Nutrition Key To Avoiding Frailty In Old Age

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"The study showed that the risk of frailty was correlated with a diminished intake of protein and vitamins A, D, C and the B vitamin folate. If a person was deficient in two or more nutrients, the risk of frailty more than doubled."

Yet the medical Mafia should have us belive that we have a deficiency of generally toxic drugs. The very drugs that actually contribute to the loss of these nutrients and more. Some could say that this is exactly as the doctor ordered... obviously can't impair the business with health to keep the gravy train coming...

See:

Most Pain Killers Deplete The Body Of The B Vitamin Folic Acid

High Homocysteine Due to Low B Vitamins

Statin Drugs & Coenzyme Q10 Depletion

The above are just the tip of the ice burg - then there are the minerals! And to top it off our illustrious regulatory bodies have also been jumping on the bandwagon to protect the drug business from competition under the guise of safety of course.

The FDA versus Folic Acid

As usual there is a solution to kick start the process using a IV cocktail of nutrients but that will surely cut into business wouldn't it?

Chris Gupta
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Nutrition Key To Avoiding Frailty In Old Age

By Patrick B. Massey, M.D.
Posted Tuesday, August 01, 2006

I would guess that growing old does not worry most Americans. However, the loss of strength and balance that can go together with the aging process can be frightening.

Is there a way to prevent the frailty that is often associated with an older age? The solution may include protein, selected vitamins and dietary supplements.

Frailty is characterized as low overall muscle strength, a regular feeling of exhaustion with minimal activities, slow walking speed, and an overall reduction in activities of daily living. Although the number of elderly who could be defined as frail is un-known, frailty may increase the risk of falling as well as susceptibility to disease. In addition, frailty also negatively affects quality of life.

A recent study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences demonstrated that the lack of specific nutrients increases the risk of becoming frail. In this study, 802 participants were assessed for nutrient intake and frailty. The study showed that the risk of frailty was correlated with a diminished intake of protein and vitamins A, D, C and the B vitamin folate. If a person was deficient in two or more nutrients, the risk of frailty more than doubled.

In addition, as we age, our ability to absorb nutrients from the food we eat decreases. The quality and quantity of food eaten also may be influenced by a fixed income. This suggests that nutrient insuffi-ciency may be more common in the elderly that we believe.

Fortunately, frailty may be easily prevented and even reversed. Meat is an excellent source of protein but, for those on a very fixed income, may not be part of the daily diet. However, beans and nuts can also supply a significant amount of excellent protein at a very reasonable cost. They also are rich in folate.

Fruits and vegetables are good source of vitamins A, C and D. Dietary supplements may also be valuable and can provide more than adequate levels of folate and vitamins A, D and C in a number of easily digestible forms.

When I was in medical school, we learned that all nutritional needs could be met by having three "square" meals a day. We now know that nutrition and health involves a much more complex set of interactions and that proper amounts of protein and specific nutrients, like vitamins A, D, C and folate are essential.

Frailty may be avoidable and, with a little effort, we all may be able to enjoy the "golden years" a little more.

• Patrick B. Massey, M.D., Ph.D., is medical director for alternative and complementary medicine for Alexian Brothers Hospital Net-work.

Patrick Massey MD, PhD
Medical Director, Integrative Medicine, Alexian Brothers Hospital Network. President, ALT-MED Medical and Physical Therapy

 

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posted by Chris Gupta on Thursday August 3 2006

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Readers' Comments

Dear Barbara,

Thanks so much for this constructive feedback, I had meant to add a note on digestion but thought it better to address that in a separate post. However, you really have addressed the issue of aging quit comprehensively yet concisely and think it worthy to add to the original post. While I have in previous posts discussed detoxing etc, the psychological effects that you mention in the last para are so key to the whole process. Nevertheless, improved assimilation of nutrients is paramount for the feeling of well being and hence the will to live. To that end I simply stated "kick starting the process with IV nutrients" as it could be key but not the solution....

Chris

At 01:10 PM 04/08/2006, you wrote:
Dear Chris,

Of course nutrition is important for the elderly and if you go into nursing homes you will see how they are force fed huge meals to maintain weight. Weight that in spite of nutrition never seems to come on for many. I often throught as I whitnessed this "torture" that if I had to eat the volumes forced upon many of the elderly that live in facitlities I would weigh a ton.

The elderly suffer from malnutriton due to declining abilities in absorption and digestion. Decreases in hydrochloric acid and pancreatic enzymes are the main factor. Enzyme processes throughout the body decline. Of course antiacid pills so frequently subscribed do not help and do not address the core problem of hypohydrochloric acid secretions in the stomach. This decrease in acids and enzymes may be a disease process in an of itself or it may be a natural decline due to age. If not corrected the foods that are eaten are not utilized properly. Even nutrients given artificially may not be utilized.

You could give nutrients IV but it is not cost effective nor practical in the long run as you would not be addressing the core problem. You can only give so many IV infusions in an elderly person, or any person for that matter before the veins start to breakdown.

Aside from the nutrients you mentioned, if you can get them to be absorbed and utilized, precursors for HGH are helpful for some and may faciltiate the reactivation of some enzyme systems. It would also be interesting to see what Ozone and oxygen therapy can do for the elderly for rejuvenation. It would also be advisable to note levels of accumulated toxicity from over a lifetime in a polluted environment and address that problem. Such toxicity will contribute to failing systems.

Many of the nutritional deficit causes and diseases start in the 40's and 50's. If not addressed at that time through realignment and re-energization of the sytem, reduction in systemic toxicity, improvements in diet choices and re-energization through exercise and increased levels of oxygen, it gets really hard to make changes later that are cost effective and that a person will actually we willing to participate in for any length of time.

Also, there must remain the motivation to continue to live, which often passively declines in the older person as roles change, health declines, self image changes and retirement, as the years pass, does not bring the reward and motivation to keep on going. These pyschological effects can have profound physical influences.

Sincerly,
Barbara Durfee LPN, DIHom

Posted by: Barbara Durfee on August 7, 2006 11:51 PM

 

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