Why older women need it:
Every decade after the age of 30, you can lose up to 8 per cent of your muscle mass, which can eventually lead to weakness and fractures. Which is why getting adequate protein is important. In fact, studies have found that eating adequate protein or taking a protein supplement may help to slow down the rate of muscle loss, increase muscle mass and help build more muscle. Plus, regular weight-bearing exercise helps to retain muscle mass.
How to incorporate it into your diet:
You can find protein in fish, soy products, meat, dairy, eggs, lentils and pulses, and nuts. Team your protein with plenty of veggies and fruits as recent research has also found that older people who eat plenty of vitamin C have the best muscle mass.
Why older women need it:
Oestrogen and progesterone affect many areas of your body, including your digestive tract. With reduced levels, you might experience constipation from time to time and some medications can trigger constipation as well. Not to mention, constipation is two to three times more common in women.
The good news is a high-fibre diet with plenty of water can help. Fibre binds to water encouraging waste out of the body faster. It also decreases inflammation and helps to lower cholesterol by binding to it. Plus, it helps to ensure a slow and manageable trickle of energy-rich carbohydrates into the blood.
How to incorporate it into your diet:
Good sources of fibre include berries, whole grains, brown rice, pasta, lentils and pulses, prunes, and dried fruit.
If you feel like you aren’t getting enough of any of the vitamins mentioned, take a look at your diet and lifestyle and consider adjusting it to better serve your health needs. If you think that you can’t meet your health needs, check with your health professional and consider using dietary supplements to maintain your essential vitamin intake.
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.