Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Getting enough vitamins and minerals from foods is preferable to getting them from supplements, but it can be difficult. Most older people do not eat a healthy diet every day. So taking a multivitamin that contains the recommended daily allowances for vitamins and minerals is a good idea—in addition to, not as a substitute for, trying to eat a healthy diet.

Taking a multivitamin is particularly useful for people who have a vitamin or mineral deficiency or who are at risk of a deficiency. People at risk of a deficiency include those who are not eating enough food and those who have a disorder or take drugs that can cause undernutrition. Older people who live in a nursing home and those who have been in the hospital for a long time are also at high risk. Older people who must be fed intravenously for a long time may develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Some people believe that taking high doses of specific vitamins (such as vitamin C or E) or minerals (such as zinc) can help prevent disease. However, there is little evidence that consuming high doses of vitamin or mineral supplements or foods that contain large amounts of these nutrients provides more benefits than consuming the recommended amounts.

Deficiencies that older people may develop include deficiencies of folic acid (folate), vitamin B₁₂, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. Usually, nutritional deficiencies are diagnosed based on symptoms and the results of blood tests that measure the levels of nutrients. Treatment varies depending on the deficiency but often involves taking a supplement.

Disorders may develop when minerals that are dissolved in fluids of the body are out of balance. Some of these minerals are called electrolytes. Examples are sodium, chloride, and potassium.

See the table Some Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies.