Vitamin Supplements

Nutritional Supplement Drinks: Pros and Cons for Older Adults

 

Yes, we should look to our food and diet for the majority of our nutritional needs but some folks may not get enough of the essential vitamins and minerals needed. In this instance, your doctor may suggest a dietary supplement to complement your diet. Often, this can be in the form of a nutritional supplement drink. These can add desperately needed protein or other vitamins/minerals needed as we age. Critically, it’s important to understand what the dietary supplement is you’re taking and the reason for it. I can give you some insight into the pros and cons of nutritional supplement drinks to see if they may be right for you. Visit www.healthproductsforyou.com for all your dietary supplement needs as well as nutritional protein drinks for seniors.

Dietary Requirements for Adults over 50

As we age, it’s important to ensure we get the necessary nutrients we need and as we get older there are several vitamins and minerals that are crucial. These are:

• Calcium: This is critical for strong bones and can help avoid bone fractures.
• Protein: Crucial in maintaining proper muscle mass and for overall health.
• Vitamin D: The United States population typically consumes less than the recommended daily amounts of this vitamin.
• Vitamin B6: Found in foods like bananas, chicken, and potatoes, this vitamin is crucial for forming red blood cells.
• Vitamin B12: To keep your red blood cells and nerves healthy, Vitamin B12 can sometimes have a hard time being absorbed in our bodies from food.

Upside to Nutritional Supplement Drinks

Many older people may not get all the nutritional requirements from their daily diet. It’s at this time that your doctor may recommend a nutritional supplement drink. Unfortunately, a loss of appetite and weight loss can be a typical response to getting older. It’s at these moments that your doctor can suggest nutritional supplemental drinks (a.k.a. meal replacement drinks). These drinks can benefit older folks due to:

• Can help with weight gain or maintenance
• High caloric content
• Increased protein content
• Convenient
• Can be quicker/easier than eating a meal
• Beneficial to those with chewing or swallowing issues
• Helps with recovery from surgery

These easy-to-drink supplements are easily assessable since most of them can be found on the grocery store shelf. They can even be compatible with conditions such as diabetes (i.e., Glucerna), COPD, cancer, or later stage kidney disease and are often pleasantly flavored (vanilla or chocolate).

Nutritional Supplement Drinks…the Cons

While drinking nutritional supplement drinks may be the obvious choice, there can be some cons to this option. One example of a supplemental drink that is common is Ensure. This begs the question, is Ensure good for you? Are there Ensure drink side effects? Many supplemental drinks, including Ensure, contain a large amount of processed ingredients. While they do include nutrients, vitamins, and minerals the other ingredients may not be the healthiest. Ensure contains:

• Corn maltodextrin (promotes intestinal inflammation)
• Sodium citrate
• Canola and corn oil
• Sucralose (artificial sweetener)
• Milk protein concentrate (can cause intestinal distress for those lactose intolerant)
• Soy protein isolate (highly processed protein derived from soybeans)

Is Ensure safe for you? While it has its place, you must weigh the pros and cons. As you can see, these ingredients can be relatively unhealthy. Ensure can have as much as 19 g of sugar per serving. 9 g of the sugars are added. These added sugars can make it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight and can contribute to type II diabetes. Sometimes these supplements can interact negatively with prescription medication and unfortunately, approximately 54% of aging Americans take some kind of prescription drug daily. The side effects of drinking Ensure can include:

• High sugar content
• Low caloric content (8 ounce Ensure is 250 cal.)
• Digestive problems (constipation, diarrhea, or nausea/vomiting)
• Not a substitute for a well-balanced diet (it should supplement nutrition from food)
• Can lead to weight gain and complications such as obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes
• Contribute to frailty due to poor caloric intake

Also, the supplement industry does not need to get FDA approval before bringing a product to market. This means there is no federal oversight as to what might be in every nutritional supplement drink. Be sure to search for supplements that have their products reviewed by recognized associations like USP, NSF International, or ConsumerLab.com. For instance, a nutritional supplement drink that contains Vitamin K can interfere with the efficacy of Coumadin, the blood thinner warfarin and this can lead to negative ramifications.

Our Best Nutritional Supplement Drinks

When to Seek Medical Attention

You should be sure to discuss any dietary supplement you’re considering with your doctor. While they can be beneficial, there can be negative interactions with prescription drugs you may be taking. You can also consult your local pharmacist or a dietitian who should be knowledgeable about drug interactions. If you should experience abnormal symptoms while drinking nutritional supplement drinks, contact your physician and explain these issues.

References:

1. Supplemental nutrition drinks: help or hype?
2. Pros And Cons Of Nutritional Supplement Drinks
3. Pros and Cons of Nutritional Supplement Drinks for the Elderly
4. Meal Replacement Shakes: Are They Good For Your Health?
5. Dietary Supplements for Older Adults

 

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