How does age affect the need for vitamins and minerals?

With age, the human body's need for various nutrients changes significantly due to slowed metabolism, hormonal shifts, and changes in the gastrointestinal tract's ability to absorb beneficial substances from food. What was normal at twenty years old may turn out to be insufficient or excessive at forty or sixty.

Older people often experience a decrease in hydrochloric acid production in the stomach, which directly impairs the absorption of vitamin B12, calcium, and iron. In addition, the skin's ability to synthesize vitamin D under the influence of sunlight decreases with age. This makes monitoring the levels of these elements and consciously replenishing them with quality supplements mandatory.

The need for antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, also increases over the years, as they help fight oxidative stress and protect cells from premature aging. Maintaining bone health requires regular intake of calcium combined with vitamin K2 and the same vitamin D to prevent the development of osteoporosis.