There's a bewildering amount of advice on which nutritional supplements it might be useful to take, and our needs can change as we age, so we've compiled this quick guide to the latest and greatest, who they could help, and what the benefits are.

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The supplements that make a difference

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What is it? A simple one-a-day tablet containing all the recommended vitamins and minerals from A to zinc

Who needs it? Anyone who knows that their diet isn't the best it could be. In broad terms, that means five a day of fruit and veg, three a day of dairy, and three a day of wholegrains. Additionally, as we age, our bodies need fewer calories so that means our diet needs to be richer in nutrients, which can be a bit of a challenge.

Where can I buy it?  Boots has a wide range, as do supermarkets and health-food shops

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The supplements that make a difference

The supplements that health experts take

Supplements to protect your bones

Supplements to boost your immune system

What is it? An essential trace element that's an antioxidant. It's stored in the body but topped up by our diet. Selenium-rich foods include Brazil nuts (highest level by far), tuna and white fish.

Who needs it? Emerging evidence shows that selenium may reduce the risk of certain cancers, lower the risk of heart disease and improve male fertility. In the UK, the recommended intake is 60-75 micrograms a day.

Where can I buy it?  Boots and other chemists have a wide range, as do health-food shops such as Holland & Barrett

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The supplements that make a difference

The supplements that health experts take

Supplements to protect your bones

Supplements to boost your immune system

What is it? It's an oil extracted from fish! It contains omega 3, 6 and 9. Omega 3 and 6 are essential fatty acids, a polyunsaturated fat, and our bodies can't make them.

Who needs it? Fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties so could be helpful for conditions caused by inflammation such as arthritis. Omega 3 also has heart health benefits. New evidence also shows that omega 3 preserves mental function as we age.

Where can I buy it? Boots and other chemists have a wide range, as do supermarkets and health-food shops such as Holland & Barrett

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The supplements that make a difference

The supplements that health experts take

Supplements to protect your bones

Supplements to boost your immune system

What is it? An antioxidant, also known as ubiquinone, that helps our bodies to produce energy from the food we eat. It's found in offal, eggs and spinach.

Who needs it? Anyone who feels their energy levels are flagging might benefit. As we get older, our bodies produce less co-enzyme Q10. It's also often recommended to be taken with statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Where can I buy it? Boots and other chemists have a wide range, as do health-food shops such as Holland & Barrett

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The supplements that make a difference

The supplements that health experts take

Supplements to protect your bones

Supplements to boost your immune system

What is it? Extract of the maidenhair tree, which has circulation-boosting properties, improving the supply of blood to the extremities.
Who needs it? It has been used as a memory booster, although opinion is divided on its effectiveness. However, recent research shows that it may be effective at preventing stroke-related brain damage.

Where can I buy it? Boots and other chemists have a wide range, as do health-food shops such as Holland & Barrett

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The supplements that make a difference

The supplements that health experts take

Supplements to protect your bones

Supplements to boost your immune system

What is it? An antioxidant that's found in dark green leafy vegetables and egg yolk, although you'd need to eat quite a lot of these to reach the 6-10mg daily intake recommended in the US. (There's no recommended daily intake, or RDA, in the UK at the moment.)

Who needs it? Lutein reduces the risk of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), where the centre of the retina (the macula), deterioriates due to a lifetime of wear and tear. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over 65.

Where can I buy it? Boots and other chemists have a wide range, as do health-food shops such as Holland & Barrett

You might also like...

The supplements that make a difference

The supplements that health experts take

Supplements to protect your bones

Supplements to boost your immune system

What is it? A fat-soluble vitamin which helps keep bones healthy, regulate blood pressure, support immune function and protect against cancer. Our bodies manufacture 90% of it from exposure to sunlight, and store it for future use. Diet-wise, it's found in oily fish, eggs and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals.
Who needs it? The Department of Health recommends 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day for people who are housebound. Vegetarians - or anyone who eats no meat or oily fish - may need to top up too.

Where can I buy it? Boots and other chemists have a wide range, as do health-food shops such as Holland & Barrett

You might also like...

The supplements that make a difference

The supplements that health experts take

Supplements to protect your bones

Supplements to boost your immune system