Nutritional medicine for the elderly

There is no universal "nutritional miracle drug" suitable for all elderly people. The so-called "nutritional medicine for the elderly" is essentially Supplements for individual nutritional deficiencies + daily diet combinations adapted to elderly metabolism , if you make up for it wrongly, it will harm your health.

Last week, I was sitting in a free clinic with Sister Zhang from the nutrition department of the community hospital. The 72-year-old Uncle Li squeezed over with a bag of imported protein powder, amino sugar, and lutein. He said that these were the "three essential treasures for the elderly" brought by his son Hua Xiaowan from abroad. He set three alarm clocks every day. He ate it, but last week his feet hurt so much that he couldn't walk. The blood uric acid test soared to 580 μmol/L. When I asked him, I found out that he was at risk of high uric acid. He also drank two cups of high-protein powder every day, which was equivalent to eating two taels of red meat for nothing. It would be weird if he didn't suffer from gout.

In fact, there are two different practical ideas for nutritional supplementation for the elderly in the clinical field, and there is no absolute right or wrong. Most nutrition departments in public hospitals prefer the principle of "replenish if you are deficient". They must first conduct serum nutrition testing and dietary assessment for three consecutive days to find clear gaps and then supplement accordingly: for example, the elderly who have been vegetarians all year round are likely to be deficient in vitamin B12, the elderly who do not get sunlight are generally deficient in vitamin D, and the elderly with atrophic gastritis are prone to iron deficiency. Check the indicators before supplementing, and recheck after one month of supplementation. Stop when enough. There is no need to take it all year round. There is also a group of researchers who are engaged in evidence-based medicine for the elderly who support "low-dose preventive supplementation", especially those over 75 years old, with bad teeth and little daily food intake. Even if the test indicators are stuck on the edge of the qualified line, they can still take a low-dose elderly multivitamin and about 1g of Omega3 every day. After all, the digestive and absorption functions of the elderly are declining. Even if the daily diet is reasonable, the nutrients they can absorb are 30% less than that of young people. Low-dose supplementation will not cause excessive risks, and can also reduce the probability of minor problems such as colds and fatigue.

Speaking of this, I remembered the 68-year-old Aunt Wang whom I met last month. She has been a vegetarian all year round and always felt that her legs were weak and she could not walk. She heard from her neighbors that protein powder was used to replenish the body, but it was useless after taking it for more than half a year. After a blood test, it was found that it was megaloblastic anemia and she was deficient in vitamin B12. She took a supplement of 10 μg every day for a few yuan and recovered in a month. There is also the 81-year-old Grandpa Zhao in our community. He has all his teeth extracted and wears removable dentures. He cannot bite meat or chew raw vegetables. Even though the nutritional indicators are qualified, the doctor asked him to drink half a cup of whey protein powder and take a multivitamin every day. He has not had a cold in half a year. Both ideas work for the right people.

Oh, by the way, I would also like to mention the so-called "high-end nutritional supplements for the elderly" that are very popular on the Internet right now. Products such as NMN and PQQ that are marketed as anti-aging have not yet been approved as health foods or drugs in China, and the clinical evidence is particularly divided: Some small sample studies say that it can improve the energy status of the elderly, while others say that the safety of long-term use of liver and kidney supplements has not yet been fully understood. The price of a bottle, which easily costs several thousand yuan, is mostly IQ tax. If you really want to make up for it, you might as well buy two more kilograms of fresh strawberries and two boxes of pure milk for the elderly. There are also many elderly people who have joint pain and follow the trend and buy glucosamine, but it is not useful for everyone. Only people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis and true glucosamine deficiency can be relieved by taking it. Those with severe joint wear and tear are of no use. There are also many people who will suffer from stomachache and constipation after taking it, which is not worth the gain.

When I was having dinner with a colleague, we talked about it. We in the industry often say that "what you eat is nutrition, what you keep at home is burden." Many elderly people are reluctant to eat well and always think that spending money on health care products is just supplementary. In fact, if you do the math: a boiled egg, a cup of warm milk, 20 taels of lean pork or fish and shrimp, a pound of dark green vegetables, and half a pound of seasonal fruits. It only costs 20 yuan a day in total, which is more effective than any health care product. Before I buy supplements for the elderly at home, I will take him to a community hospital for a nutrition screening that costs tens of dollars. I buy whatever he needs. I never follow the trend and buy universal nutritional medicine that "can be taken by the whole family."

A few days ago, I met Uncle Li going downstairs for a walk. He said that all the endless amounts of protein powder were given to his nephew who loves fitness. Now he drinks a glass of milk and an egg every morning. On weekends, his son comes back to stew some soft beef ribs. Last week, the uric acid level has dropped to 420 μmol/L, and his feet no longer hurt. You see, there is no nutritional medicine for the elderly that can cure all diseases. The most effective medicine is the one that suits you and is comfortable to eat without burden.