Critical nutrients in old age: what are the benefits of supplements for senior citizens?

Results of the LUH Nutrimag study on vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids

06-Jun-2024

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Does it make sense for older people to take a multi-nutrient supplement? The Nutrimag study by the Institute for Food and One Health (FOH) at Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH) investigated this question - with a particular focus on some often critical vitamins and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The results suggest that supplementation can be of great benefit to many senior citizens and can, among other things, reduce the development of "silent", imperceptible inflammatory processes in the body. These "silent inflammations" promote ageing processes and have been proven to promote numerous diseases - from arteriosclerosis to insulin resistance.

For the study, led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Hahn, the nutritional status of 134 healthy, physically active men and women aged 70 and over was initially recorded. The oldest participant was over 100 years old. The focus was on the supply of vitamins D, B12 and folate (folic acid) as well as long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which are typically consumed with fish. In general, the participants in the study had an above-average supply of nutrients that are often critical in old age for this age group. However, this did not apply to the supply of omega-3 fatty acids, which play an important role in the health of the cardiovascular system and counteract inflammation. At the start of the study, 90 percent of the participants had an inadequate supply. Overall, 10 to 20 percent of the participants also showed signs of poor nutritional status.

The study results suggest that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in particular is highly recommended. It is virtually impossible to ensure a desirable supply through diet alone, given the usual eating habits in this country. Senior citizens and presumably many younger people can benefit greatly from supplementation.

Despite their overall good state of health, many study participants exhibited "silent inflammation". These imperceptible inflammatory processes can be detected with cellular and plasmatic markers. The chronically elevated levels could be effectively treated with the multinutrient supplement, thus reducing the inflammatory process. The nutrient supplementation also had a positive effect on the frequently elevated blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Vitamin B12 and folic acid significantly reduced the concentration of this amino acid, which is harmful to vascular and brain function.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

https://www.yumda.com/en/news/1183640/critical-nutrients-in-old-age-what-are-the-benefits-of-supplements-for-senior-citizens.html