Supplements

Before you take any supplements, make sure you’re sticking as closely as you can to a healthy, balanced diet.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, starchy foods and moderate amounts of dairy products and protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and lentils to get all the nutrients that you need.

Of course, vitamin and mineral supplements are no substitute for good eating habits, but as you age you may find you have difficulty digesting certain foods or lacking in appetite. It’s then that supplements can help.

Nutrients you may need help with as you get older include:

Calcium

Osteoporosis and the risk of bone fracture is a major health issue for older people. Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, canned fish with bones like salmon, sardines, green leafy vegetables, soya beans and tofu are all good dietary sources of calcium. If you still need to boost your calcium levels, supplements are readily available from chemists and health food shops.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is very important for healthy bones. You get much of your vitamin D from the effect of summer sunlight on your skin, so if you have trouble getting out of the house, try and eat vitamin D rich foods such as oil-rich fish, eggs or foods with added vitamins like certain breakfast cereals, bread and margarine.

If you aren’t getting enough vitamin D, you may also be more at risk of the harmful effects of too much vitamin A. Your doctor can advise you on the right dose of vitamin D supplements if you need them.

Vitamin A

Sometimes, too much of a certain vitamin can be bad for you; having more than 1.5mg a day of vitamin A may increase the risk of bone fracture, so you must be careful to avoid foods that have a high vitamin A content.

Liver is a rich source of vitamin A, so avoid eating liver or liver products such as pâté more than once a week. If you do eat liver once a week you should avoid taking any supplements containing vitamin A or fish liver oils.