The best supplements to take for over-60s

Staying healthy as you age is a process that should be followed religiously. It is a fact that your body deteriorates as you get older.

People in their 50s can stay proactive by eating vegetables and fruits. But people in their 60s need more than just vegetables and fruits. Even if you exercise, there is no guarantee that you will be spared from getting sick from time to time.

According to WebMD, these are the reason why seniors find it a hard time to sustain a healthy diet:

In order to stay healthy, people in their 60s and up must look for alternatives like dietary supplements. However, it is difficult to identify which one they should choose. Also, not all vitamins are good or effective for their age. For example, taking too much amount of Vitamin A is toxic for their age. That is why it is very important to follow medications prescribed personally by the specialists.

In taking supplements, it should be noted to take extra careful with megadoses. It is advisable to avoid combining supplements all at once, take too much of one supplement a day, use of exchange for medication and to mix them with other over-the-counter drugs.

The internet alone could give you a long list of vitamins and dietary supplement giving us a hard time to choose which one will work which one will not. So in choosing what is best for you, take note of the following key nutrients that will sustainably help them

Vitamin B12

Lack of this vitamin will likely lead adults at risk for Dementia. Our body naturally produces stomach acid in order to extract Vitamin B12 from the food we eat. However, after reaching 50, it would be difficult for our body to produce this acid and in consequence, fails to get the vitamins from the food we eat. Recommended dose of Vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms daily.

Omega-3

Vitamin D

Scientists have thought for years that Vitamin D is capable only of absorbing of calcium from food until today. They have found out that this vitamin could also reduce chronic pain, protection from heart disease and prevent cancer. Sunlight is the ideal source of Vitamin D. However, as we age, our ability to synthesise vitamin D declines. Recommended dose of this vitamin is 600 international units daily.

Protein

At the age of 70 and above, the ability of the body to build muscle deteriorates heavily. Losing 10 per cent of muscle mass will prevent the immune system to function properly. Supplementing 20 to 30 grams dose of protein powders or pills will help increase body mass and muscle.

Calcium

As you age, the calcium in your bones and other parts of your body declines to make you at risk of osteoporosis. Softening of the bones could also lead to the risk of osteomalacia. Maintaining strong bones as you age is difficult to achieve because it requires a lot of energy to burn.

Turmeric as a supplement

In the search for the best supplement that could possibly cure almost all of the disease connecting with ageing, there is one that seems to create miracle these days.

Root products are rich in vitamins and minerals, and they possess remarkable healing properties. There was great surprise at how Turmeric, a spice used in curry, can do so much more than being a condiment. The orangey-yellow hue in Turmeric is called curcumin found to be a potent inflammation blocker.

Due to its ability to block inflammation, curcumin could help stop disease-causing inflammation found in cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cystic fibrosis, and depression. Turmeric can also treat rheumatoid arthritis. Dr Greg Cole, associate director of UCLA’s Mary S Easton, spent years studying curcumin as a treatment for brain diseases specifically Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In his long time studying curcumin as a cure, he has observed that it reduces the build-up of this disease in the brain.

The fact that curcumin is not water soluble, large amount of it goes right through you. Precautions and warning should be taken especially for children and pregnant women.

Takeaway

You should always remind yourselves that no miracle will surpass the benefits coming from proper exercise and healthy diet. You may not stop your body from ageing. However, you can start as early as possible to correct your diet and improve your lifestyle.

Do you take any dietary supplements? What are they?