Life Begins At.....
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A decline in stomach acid, a condition called atrophic gastritis, is experienced by as many as 30 percent of people age 50 and older and by 40 percent of those age 80 and older. However, most do not realise they have the condition. Pernicious anemia also becomes much more common with age. A deficiency caused by atrophic gastritis can be treated with vitamin B12 supplementation because the synthetic form doesn't require stomach acid for absorption. Pernicious anemia, however, must be treated with injections of vitamin B12. In recent years, researchers have learned that, along with vitamins B6 and folic acid, B12 can also help ward off heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease by preventing the buildup of homocysteine, an artery-clogging compound that sometimes accumulates in the blood. Folate / Folic acid Recommended Intake: Men and Women: 400 micrograms a day Folate is the catch-all term used to describe different forms of this B vitamin. However, folate refers to the forms found in food, while folic acid is the synthetic form found in vitamin supplements. This is the last of the B trio to tackle the buildup of homocysteine in the blood. It also appears to play an important role in keeping cells healthy and fending off potentially cancerous changes. Research has suggested that getting enough folate may help protect against cancers of the cervix, colon, and rectum. A low intake of folate may not, by itself, trigger cancerous changes in cells, but when combined with other potentially harmful cellular changes, it could set the stage for cancer to take hold. Folate is also needed for the production of proteins that build, maintain, and repair tissues -- a process that continues throughout your life. Choline Recommended Intake: Men: 550 milligrams a day; Women: 425 milligrams a day This is probably the least well-known of the "B's." It was officially recognized as an essential nutrient for the first time in 1998 and is involved in a wide variety of body functions. Choline is the raw material of neurotransmitters and cell membranes. Animal studies suggest that adequate intake of choline early in life 86 www.the-Retiree.com.au /Summer can diminish the severity of memory loss that comes with aging. Some animal research suggests that choline may help improve memory in older adults, but human studies are needed to determine if choline is useful for preventing dementia in people as they age. Recommended intakes are no higher for someone who is 69 than for someone who is 19, but it can be difficult to assess whether you are getting enough choline since it is not specifically listed on the Nutrition Information label of food products. Vitamin C Recommended Intake: Men: 90 milligrams a day; Women: 75 milligrams a day Another of the water-soluble vitamins, C is probably best known for its purported role in fending off colds. While it may help reduce the duration and the severity of cold symptoms, it's never been proved to prevent the cold itself. It is, however, a proven antioxidant nutrient that helps to neutralise free radicals that can damage DNA. Damaged DNA can turn normal cells into cancerous ones. Vitamin C also plays a critical role in the formation of white blood cells that fight infection and in the production of collagen, the connective tissue that holds skin, bone, ligaments, and cartilage together. Vitamin C helps keep blood vessel walls strong and tiny blood vessels pliable and resistant to damage. As if that weren't enough, it also is essential to the production of red blood cells, plays a role in wound healing, and helps keep gums healthy. Getting enough vitamin C is especially important as you get older because of its role in preventing diseases, particularly those to which you are more susceptible as you age. Vitamin C helps fight heart disease by regulating cholesterol levels in the blood, fights free radicals that cause cataracts and macular degeneration, and helps protect against cancers of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix, rectum, breast, and lung. Because smokers have lower blood levels of vitamin C than nonsmokers, the recommended intake for men who smoke is 125 milligrams a day and 110 milligrams for women who smoke. However, some vitamin C experts say that to get optimum protection, it may be best for everyone to saturate the body's tissues with the nutrient, which takes as much as 200 milligrams a day. Supplement Guide The Retiree Special Feature