If you are over 65, you are almost definitely low in 2 essential vitamins


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If you are 65 or older and feel a little blue, it may be because you are low on essential vitamins for seniors; specifically vitamins D and B12. In a study, published in 2017 in the journal Nutrients, researchers sought to understand the impact of environmental factors, lifestyle, and genes on health. When they checked 1,000 blood samples taken from participants aged 65 to 93 years, they found that more than half of the seniors did not receive enough vitamin D. One in four had a vitamin B12 deficiency.

They were not entirely surprised. The physiological changes that come with aging can affect the nutritional needs of older adults. As a result, older adults may be at increased risk for specific micronutrient deficiencies unless they adjust their diet.

How to get more vitamin D and B12

The body makes vitamin D when sunlight hits your skin. Most people meet at least some of their vitamin D needs this way, according to the National Institutes of Health. Among the foods that are naturally high in vitamin B12: salmon, liver, mussels, and dairy products.

“Older adults are envious of a vitamin D deficiency due to changes in their skin’s ability to convert this vitamin into the active form used by the body,” says Steven Starks, MD, a geriatric psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor at the University of Houston College of Medicine. “Seniors are more likely to develop a vitamin B12 deficiency because their stomachs produce less acid. It is the acidity that helps our bodies absorb this vitamin.”



food on the cutting board


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When to see a doctor

These are crucial vitamins for seniors: Low levels of vitamin D can lead to health problems, including bone and muscle pain, high blood pressure, and depression. A B12 deficiency can cause fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss and anemia.

“Doctors will typically check your levels if there is an identifying change in your health,” says Dr. Starks. “A change in your memory or thinking, and differences in your mood – depressed, low or sad moods – can lead your doctor to check your vitamin D levels. Unusual sensations, stupidity or tingling, a difference in your gait, fatigue, and memory problems can lead them to check your B12 levels. “

If you are deficient, your doctor may recommend that you take vitamins as a dietary supplement, he adds.

Cooler temperatures can bring gloomy moods. Whether you call it the winter blues, cabin party, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), doctors often deepen cold-weather moods due to lack of sunshine. “Basically, it comes down to levels of the hormone serotonin in your brain,” explains Wesley Delbridge, RN, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “With exposure to bright light, such as sunlight, serotonin will increase.” Translation? Catch a little sun, and your disposition could also be more sunny. You can also benefit from light therapy during the coldest, darkest months.

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a person sitting on a bench: cooler temperatures can bring gloomy moods.  Whether you call it the winter blues, cabin party, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), doctors often deepen cold-weather moods due to lack of sunshine.



© Dean Mitchell / Getty Images

Cooler temperatures can bring gloomy moods. Whether you call it the winter blues, cabin party, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), doctors often deepen cold-weather moods due to lack of sunshine. “Basically, it comes down to levels of the hormone serotonin in your brain,” explains Wesley Delbridge, RN, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “With exposure to bright light, such as sunlight, serotonin will increase.” Translation? Catch a little sun, and your disposition could also be more sunny. You can also benefit from light therapy during the coldest, darkest months.


Signs that you need more sunlight

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