| How Important are Vitamins |
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| Diets - Helpful Information | |
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Although older people may ingest
less vitamin A, they seem to store it more efficiently than younger adults do.
Vitamin E deficiencies are rare and not considered a risk for elderly people.
There is some evidence that a high intake of vitamin E from food or supplements
may lower your risk for heart disease, cancer and premature aging.
B Vitamins: Folic acid lowers blood levels of a chemical called
homocysteine, which is linked to heart attack and may be involved in stroke as
well. Folic acid also helps in the manufacture of red blood cells, and a
deficiency may lead to anemia. A deficiency in vitamin B12 also can
result in anemia as well as in neurological problems like poor balance and
impaired memory. A B12 deficiency may develop in older people
because they become less able to absorb die nutrient. Some older adults may
need more B6 in their diets than the 1.6 milligrams needed daily by
younger people. A vitamin B6 deficiency can affect immunity.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is especially important to older women because it
helps the body absorb and use calcium to retain bone. Older adults typically
have lower levels of active vitamin D because they consume less from food. The
body can manufacture vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight, but many
older people no longer spend sufficient time outdoors, and overexposure to
sunlight can cause skin cancer. Minerals: Both calcium and phosphorous are
critical to bone health in elderly women. The third player on the bone health
team is vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption. Because many
elderly women cannot get enough of these micro-nutrients in their regular diet,
your doctor may want you to take a supplement. |
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