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The population of older adults is currently increasing faster than younger people. The United Nations projects that by 2020 there will be more people in the world over 65 years old than under 5 years old—for the first time in human history. This global trend is also true for the United States in particular. Data from the 2010 Census shows that the 45–54 population grew over 30% in the last 10 years, and now constitutes over 26% of the U.S. population. What this means is that in just a few years approximately one in three Americans will be over age 50.

Increased Micronutrient Needs

Many older adults do not receive recommended amounts of micronutrients from dietary intake alone. There is a wide variety of reasons for this increased nutritional risk, including:

• Total food intake has been shown to progressively decrease with age. Even with this decrease, macronutrient status typically remains in the adequate range. Intake of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), however, often falls below adequate levels.

• The physiological changes of the aging process result in less bioavailability of nutrients by reducing the body’s ability to synthesize, digest, and/or metabolize those nutrients.

• 85% of older adults have at least one chronic disease that affects the absorption, transport, metabolism, and elimination of nutrients.

• Most older adults take one or more prescription medications, which can suppress appetite, increase metabolism, and/or promote malabsorption of nutrients.

• Hospitalization, institutionalization, and/or home care can also interfere with nutrition. It has been estimated that greater than 50% of hospitalized adults 65 years of age or older are malnourished or at risk for becoming malnourished, and that 20–60% of home care patients and 40–85% of nursing home residents are malnourished.

Aside from a high-quality, bioavailable multiple vitamin/mineral complex, the following specific nutrients are particularly important for older and aging adults:

• Vitamin A is required for healthy vision and immune function.

• Vitamin C can prevent oxidative damage and also facilitate the absorption of iron.

• Vitamin D is important in this population because the capacity to synthesize vitamin D in the skin is reduced in older adults.

• Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, and requires adequate biliary and pancreatic function for optimal absorption.

• Vitamin K plays a key role in blood clotting, bone health, and the regulation of a variety of enzymatic reactions in the body.

• Vitamin B12 deficiency affects about 30% of people 60 years of age or older. Folate is required for the metabolism of nucleic and amino acids, as well as DNA repair.

• Calcium, together with vitamin D, is crucial in this population to support and maintain bone mass.

• Magnesium is crucial for maintaining healthy muscle function and lean tissue mass, as well as bone mineral content, in older adults.

• Zinc is particularly important in this population because immune function decreases with age, and even a mild zinc deficiency can compromise immune health and function.

Oxylent multivitamin supplement drink not only provides a comprehensive panel of high quality nutrients required for optimal health in older adults, but Oxylent also uniquely offers an effervescent delivery form that offers nearly 100% bioavailability—a crucial consideration for older adults given the prevalence of compromised absorption in this population.

REFERENCES
1. [online] http://www.un.org/esa/population/. Accessed 6/30/2011.
2. [online] http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-03.pdf. Accessed 6/30/2011.
3. Marian M, Sacks D. Nutr Clin Pract 2009 24:179–195.
4. Johnson KA, Bernard MA, Funderburg K. Clin Geriatr Med 2002 18:773–799.
5. Toffanello ED, Inelmen EM, Minicuci N, et al. J Nutr Health Aging 2011 15(2):99–103.
1 877 OXYLENT (1.877.699.5368) | sales@oxylent.com | oxylent.com
© 2011 Vitalah
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
References available at oxylent.com This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Vitamin D recommended daily intake (RDI) was largely increased for all populations in North America by the U.S. government panel in charge of setting recommended daily intake levels for vitamins.

Specifically, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report advocated a doubling of vitamin D intake for infants (to 400 IU), a tripling of vitamin D intake for those between ages 1 and 50 (to 600 IU), a 50 percent hike in those ages 51 to 70 (to 600 IU), and a 33 percent increase for those older than 71 years old (to 800 IU). The IOM panel also doubled the upper safety level, to 4,000 IU/day.

The committee reviewed about 1,000 published studies, and concluded that vitamin D along with calcium are vital for maintaining bone health.

On calcium, the report said post-menopausal women should be cautious about calcium intake over concerns about kidney stones, though they advocated adolescent girls are most in need and should increase their calcium intake to 1,300 mg/day.

Source:  http://www.iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/DRIVitDCalcium.aspx

Additional Resources:  http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts

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Rising Healthcare Costs

Rising healthcare costs remains the talk of the nation. It is interesting to note that research commissioned by the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA) couple of years ago shows that  appropriate use of select dietary supplements would improve the health of key populations and save the nation more than $24 billion in healthcare costs over 5 years. The study updated research conducted by The Lewin Group in 2004 and 2005 that included a systematic literature review of the most rigorous scientific research available.
 
“Rapidly escalating healthcare costs in the U.S. have severe implications for our society as a whole,” said Jon Benninger, president of DSEA. “This study provides valuable data that may lead to preventative healthcare solutions and address the budgetary problems facing federal and state health insurance programs, corporate healthcost managers and individual families.”

Key study findings include:
 
•    Calcium with Vitamin D: Appropriate use of calcium with Vitamin D for the Medicare population shows potential avoidance of approximately 776,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures over five years, as well as avoidance of stays in skilled nursing facilities for some proportion of patients. The five-year (2008-2012) estimated net cost associated with avoidable hospitalization for hip fracture is approximately $16.1 billion.

•    Folic Acid: If just 11.3 million of the 44 million American women who are of childbearing age and not taking folic acid began taking 400 mcg. of folic acid on a daily basis neural tube defects could be prevented in 600 babies, saving as much as $344,700,000 in the first year. Over five years, taking into account the cost of the supplement, $1.4 billion could potentially be saved.

•    Omega 3 Fatty Acids: The estimate of the potential five-year savings in health care expenditures resulting from a reduction in the occurrence of coronary heart disease (CHD) among the population over age 65 through daily intake of approximately 1800 mg of omega 3 is $3.2 billion. Approximately 374,301 hospitalizations and associated physician fees due to CHD could be avoided.

•    Lutein with Zeaxanthin: Through daily intake of 6-10 mg of lutein with zeaxanthin, it is estimated that $3.6 billion could be saved over 5 years by helping people with age-related macular degeneration avoid dependency. Across the five-year period, approximately 190,927 individuals could avoid the transition to dependence either in the community or a nursing facility that would accompany a loss of central vision resulting from advanced AMD.

“The impressive results of the study provide clear evidence of the benefit of dietary supplements,” said Mr. Benninger. “As an industry, it is important that we fund studies like this and publicize results, so that consumers and legislators realize the value of supplements.”

Source: http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/contents/view/214