& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Over 50? Do you need multivitamins?
The multivitamin-mineral supplement shelf at the health food store may look to you like the cereal aisle at the supermarket so many choices and so much advertising. To separate a pill's merits from its marketing, it is important to scrutinise the label carefully with your own nutritional needs in mind. First, though, have a solid understanding of what your needs are as a person over 50 and where a multivitamin-mineral supplement may fit in.
Vitamin and mineral ABCs
Vitamins in the right amount are needed for a variety of biologic processes, among them growth, digestion, mental alertness and resistance to infection. They also enable your body to use carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and they act as catalysts initiating or speeding up chemical reactions. Remember, however, that even though vitamins are involved in converting food into energy, they have no calories, and taking them will not boost your energy levels.
Vitamins can be either fatsoluble or water-soluble. Vitamin C, biotin and the seven B vitamins thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6), folic acid (B-9) and cobalamin (B-12) are water-soluble vitamins and are not stored in your body in any appreciable amounts. Surplus water-soluble vitamins are washed out in your urine. Choline is a nutrient with significant functions within the body and some consider it a watersoluble vitamin, but it is not technically classified as a vitamin.
Fat-soluble vitamins vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in your fat. Excess fat-soluble vitamins can accumulate in your body and become toxic. You are especially sensitive to excess amounts of vitamins A and D. Because vitamins E and K affect blood clotting, talk with your doctor before taking a supplement that contains either of these vitamins if you are taking a blood thinner.
Your body needs minerals to help regulate cell function and to serve as building blocks for your cells and organs. Major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur and chloride. Your body needs smaller amounts of chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.
The best source?
Food is your best source of vitamins and minerals. In addition to supplying these important nutrients, food contains hundreds of additional compounds called phytochemicals.
Phytochemicals occur naturally in plants and may provide important health benefits such as protection from a variety of diseases and conditions, including cancer and heart disease. Food also contains fiber, which is good for you in a variety of ways.
Many people do not receive all of the nutrients they need from their diet because they either cannot or do not eat enough, or they cannot or do not eat the right foods. For some people, including those on
restrictive diets, multivitaminmineral supplements can provide vitamins and minerals that their diets often do not. Pregnant women and people who smoke or consume excessive amounts of alcohol, or do both, have altered nutrient needs and can benefit from a supplement.
For older adults, lack of appetite, decreased sense of taste and smell, and denture problems can all contribute to a poor diet, as can eating alone or having depression. In addition, if you are 65 or older, it may be more difficult for your body to absorb and use certain nutrients. These include vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, vitamin D and zinc. You may
also need to increase your intake of calcium and vitamin D to protect against bone loss or thinning (osteoporosis).
What to look for
Because the diets of older adults are often short in more than one vitamin and mineral, a multivitamin-mineral supplement often makes more sense for them than do single-nutrient pills. A multivitamin-mineral pill usually provides all or part of what health experts recommend for health. On supplement labels this is
referred to as percent daily value (%DV).
Check the label to make sure you are not getting too much of any one nutrient an excess may be harmful. In general, look for a supplement that contains a wide variety of vitamins in the appropriate amounts, usually about 100 percent of the daily value. But do not forget the importance of a healthy diet. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions.
Here are a few things to look for and look out for in a multivitamin-mineral pill:
l Beta carotene. This compound, found in carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, pink grapefruit, apricots, broccoli, spinach and most dark green leafy vegetables, is converted by your body to vitamin A. Foods high in beta carotene may lower your risk of heart disease and cancer. However, research has shown no benefit and possibly even harm to taking beta carotene supplements. Therefore, do not take this supplement unless your doctor specifically recommends it and you follow his or her instructions.
l Calcium. This mineral builds strong bones and teeth and is involved in muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission and blood clotting. For men and women age 51 and older, the recommended intake is 1,200 milligrams (mg). However, do not take calcium if you have sarcoidosis or a high blood-calcium level. And if you take an iron supplement, do not take it at the same time as your calcium supplement calcium can interfere with the absorption of iron.
l Folic acid, folate (vitamin B-9). Folic acid is important for red blood cell formation, protein metabolism, growth and cell division. It can work with vitamins B-6 and B-12 to reduce elevated levels of homocysteine a compound that can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke if you have too much of it. If you have anemia, check with your doctor before taking folic acid
high levels of the nutrient can cover up anemia caused by a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
l Iron. Although supplemental iron is advised during pregnancy and for iron deficiency anemia, some studies suggest that excess iron can raise the risk of heart disease and colon cancer for women beyond menopause and for men. For these people, it is probably wise to use a pill with little or no iron (8 mg or less).
l Magnesium. Adequate levels of this mineral are necessary in many enzyme processes, particularly ones that provide energy to your body. Magnesium also is involved in muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission, the same as calcium. Keep in mind that if you are over age 55 and take magnesium supplements, you are at increased risk of experiencing side effects, which include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea and irregular heartbeat. Certain antacids may contain significant amounts of magnesium. Consume 400 mg of magnesium daily.
l Zinc. Maintaining adequate amounts of zinc can help your body heal wounds. Though some studies have shown that taking zinc supplements may increase the immune response of older adults, other studies have shown that zinc may weaken immune function in older adults. Until the effects of supplemental zinc are established, do not exceed 100 percent of the daily value (15 mg).
l Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine). Adequate levels of this vitamin may help lower blood homocysteine, a risk factor for heart attack, and improve your immune system function. Older adults have trouble absorbing it, so a multivitamin that contains about 2 mg is often a good idea. Avoid excessive doses. Too much vitamin B-6 can result in nerve damage to the arms and legs, which is usually reversible when supplementation is stopped.
l Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin). Adequate amounts of this vitamin may reduce your risk of anemia, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Older adults often do
not absorb this vitamin well. A multivitamin with at least 2 micrograms (mcg) may help.
l Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). This vitamin helps your body synthesize collagen a connective substance in your body and aids in wound healing. It is also a good antioxidant. Eating foods high in vitamin C can help reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease, but it is not clear whether taking supplements is useful. Too much vitamin C (more than 2,000 mg a day) can cause diarrhea and may interfere with some laboratory tests.
l Vitamin D (calcipherol). This vitamin helps your body absorb calcium and is essential in maintaining proper bone strength and density. Because many older adults do not get regular exposure to sunlight and have trouble absorbing this vitamin, taking a multivitamin with 400 international units (IU) will probably help improve bone health.
l Vitamin E (tocopherol). Studies on the benefits of vitamin E show mixed results. If you are taking blood-thinning (anticoagulant) medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin, Panwarfin)), or you have iron deficiency anemia, cystic fibrosis, intestinal problems or liver disease, talk with your doctor before taking a supplement containing vitamin E.
l Vitamin K (menadione, phylloquinone, menaquinone). If you are on warfarin, check with your doctor before taking a multivitamin containing vitamin K. This vitamin can interfere with the blood-thinning properties of warfarin.
The bottom line? Evidence to date indicates that, in most cases, you are far more likely to improve and protect your health by eating well than by taking supplements. Nevertheless, a multivitamin-mineral supplement with about 100 percent of the daily value for nutrients is a reasonable option if you are strongly considering supplements.