Ever since China entered an aging society, more and more elderly people have started to pay attention to health and wellness. They focus on nutrition, exercise in the morning and evening, dance in public parks, and challenge each other in chess games. These are activities that the elderly enjoy doing. The main reason is that many retirees have nothing to do after retirement. Their former employers do not rehire them, and their children are not around. The elderly organize their own recreational activities to pass the time and benefit their health. In response to this situation, many health supplement companies have taken advantage of the opportunity and recommended health supplements to the elderly under the guise of "maintaining health." So, should the elderly really take health supplements? Let's analyze it together:
As the human body ages, the organs in the body age at an accelerated rate, and as the gastrointestinal organs age, the absorption rate of nutrients decreases. Aging is a natural process that cannot be reversed. If health supplements are taken correctly, this aging process can be delayed to some extent. However, if the elderly are healthy, have a good complexion, maintain a regular daily routine, go for walks every day, and dance, their lives can still be colorful without taking health supplements.
Making the Right Choice
1. Health supplements that fight aging mainly function as antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, etc. Generally, the elderly can take these types of health supplements. However, it is best to choose the appropriate health supplements based on a comprehensive physical examination of the elderly.
2. Health supplements that boost immunity and promote metabolic function, such as calcium tablets, can be beneficial for the elderly. Many elderly people tend to develop osteoporosis as they age, and taking calcium supplements can have a positive effect. As for protein powder, if the elderly already have underlying conditions such as high blood lipids or high blood pressure, taking protein supplements may have adverse effects.
3. Health supplements have health benefits, but they are not medications and cannot fundamentally treat diseases. They can only assist in treatment and provide certain health benefits, and their effects vary from person to person. Taking health supplements without scientific knowledge not only fails to provide health benefits but also harms one's health. Most hospitals have clinical nutrition departments where doctors can accurately diagnose what nutrients are lacking in an individual, making it easier to choose the appropriate health supplements.
Supplement According to Needs
Some elderly people blindly believe in the effectiveness of health supplements and take several different types of supplements throughout the day, thinking that it can delay aging and strengthen their bodies. However, this is not the case because health supplements also contain nutrients found in food. Our bodies have specific requirements for nutrients found in all types of food, and exceeding these requirements can cause harm to the body. Therefore, if we choose to supplement with health supplements, it should be based on our specific needs.
Avoid Scams
In the market, there are many organizations that use promotional events to gather the elderly and conduct sales activities to promote health supplements. They bombard the elderly with humor, sentiment, and stimulation, leading them to make purchases. However, when the elderly realize that the expensive health supplements they bought do not have the expected effects, many of them feel helpless and have wasted their money.
Recently, the "315 Evening Gala" exposed the scams behind health supplement sales, to some extent, revealing that consumers' right to information is not fully protected. Therefore, in order to avoid falling into scams and to prioritize one's own health, it is important for the elderly to be vigilant and avoid being deceived when purchasing and consuming health supplements.
From the perspective of health and wellness, legitimate health supplements do have certain health benefits. However, I would still like to remind elderly friends that while health supplements are good, they can only provide health benefits and cannot replace medications. Therefore, it is important not to treat health supplements as medications.
