Health The regular need for vitamins and trace elements is really high

Proper nutrition for seniors as important as medicine

With increasing age, dietary habits and metabolism change. Seniors are generally less active than younger people and do not need so many calories. However, the demand for vitamins and trace elements remains high. Experts explain how optimal nutrition can protect against deficiency and malnutrition.

Calorie requirements and appetite decrease

With age, dietary habits and metabolism change. Seniors over 70 are usually no longer as physically active as in younger years, basal metabolic rate and calorie need fall, loss of appetite is widespread. But the demand for vitamins and trace elements remains high. Health experts therefore warn against malnutrition and malnutrition in later life years and explain how optimal nutrition looks in old age, what strengthens and harms elderly people.

Although elderly people no longer need so many calories, their need for vitamins and trace elements remains high. The right nutrition is therefore of very special importance. (Image: pressmaster / fotolia.com)

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in seniors

As the German Society of Internal Medicine (DGIM) reports in the run-up to its annual congress, the peculiarities of old age are particularly clear with the example of vitamin D..

Although the body can produce the vitamin, which is important for the calcium balance and the build-up of bones, it needs the UV-B content of the sunlight.

For seniors, two problems now come together: Firstly, aged skin can produce less vitamin D, and secondly, older people are less likely to spend their time outdoors - especially if they are in need of care or even bedridden.

"It will then be impossible to meet the needs of natural foods," explains Professor med. Jürgen M. Bauer, Medical Director of the Agaplesion Bethanien Hospital Heidelberg and advises seniors therefore to take vitamin D supplements.

How widespread vitamin D deficiency is in seniors has recently been demonstrated by a study by researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München.

According to the experts, about half of the over 65s are affected.

Sufficient protein supply

According to the DGIM, nutrition beyond the age of 70 should also be designed so that body weight remains largely stable.

A strong weight loss affects the elderly in the majority of the muscles and carries the risk of sarcopenia in itself, so an excessive loss of muscle mass and strength. As a result, the lintel inclination and fracture risk increase.

"Muscle mass that is once broken down, can be difficult to train again in old age," said Bauer.

However, muscle preservation can be implemented into old age, if the degradation is counteracted early on - on the one hand by movement, on the other hand by a good protein supply.

To ensure this, seniors should consume 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. If the muscle mass has already decreased sharply, even 1.4 grams are recommended.

It does not necessarily fall back on meat as a source of protein. High quality dairy products with a high leucine content - such as hard cheese and vegetable proteins - can also meet the demand. According to experts, the latter are also considerably healthier than animal ones.

Diet adapted to individual needs

For the decline of muscular fitness in old age comes next to the protein deficiency more
Mechanisms essential. Inflammatory processes and oxidative stress also seem to play a key role here.

Nutritionists advise seniors to also eat enough fruit and vegetables as a source of antioxidants, as well as fish as a source of omega-3 fatty acids.

"At a time when food is available practically and everywhere, we have the luxury of being able to choose what we eat," says DGIM Chair Professor. med. Cornel C. Sieber.

Deciding wisely here can help to avoid overweight at a young age and to prevent malnutrition in old age.

At any age, a high-quality diet adapted to individual needs is the most important health precaution - if possible combined with exercise. "We simply do not have a better medicine for aging." (Ad)