Nutritional supplements for the elderly to enhance immunity

Relying on nutritional supplements for the elderly to enhance immunity is neither an IQ tax nor a panacea that guarantees success. The core logic is that "it is effective only if supplements are missing, and effective if supplements are correct." Real immunity improvement is always the result of a multi-dimensional combination of diet, work and rest, exercise, and supplements. There is no good thing that can improve immunity just by taking a certain nutritional supplement.

In the past two years, my second uncle was deceived by the health classes in the community. He spent a small amount of 20,000 to buy a bunch of "imported immune pills" claimed to "activate immune cells, prevent influenza and prevent cancer". After taking them for three months, he still had a cold in winter, and his cough was worse than in previous years. Later, he went to a community doctor. The nutrition department of the hospital did an evaluation and found out that he usually eats steamed buns with pickles, and eats very little meat, eggs, and milk. What he lacks is protein and vitamin B. The total active ingredients in those "magic pills" are not as good as a ten-yuan bottle of multivitamins, and the rest is all starch and sugar.

It’s interesting to say that the current attitude of the industry towards nutritional supplements for the elderly has actually been divided into two directions. The first type is that most nutritionists in the public medical system firmly believe in "food supplements first": as long as the elderly have good dental problems and normal digestive functions, they can eat 300ml of milk, 1 egg, 2 taels of lean meat, 1 catty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and half a catty of cereals and potatoes every day. The daily intake of nutrients is completely sufficient to support immunity. Additional nutritional supplements are a waste. Excessive supplementation may increase the metabolic burden on the liver and kidneys. I accompanied my neighbor's aunt to see the nutrition department last week. The doctor saw the half bag of protein powder she was carrying and immediately gave her a recommendation. He said that she had two eggs in the morning and one glass of milk in the afternoon. Her protein level was normal compared to that of young people. Any more supplements would only make things worse.

But another group of practitioners who provide home care for the elderly have a completely different view: now the proportion of elderly people living alone in China has exceeded 40%. Many elderly people in their 70s and 80s have trouble even going downstairs, let alone buying groceries and cooking. They make do with some white porridge and noodles every day, and they don’t even put the salt. It is simply unrealistic for you to ask them for a "balanced diet". I know a young girl who works in home care and said that she serves several empty-nesters who are too lazy to cook hard-boiled eggs in normal times. They are bound to get infected during the flu season. Later, they were given some affordable multivitamins and whey protein powder, which they drank every day. They almost didn’t catch a cold last winter, and their immune indicators went up a lot when they were checked.

In fact, if you really want to choose, there are not so many fancy ways. Don’t believe those products with “miraculous doctor”, “patent” and “anti-cancer” printed on the packaging. For regular blue hat health food, the most dare to say “enhance immunity” in the function column, any more bragging is illegal. If you encounter anyone who dares to claim to cure all diseases, just block them. You don’t have to buy expensive imported products. For example, if you have frequent colds or mouth inflammation, go to the community hospital for a blood test first. If you are deficient in vitamin C and zinc, just supplement these two. A few yuan a bottle from ordinary pharmaceutical companies is enough, and the active ingredients are not much different from imported effervescent tablets worth hundreds of yuan. ； If you suffer from constipation, diarrhea, or gastrointestinal sensitivity, supplementing with active probiotics is more effective than any immune pill. ； If you don’t get enough sun exposure and suffer from leg pain, supplementing with vitamin D and calcium can also help increase the activity of immune cells.

Not long ago, my sister spent more than 3,000 yuan to buy my dad a can of "Immune Globulin Powder imported from New Zealand", saying that drinking it can directly replenish antibodies. As a result, my dad got angry and constipated after drinking it for half a month. When he went to the hospital for a checkup, it was found that his protein intake exceeded the standard. Adding this product directly increased the burden on the kidneys. In the end, all the powder in the can was mixed with cat food for my cat. It was a waste of money.

To put it bluntly, immunity is like the cotton-padded coat worn by an old man. Nutritional supplements are at most a patch after a hole has been broken. If you wear single clothes and run in the snow every day, no matter how thick the patch is, it will not stop you from freezing. When you have nothing to do, go downstairs for a walk, play Tai Chi with your old friend, and try not to do anything when eating. It will be more effective than taking 10,000 yuan of nutritional supplements. If you really want to take supplements, go for a nutritional assessment first. Make up for whatever you are missing. Don’t listen to salesmen. Spending money is a trivial matter, but putting a burden on your body is really not worth it.