The deadly deficiency striking half of all seniors

A question for the great minds of conventional medicine: Tell me again why nutritional supplementation is a waste of money? I believe it has something to do with expensive urine? Because I’d really love to hear how that tired kneejerk dismissal lines up with the results of this latest study…

A team of German scientists recently analyzed blood samples from more than 1,000 adults between the ages of 65 and 93. The goal? To zero in on levels of four key micronutrients: vitamin D, folate (B9), B12, and iron.

Results showed that a staggering 52 percent of the older adults in this study had vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL — which is lethally deficient, even by the lowest bar. But that’s not all. Nearly 30 percent of these subjects were deficient in B12. And 11 percent and nine percent — still roughly one in ten subjects — were deficient in iron and folate, respectively.

We’re talking about four of the most basic and important nutrients imaginable. I know I’ve mentioned all of this here before at one time or another. But it bears repeating…

Vitamin D deficiencies are linked with a long list of issues, from osteoporosis to heart disease to higher cancer risk. B12 deficiencies, meanwhile, lead to weakness, fatigue, and neurological problems — while folate deficiencies trigger weakness and depression. Both can cause anemia, as can iron deficiency.

And that’s just the short list of dangers that come with not getting enough of these critical nutrients. So needless to say, sky-high insufficiency rates are a huge problem. And as the over-60 population continues to grow, it’s a problem that’s only going to get bigger.

So it’s a good thing the solution is both cheap and simple. It shouldn’t even need to be said, but nutritional supplements aren’t a waste of money. In fact, they’re absolutely necessary if you want to age well.

Once again, I recommend at least 2,000 to 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. (And depending on how low your levels are, you may need as much as 10,000 IU per day. With regular monitoring, higher intakes are perfectly safe.) I also recommend 2,000 mcg daily of B12 and 5 mg daily of folic acid.

Anyone of any age would be wise to stick with these intakes — but obviously, the older you are, the more you need to be especially vigilant about taking your vitamins.

There is one caveat: Iron supplementation is tricky. While deficiencies are obviously fairly common with age, iron overload is probably a bigger problem.

I explored this topic in the April 2015 issue of my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives. It’s definitely worth a read for anyone in the “Geritol generation.” Subscribers have full access to that article (and more) in my archives. So if you haven’t signed up yet, there’s no day like today to do it.

 

Source:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171215111605.htm