Smart Pills

It probably won't surprise readers of my blog to learn that people who take supplements are generally better nourished than those who don't take them. In fact, a substantial proportion of seniors (people 51 and older) don't get enough vitamins and minerals from diet alone, and fewer than half of them take supplements every day.

The widespread inadequacies should be considered when developing recommendations for supplement use for seniors, according to Rhonda S. Sebastian of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Gray Iron recommends taking a quality vitamin/mineral supplement, but with the approval of your physician. This is important because the USDA also notes that many people get too much of some vitamins and minerals and not enough of others. So be a smart supplement swallower. And remember, too, that no amount of supplementation can make up for a highly inadequate or gluttonous diet.

For the story of the report by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, go here.