In a recent study published in JAMA, researchers found examined the effects of simple measures on the health of healthy adults aged 70 or older.
Their initial analyses suggest that vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and strength-training exercises can improve bone health, leg function, and memory in active old people.
When taking supplements, these people had lower infection rates and systolic blood pressure.
The research is from the University of Zurich. One author is Professor Heike Bischoff-Ferrari.
In 2030, one in three people in Europe will be over the age of 65, and all of these people will want to enjoy their old age and lead an active lifestyle.
To be able to do so, however, it is crucial that people maintain their physical and mental health.
In a previous study, the team tested the effects of these supplements on aging. The first findings of the three-year clinical trial found no effects on lower extremity function, memory, or bone fracture incidence.
However, the study’s findings suggest that, compared to the control group, some subgroups experienced increased benefits of vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation when it comes to lowering infection rates and systolic blood pressure.
For the study, the researchers recruited 2,157 relatively healthy men and women aged 70 or older who lived at home and had no significant pre-existing conditions.
The findings suggest that supplementation of vitamin D and omega-3s in adults aged 70 or older who lead an active lifestyle and have no pre-existing conditions may help lower risks of infection (e.g., COVID-19) and high blood pressure.
Omega-3s reduced the risk of infections by 11% in total, in particular for upper respiratory (10%) and urinary tract infections (62%), while vitamin D lowered systolic blood pressure in men by 2.5 mmHg and the risk of infections in younger participants (70 to 74-year-old) by 16%.
The team says these findings are very relevant for the health of the general population. They attribute the lack of effect on the relatively good health of the study’s participants, most of whom took regular exercise.
Moreover, about half of the participants were so-called healthy agers, with no pre-existing conditions or vitamin D insufficiency.
The results therefore do not contradict the Federal Office of Public Health’s current recommendation on vitamin D supplementation and fall prevention for older people, nor the proven preventive effects of exercise programs.
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