Vitamin D Supplements Not Beneficial For Elderly Over 70: 5 Vitamin D-Rich Foods

As you grow old your bone density tends to weaken, there is an increased risk of falls and fractures and impairment in muscle function. This is why in old age one is advised to up their intake of vitamin D. But contrary to popular belief, vitamin D supplements are of no benefit to the people over 70.

Supplements of vitamin D are mainly taken to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. The elderly population is often encouraged to up the intake of vitamin D supplements, but if the findings of a recent study are to be believed, there is no real benefit in increasing the intake.

The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealed that there was no change in BMD over 12 months between the three doses. The study said that doses equivalent to 40 µg a day are safe in an older population and there was a beneficial effect on bone metabolism up to the highest dose.

_{Vitamin D Foods: Mushroom is an excellent source of vitamin D}

"I would suggest that older people should focus on maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, adequate sun exposure and take regular exercise to keep their bones as strong as possible. While some may need to take vitamin D supplements, there is little benefit to taking more than 10 µg a day," said Terry Aspray, lead researcher of the study.

Vitamin D-Rich Foods

A vitamin D-rich diet can do wonders for your bone health, teeth and joints. While the best natural source of vitamin D is exposure to sunshine, there are plenty of foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that are packed with vitamin D. Here are some of them that you can add to your diet.

• Mushrooms
• Cheese
• Milk
• Egg yolks
• Salmon

Include these foods in your diet and make most of the sunshine vitamin.

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(With inputs ANI)