6 Essential Vitamins You Should Start Taking After 50 Years Old

6 Essential Vitamins You Should Start Taking After 50 Years Old

At the age of 50 and above, your body starts demanding for a tailored combination of minerals and vitamins in response to the changes that occur as a result of aging. Ideally, you can get these essential vitamins from your eating but again as a senior to maintain a healthy diet can also be challenging.

Why Vitamins

Our bodies produce new cells every second in a bid to replace the dead and worn out ones. When you were in your youth, this process used to take place very fast, unlike today when you are headed towards 60. Vitamins ensure that your body can cope with the changes and is functioning properly.

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To aid with your nutritional requirements as a senior, vitamins boost your immunity, maintains healthy nerves and helps with your metabolism just to name a few. Therefore, a well-balanced diet plan is the first step to meet your vitamin needs. It includes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, dairy products, good protein, healthy oils and plenty of fluids.

As we established earlier, you may be unable to get all your essential vitamins from food and therefore the need to supplement. But before you visit your local drug store, it is important to check with your doctor for proper direction. However, we have also compiled a list of some of the vitamins that will help you a great deal stay at the peak of your game.

The Top Vitamins

Calcium

It stands to reason that calcium is one of the most important vitamins that should not be lacking in our bodies more so as seniors. It plays a vital role in ensuring healthy bones and teeth and therefore its absence calls for brittle bones prone to fracture easily. Naturally, the process of aging and menopause leads to lots of bone loss.

Osteoporosis, the condition that leads to fragile bones can be prevented by taking calcium supplements or increase your consumption of calcium rich foods. A good source is milk products, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables. According to experts, men should take 1000 mg and women 1200 mg daily.

Vitamin D

Our bodies are supposed to produce vitamin D after exposure to sunlight, but as we age, they become more inefficient at producing it. Vitamin D helps the body in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous hence making it responsible for stronger bones as well. It also protects the body against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and high blood pressure. 

It is recommended that you do not take Vitamin D supplements without consulting your physician as it is important to get the right dosage tailored to meet your body needs. Food sources include fatty fish, juices and fatty fish.

Vitamin B12

As you advance in age, the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 from food becomes harder due to low stomach acid levels. B12 helps to ensure that your nerve cells and blood cells are healthy always. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published research that linked vitamin B12 deficiency to high risk of dementia for senior adults. Some good food sources include clams, trout, sirloin, beef liver, and a cheeseburger.

Omega 3

You also need to take care of your brain health past your 50’s because your brain is losing the ability to absorb DHA, the brain’s most common omega-3 fatty acid. This leads to compromised brain function and poor memory. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to help with improved blood flow to the brain and improved brain cell growth consequently leading to enhanced mood and memory.

Omega-3 fatty acids also act as an anti-inflammatory which reduces the risk of cancer, strokes, diabetes, hypertension and heart attacks. A good source is fish oil. It also has tons of other health benefits for the hair, eyes, skin, etc.

Magnesium

Magnesium is great for your bones, and it also keeps your blood sugar and blood pressure levels in check. At least 85% of the American population get very little or no magnesium in their diets. At this age, lacking in magnesium will make you prone to migraine headaches, fatigue, Charlie horses and even constipation. You can get it in amaranth grains, dairy products, nuts, and spinach.

Probiotics

Your digestive system becomes more susceptible to unhealthy bacteria as you age. With an unhealthy gut, your system will be unable to absorb nutrients, making any effort you make to supplement or eat healthy futile. Probiotics contained in yogurt, dark chocolate, kefir, kimchi will help reintroduce good bacteria into your gut.

Please note that as much as the above-listed vitamins are right for you and you may want to rush to the store to get them, it is prudent to seek counsel from your doctor first. That said; stay healthy and enjoy longevity. 

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6 Essential Vitamins You Should Start Taking After 50 Years Old
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