For many people, vitamins and mineral supplements are an important component of staying healthy and maintaining proper nutrition. But before you go and order a bunch of items off of the internet, take a look at our handy guide. We at Assisting Hands Home Care in Austin are concerned about the health and safety of both our seniors and caregivers, and are always looking for ways to keep our community informed. And while there is a ton of information out there about vitamin supplements and mineral supplements for seniors, there’s actually quite a lot to consider before adding them to your diet.

Do Vitamins Have Health Benefits?

Unfortunately, this questions doesn’t have an easy “Yes or No” answer. The truth is, you need to discuss your overall health with your doctor or health care provider when considering which, if any, vitamins or mineral supplements you want to add to your diet, especially if there might be an interaction with any of the medications you are currently taking. Every person has unique needs, and similarly, each of us will require different vitamin and mineral supplements (if you need any at all).

That being said, following are a few factors to think about when you are considering adding vitamin or mineral supplements to your daily diet.

Medical Prescriptions

Certain medicines and other prescribed treatments might deplete your body of necessary vitamins and minerals. Along with routine blood work and frequent consultations with a health care provider, you may realize that adding supplements will help fill in some of the gaps. For example, statins are helpful for many people to lower their cholesterol, but these drugs can also inhibit the product of a very important vitamin, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the body. Studies have shown that taking a CoQ10 supplement can diminish mild or severe leg cramping that sometimes occurs when that vitamin is diminished. (Learn more about this from the Mayo Clinic here.)

In addition, Diabetic medications such as metformin can reduce levels of folic acid and vitamin, while certain Parkinson’s drugs such as levodopa and carbidopa (Sinemet) may reduce levels of vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid which are also important to your system. If you do not eat meat or dairy products, you may be deficient in B12 due to a vegan diet which is then exacerbated if taking Sinemet. Your doctor can check this with a simple blood test.

Finally, anticonvulsants and corticosteroids reduce levels of calcium and vitamin D. According to the Cleveland Clinic, vitamin D is one of many vitamins needed to stay healthy. Read more on the importance of vitamin from the Cleveland Clinic.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the different medicines that can affect one’s vitamin and mineral levels, it does demonstrate how common this can occur. We recommend reaching out to your medical professional to investigate which of your medicines may be affecting you in this way.

Diet

Despite the prescriptions you might be taking, if you are eating a healthy diet, you may already be getting the vitamins and minerals you need. But if not, here is a resource for foods that are rich in minerals that you may consider adding to your diet.

According to AARP, multivitamins and supplements are a small bit of extra insurance meant to fill in the gaps in a generally healthy diet. They do not take the place of real food. Of course, there are some exceptions such as poor absorption problems, or poor appetite, or bad diet. For more information visit, AARP.

Age

Unfortunately, the truth is that as we age, our bodies use vitamins and minerals differently. A quick tour around the vitamin aisle will show a plethora of options for seniors; however, of all the research available to find through an internet search, there seems to be just a handful of vitamins and minerals that healthy seniors need. Here is a recommended list of vitamins for people 60+.

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B12
• Calcium
• Vitamin B6
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)

For more information on the importance of these vitamins, visit https://www.silversneakers.com/blog/supplements-older-adults-need-know/. However, keep in mind that although multivitamin and mineral supplements may seem harmless, sometimes they may cause more harm than good. Some vitamin supplements may cause an adverse reaction by increasing side effects or altering the effectiveness of certain prescriptions drugs. In some people, vitamins can exacerbate some undiagnosed illnesses.

If you’re in Austin and need assistance for yourself or a loved one, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care today. We have professional and compassionate caregivers who can help with anything from meal prep to grocery shopping to much more. We look forward to hearing from you, and stay healthy!