Just as the changing nutritional needs of children, teens and pregnant women put demands on us to supply the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed for growth and repair, so do the changing needs of maturing bodies. Yet, as we grow older and busier, we often eat light, skip meals, get to bed too late, and overtax ourselves with social and family commitments. Add to this all the activities that go with a healthy and active lifestyle and it’s easy to see how our reserves can quickly become depleted.

Special Demands of Maturity
As we age, we need to pay special attention to a number of body and organ systems. While getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly will help maintain the body in the best shape possible, certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients will provide further support for the body’s health and well being.

Women, for example, have increased need for calcium to support the maintenance of bone, and benefit from components of soy called isoflavones to help prevent osteoporosis. Men benefit from the herb saw palmetto, and lycopene (a bioflavonoid found in tomatoes) to help keep the prostate functioning well.

As we age, the risk for cardiovascular diseases increases in both sexes, and so does the need for specific vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Choline and lecithin, for example, help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

The eyes also have special needs as we grow older, largely due to the action of free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules) on the retina. The antioxidants vitamin A, lutein and zeaxanthin help prevent free radical damage, particularly from UV light (see pages 12 - 13 for further information on the effect of UV light on the eyesight).

With the passage of time, metabolism tends to slow down and the body may not be able to assimilate nutrients effectively. A number of vitamins, minerals and other factors help support the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and fat, and should be included in a supplement targeted towards mature men and women. An integral part of the digestive system - the liver - benefits from the use of a powerful antioxidant called silymarin, which is found in the herb, milk thistle.

The process of aging also brings about changes in the way the body processes sugars. Insulin levels that are outside of the normal range can lead to a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes in many people over the age of 45. The minerals chromium and vanadium help to keep insulin levels consistent.

Many health researchers now agree that the development of most “diseases of aging” are caused in part by the destructive action of free radicals (oxidation). It is therefore important that your vitamin/mineral supplement contains a variety of antioxidants to help allay the damage caused to the body’s tissues by free radicals.

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