Vitamins and supplements for over 50's

[harveyluna789]

I am 50 and I reached menopause roughly 8 yrs ago at 42. Due to my young age I was on HRT for around 5 years - I then changed from cyclical to continuous combined and it made me feel so ill - my energy levels completely dropped and I has the most horrendous breast pain - I run and swim and couldn't do either due to the pain and tiredness. Within 24 hours of stopping the HRT the tiredness and pain disappeared. I sailed through menopause completely symptom free and it was as if HRT give me symptoms.

When talking to other women everyone seems to take some kind of supplement or well woman remedy when they hit late 40's early 50's. I am aware that my bones and heart are not protected due to lack of oestrogen. I feel completely well in myself apart from maybe a little bit of brain fog and I don't want to go 10 years down the line and have health problems because I didn't take any supplements for protection.

I have friends who take magnesium, cod liver oil, menopace, sage, evening primrose oil . I am very active and fit and feel very young in myself. I have bundles of energy and am always busy but don't want to neglect myself as I am lacking in oestrogen so does anyone without any symptoms take anything for protection later on in life that isn't HRT.

Just high strength vit D. Most vitamins are water soluble and a waste of money.keep doing weight bearing excercises to help with bone density. A decent diet,plenty of calcium..I am 73, went through the menopause at 42. Trying to persuade my DD of 53, she is wasting her money. I used to have regular bone scans, now they are expensive.

Nothing will give you the same protection as oestrogen but that doesn’t mean you’ll suffer. It sounds like you’re fit and active and that’s great.

Keep exercising, eat well, don’t drink (much) and don’t get fat.

If you’re concerned about bone density you could get a private dexa scan.

I had a DEXA scan about 2 years and all was fine and they said they would do another one in 5 years time but doubt would get this on the NHS anymore.

Some of these supplements are so expensive and I do feel sometimes people take them because everybody else is.

I take a multivitamin for older women, plus extra vitamin D, as well as magnesium and zinc.

I (mostly) stick to a healthy Mediterranean type diet - lots of vegetables, a fair amount of protein, plus healthy fats, nuts and Greek yoghurt. No UPF and very few carbs - mostly complex rather than refined - and virtually no sugar.

Reading The Sugar Solution by Dr Mark Hyman was a real eye opener. There are others - Michael Moseley, Tim Spector, Becky Gillaspy, the Glucose Goddess...

And exercise!! If there is one thing I'm quite fanatical about it is exercise, especially resistance based, e.g. working out with (heavy) dumbbells. Caroline Girvan and Growingannanas are my go-to online trainers. Plus brisk walking, daily workouts and generally being active.

I'm 70 years old and I'm superfit. I can ski for 6 hours and keep up with women half my age. I use a normal bike whereas my DH uses an electric one - and I keep up with him... The good thing is that, even though some may consider what I do 'hard work' or 'too much', I actually enjoy it.

In our mid-50s one is at a crossroads. It's never too late, but it is definitely a good time to make healthy choices. 💪

I take collagen and have noticed a difference in hair and skin. My energy levels have gone up too especially noticeable doing park run

There’s very few supplements that are backed by any robust research so I’d be inclined to maybe use that as my start point.

Like @Nannyfannybanny says vitamin D is a proven one and it’s impossible to produce it this far north between October to April but you need much more than 400iu/day to build up your stores. There’s lots of info out there and you can buy a vit d finger prick test in Tesco.

There’s quite a lot of research on the active ingredient in Turmeric for joint pain.

I am on hrt but I take a magnesium supplement to enhance sleep.

As you’re so active, maybe creatine would be good - have a google, it’s one of the most researched supplements out there and is super cheap too. I’m a weightlifter and take creatine daily.

I like the brand Nutrition Geeks for supplements, their website is easy to navigate.

I only take Vit D which everyone is supposed to.

The vitamin industry created a need when really, you can get all you need through a good healthy diet.

Most vitamins are excreted anyway if you have too much.

It's always a good idea to read the medical research about supplements as there is actually very little sound evidence that some of them help (other than Vit D) and the jury is still out on things like collagen (some research shows it cannot be absorbed by the digestive system, anyway.)

If you're symptom free I'd be taking collagen for injury prevention and vitamjn K2 to protect your heart.
Magnesium and some omega 3 wouldn't do any harm.

Oh yes, forgot about Omega 3 - fish oil, which I also take. I also eat lots of oily fish, especially wild salmon.

I take cheapy Tesco's vitamin D, B and Glucosamine. I figure I eat well enough to not need any expensive supplements (fingers crossed).

I'll preface this by saying I have a pretty restrictive diet - low calorie, I don't eat meat for e.g. While I do try to eat well and think about nutrition, I use supplements as a bit of a safety net.

So I take a women's multivitamin with iron, fish oil capsules and magnesium daily plus a protein shake and a scoop of collagen in my morning coffee most days.

JinglingSpringbells,you are correct. Average diet will give you everything you need. My osteopath recommended Turmeric when I had tenosynovitis (after stripping layers of painted wallpaper) for pain rather than standard analgesics. I know so many people who are spending hundreds of pounds a month,on supplements, wasting their money.

There's not much evidence at all that collagen actually has any benefit. Has anyone seen any (unbiased) research on this?

None.

I did a lot of reading of 'proper' medical papers on collagen as my hair was shedding - the jury is very much out. There was also a prog on BBC Radio 4 on it last year and the result was the same.

Likewise for biotin (supposed to help hair and nails.)

Likewise for chondroitin and glucosomine. (sp)

There is very little evidence any of these work and it's more likely to be a placebo effect of the food you're eating that helps.

I think turmeric is good and there is some evidence.
But you can add it to food (curries, soups etc) that you make.

The research I've seen on collagen is also along the lines of 'jury is out' which I take to mean there have been some positive results but not in every study or in sufficiently rigorous studies to be called 'proof'. However, as I don't eat meat at all and couldn't find any negative consequences of a daily collagen boost, I'm giving it a go.

I'm taking it in the hope that it will help with joint health, healing (I have tendonitis) and gut health, primarily. Obviously there are other factors at play so I can't really say if it's been effective in the couple of months since I started. I can tell you my fingernails are now superb, though! They are strong as anything and grow like weeds.

I'm taking it in the hope that it will help with joint health, healing (I have tendonitis) and gut health, primarily.

Have you had a look at the Zoe website on gut health? @Boomboomshakeshaketheroom
The basics are a variety of plants- 30 different ones a week.
Also, fermented foods like plain yoghurt, kefir and sauerkraut.

I'm puzzled by your no meat= need to supplement with collagen. The issue with no red meat is sometimes lack of B12.

There's more positive research on turmeric and how it can help with inflammation.

I'm puzzled by your no meat= need to supplement with collagen. The issue with no red meat is sometimes lack of B12.

I'm just here to respond to the OP's question, not justify myself to armchair experts, but thanks for your interest.

It was a genuine question.

I take tons! even tho I eat a healthy diet.
Turmeric and omega 3 (for my joints), high dose vit D/K2(coz I had serious issues with deficiency), magnesium (for sleep), allicin (which is concentrated garlic, a strong antibacterial/viral. Which I take coz peri left me with dodgy gums and an increased risk of infections). Also alternate day vit B12 and iodine (coz Im vegan and dont quite get enough on the daily).
It is alot but it all has its reason for being there!