Dietary Supplement Use in Older Adults

Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly

“…DS are not meant to be and therefore cannot be represented as a conventional food item or a sole item of a meal or diet. They are also not intended to "treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure disease" and must be identified as a DS on the label (Harris et al, 2017). In the European Union (EU), DS are regulated as foods under the The Food Supplements Directive (FSD) Directive 2002/46/EC, which establishes a definition for DS, a list of allowable vitamins and minerals, and sets labelling requirements.…”

“…It includes raising awareness and reporting of possible adverse events (Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje, n.d.). Nonetheless, legislation around DS is much more loose compared to drugs and regulation of quality and safety is mostly post-market, whereas efficacy of DS is not being verified (Harris et al, 2017).…”

“…However, analysis of nationwide survey data has shown that a large percentage of older adults do not receive recommended amounts of many nutrients from food alone (Walrand, 2018). This is of particular concern because conditions prevalent in this population, can further compromise nutritional status and could have a negative impact on neurological and cardiovascular health, mood, immune function, vision, blood sugar control, and bone strength (Harris et al, 2017;Walrand, 2018). The main reasons for nutrient deficiencies and risk of malnutrition among the older adult population, can result from loss of appetite with aging, decreased oral intake, chewing or swallowing difficulty, and/or nutrient depletions from medication use, among many other social and medical factors (Harris et al, 2017).…”

“…This is of particular concern because conditions prevalent in this population, can further compromise nutritional status and could have a negative impact on neurological and cardiovascular health, mood, immune function, vision, blood sugar control, and bone strength (Harris et al, 2017;Walrand, 2018). The main reasons for nutrient deficiencies and risk of malnutrition among the older adult population, can result from loss of appetite with aging, decreased oral intake, chewing or swallowing difficulty, and/or nutrient depletions from medication use, among many other social and medical factors (Harris et al, 2017). On the basis of this evidence, together with television and magazine advertisements, information obtained on the Internet, articles in the lay press, and the recommendations of their physicians, a large proportion of the Western population takes a variety of vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements daily in the hopes of promoting good health, preventing chronic diseases (such as heart disease and cancer), limiting the ravages of aging, and ultimately extending life (Marik and Flemmer, 2012).…”

“…Dietary supplements (DS) use among older adults is even higher, as National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012 reported that up to 72 % of individuals aged 65 years and older use supplements. In addition, among older adults surveyed in NHANES 2011-2012, 21 % reported using four or more supplements daily (Harris et al, 2017). The continued use and popularity of DS in recent years may be due to various factors, including perceived health-promoting properties, fear of adverse events associated with prescription medications, cost of prescription medications, over-the-counter availability of DS, and belief that DS are natural and therefore safe to use (Walrand, 2018).…”