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Making a difference in the quality of life of seniors in a culturally sensitive environment |
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| Daily requirement of Vitamins and Minerals for Senior Citizens | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Download PDF A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in small amounts. A vitamin cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities in the body and must be obtained from the diet. The amount of vitamins required varies according to age and sex. Men, women, and children require different doses to meet their daily vitamin guidelines. A nutritional supplement contains vitamins and minerals that an elderly person needs daily. Daily Requirement of Vitamins (USDA)
Daily Requirement of Elements (USDA)
Vitamin A - 5000IU for male, 4000IU for female. Vitamin A is another essential vitamin. Fat-soluble, this delicate substance is destroyed upon exposure to heat, light, or air. This vitamin helps to maintain vision, and it also helps in functioning of immune system. Deficiency of Vitamin A can result in night blindness and dry and rough skin. What foods contain Vitamin A?
Vitamin B - Complex: The Vitamin B-Complex consists of vitamins B1, B2, niacin, B6, B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and biotin and they facilitate metabolic processes. B1-1.5mg for male, 1.1mg for female B2 - 1.7mg for male, 1.3mg for female Niacin - 19mg for male, 15mg for female B6 - 2mg for male, 1.6mg for female B12 - 2mcg for male, 3mcg for female Folic acid - 200mcg for male, 180mcg for female Pantothenic acid - estimated between 4mg to 7mg Biotin - estimated between 30mcg to 100mcg What foods contain Vitamin B-Complex? The vitamin B complex consists of eight water soluble vitamins. The B vitamins work together to boost metabolism, enhance the immune system and nervous system, keep the skin and muscles healthy, encourage cell growth and division, and other benefits to the body. Brewer's yeast is one of the best sources of the B vitamins. B1, known as thiamine, serves as a catalyst in carbohydrate metabolism and helps synthesize nerve-regulating substances. Deficiency can cause heart swelling, leg cramps, and muscular weakness. Rich food sources high in thiamine include liver, heart, and kidney meats, eggs, leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes, berries, wheat germs, and enriched cereals. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 1.5 mg. B2, or riboflavin, helps metabolize fats, carbohydrates, and respiratory proteins. A deficiency can result in skin lesions and light sensitivity. Riboflavins are abundant in mushrooms, milk, meat, liver, dark green vegetables, and enriched cereals, pasta, and bread. The RDA is 1.3 mg for adults. B3—also known as niacin, vitamin P, or vitamin PP—helps release energy from nutrients. It can reduce cholesterol and prevent and treat arteriosclerosis, among other benefits. Too little B3 can result in pellagra, a disease with symptoms that include sunburn, diarrhea, irritability, swollen tongue, and mental confusion. Too much B3 can result in liver damage. Food sources rich in niacin are chicken, salmon, tuna, liver, nuts, dried peas, enriched cereals, and dried beans. The RDA is 14-18 mg per day for adults. B5, or Pantothenic acid, has a role in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. It is most abundant in eggs, whole grain cereals, legumes, and meat, although it is found in some quantity in nearly every food. The RDA is 10 mg. Deficiency can result in fatigue, allergies, nausea, and abdominal pain. Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, helps the body to absorb and metabolize amino acids, to use fats, and to form red blood cells. Deficiency in the vitamin may result in smooth tongue, skin disorders, dizziness, nausea, anemia, convulsions, and kidney stones. Whole grains, bread, liver, green beans, spinach, avocadoes, and bananas are rich food sources that are high in this vitamin. The RDA ranges from 1.3 to 2 mg depending on age and gender. B7-also known as Biotin or vitamin H, helps form fatty acids and assists in the release of energy from carbohydrates. There have been no cases of deficiency among humans. The RDA is 30 µg. B9, or folic acid, sometimes goes by the name of vitamin M or vitamin B-c. Folic acid enables the body to form hemoglobin. It helps treat anemia and sprue. Good food sources include leafy green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and organ meets. However, bear in mind that folic acid is lost when foods are stored at room temperature or cooked. Deficiency is rare, although folic acid is particularly important in pregnancy. The RDA for both men and women is 400 micrograms, but women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should consume 600 micrograms a day. Vitamin B12, also known as Cobalamin or Cyanocobalamin, assists the function of the nervous system and the formation of red blood cells. If the body is unable to absorb sufficient B12, pernicious anemia can result. B12 can only be found in animal sources such as eggs, milk, fish, meat, and liver. Therefore, vegetarians are strongly encouraged to supplement. The RDA for adult males and females is 2.4 ug. Vitamin C - 60mg a day Vitamin C helps heal wounds and build new tissues. Deficiency of Vitamin C results in scurvy. What foods contain Vitamin C?
Vitamin D - 200 IU a day Vitamin D is a unique vitamin and it is produced when skin is exposed to sunlight. This particular vitamin is essential to calcium metabolism. What foods contain Vitamin D?
Vitamin E - 15 mg a day. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and protects cells against free radicals. What foods contain Vitamin E?
Minerals are essential for bone health, to maintain adequate levels of hemoglobin and hormones and to maintain metabolic function. Low bone density results in fractures of bones, low Iodine results in hypothyroidism, and low levels of iron results in anemia. What foods contain Calcium?
What foods contain Iron? The RDA for iron is 14 milligrams per day for vegetarian men and for women after menopause, and 33 milligrams per day for women prior to menopause.
What foods contain Iodine?
What foods contain Selenium? Daily requirement of selenium is 70 micrograms (ug).
What foods contain Zinc? The daily requirement for zinc is 15 milligrams (mg). http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/etext/000020.html
What foods contain Magnesium? The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium, based on the current Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), for women over age 31 is 320 milligrams (mg) daily and for men over age 31 is 420 mg daily.
My recommendation is to eat healthy. If you are not able to eat all the 2000 calories then I advise you to take one multi-mineral, multivitamin pill a day manufactured by a reputed pharmaceutical company. Even if you miss one pill, do not worry about it. Do not take two pills the next day. There is a thing called toxicity and it is associated with excessive vitamin intake. Please note: The author wishes to thank many sources for the information incorporated in this talk. |
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