What vitamins should an 84-year-old man take?
I am in good health and I do take vitamins, but I wonder if I should take more or less. Men and women over age 50 need more calcium and vitamins D and B6 than younger adults. A multivitamin designed for senior adults would be a good place to start. First, let’s look at calcium. The recommended intake for both men and women increases at age 50 from 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams a day. The primary reason is to help prevent osteoporosis, a debilitating bone disease. You can get calcium from a variety of foods, with the best sources being dairy and calcium-fortified orange juice. Read Nutrition Facts labels, but generally, a cup of milk gives you 300 milligrams of calcium, while a cup of fortified orange juice offers 350. A 6-ounce container of flavored yogurt has about 250 milligrams. Other foods that often contain good amounts of calcium include cheese, broccoli, collard greens, tofu, almonds, and fortified cereals. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. While the body can make its own vit
