5 Nutrients for Men Over 50

Enjoying life after 50 shouldn’t have to be hard. Now is the time to check off all the things on that bucket list of yours!

However, to fully enjoy life, you need to take care of your health first.

To maintain your health, some changes to your diet might be necessary. Research shows that as you age, older adults’ ability to absorb nutrients becomes less efficient.

Men over 50 should keep these 5 nutrients in mind to maintain optimal health.

Water

Making sure you consume enough water daily is important for great health. Your cells and organs use water for the base of all their functions. That’s why your body is made up of about 60% water! Water also helps with digestion and the absorption of nutrients.

The problem is, when you get older, you might not experience thirst as much as you used to. Instead you might feel lethargic or experience headaches when you are lacking enough water.

Try to avoid drinking only when you are thirsty. To stay properly hydrated, drink a full glass of water before every meal, with supplements, before your workouts, and before bed. You should even try to drink a glass every two hours if possible. Try to consume more water intense fruits and vegetables like watermelon, oranges, cucumber and celery.

Dietary Fiber

Adding enough fiber in your diet is extremely important as you age. Fiber, along with sufficient water intake can help with digestive issues and prevent constipation.

Dietary fiber is also known to be impactful when it comes to protecting the body against heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. Did you know that fiber helps to slow the absorption of sugar into the cells, helping with the regulation of blood sugar?

Unfortunately, only about 10 percent of 51–70 year olds consume over the recommended Adequate Intake (AI) of fiber. That’s it. So try to add more beans, whole wheat, berries, and legumes to your diet to improve your health.

Nitric Oxide Boosting Supplement

Nitric Oxide (NO) is produced by almost every type of cell in the body. This molecule is extremely important in blood vessel health. Nitric Oxide widens your blood vessels to increase blood flow and decrease blood pressure. It also helps nutrients and oxygen flow throughout your body quicker and easier.

As you age, the production of nitric oxide decreases. Therefore, it could increase your risk for high blood pressure, which may cause heart disease and/or erectile dysfunction.

Studies have shown that low Nitric Oxide levels were associated with aging as well. You may want to think about adding a nitric oxide boosting supplement to counteract your decreased NO production.

Vitamin D

Seniors are at a greater risk of having a vitamin D deficiency for multiple reasons. You might not spend as much time outside as you once used to, causing less exposure to sunlight (Vitamin D).

Even if you do get adequate sunlight, your body could have a decreased capacity to synthesize the light, resulting in reduced active Vitamin D to your body. Your kidneys may also have a decreased capacity to turn Vitamin D into the form that is used by the body as well. This vitamin is needed for bone health, helping in preventing falls and low-impact fractures.

Antioxidant Vitamins (Vitamin A, E and C)

Increasing your antioxidants is key to good health. Since your body has a reduced capacity to absorb nutrients, it’s important to eat even more fruits and vegetables than the average adult.

These vitamins are needed to support immune function, fight toxins and harmful molecules, and to protect your DNA from damage.

Brightly colored foods can deliver a great deal of these necessary vitamins. However, since it’s sometimes hard to get a sufficient amount, supplementation should be considered to ensure you are getting enough.

Consuming a nutrient-dense diet is critical for older adults because of the impact of food intake on health. Numerous research studies have shown that diet quality has a huge effect on physical and cognitive condition, bone and eye health, vascular function, and the immune system.

Avoid processed foods since they are more likely to be empty calories. Empty calories means they are high in calories but low in nutrients, which is what your body doesn’t want! Instead, try to eat a wide array of whole foods of different colors to get as many different nutrients as possible. In certain cases, supplementation is necessary to give your body that extra amount that it may need.

Go out and live your life the way you dreamt it would be. Don’t let your health be an excuse for why you can’t check off adventures on your bucket list.