The role of supplements

As you age you become more susceptible to being deficient in particular vitamins and minerals that are important for the health of your bones, muscles and immune system.

It can be very difficult to eat enough of the foods that will put these nutrients back into your body in the right quantities, or you may have a medical condition that affects how you absorb them, and this is where supplements may come in.

In some cases, supplements can be very helpful in fueling your body with the right nutrients, if your normal diet is lacking, and they can also boost your nutrition even if you have a well-balanced diet.

Not all older adults need to take supplements or vitamin tablets to improve their nutritional intake, it depends on how you are managing your own diet and how your body is functioning.

While supplements might be helpful if you are unable to get enough of these vitamins and minerals through food, the first option should always be to assess your diet before taking anything.

In many cases you might only need to adjust how much you are eating of particular foods to get the balance right.

For example, to get the right amount of calcium the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that older women (over 50 years old) should have four serves of dairy per day, while men aged 50 to 70 should consume two and a half serves, and men over 70 should have three and a half serves of dairy per day.

Supplements should never be substituted for good food, you still need to eat healthily whether you are taking supplements or not, and purchasing supplements can also be much more expensive than buying the fresh ingredients to make good meals.

Just remember that advertising for supplements can be quite clever and targeted, making some supplements sound like a magic pill that you need to take in order to be healthy, but there are options to investigate when it comes to looking after your health through diet.

Before taking any supplement or vitamin tablets, you should check with your doctor about whether they are right for you.

Your doctor may suggest you develop a better meal plan, visit a dietitian or nutritionist who can support you to improve your diet, or get help at home to prepare meals, rather than simply taking supplements.