Micronutrient Needs of the Elderly

Montgomery, Stephanie C. MD
Streit, Stephanie M. MD
Beebe, Mara Lee MS, RD, LD, CNSC
Maxwell, Pinckney J. IV MD

From the ¹Division of General Surgery, ²Department of Surgery, ³Digestive Disease Center, and ⁴Division of Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.

Financial disclosure: None declared.

This article originally appeared online on June 24, 2014.

Corresponding Author:

Pinckney J. Maxwell IV, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, 25 Courtenay Dr, Suite 7100A, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.

Email: [email protected]

Nutrition in Clinical Practice 29(4):p 435-444, August 2014. | DOI: 10.1177/0884533614537684

Abstract

Older adults are becoming a significant percentage of the world's population. A multitude of factors, from the normal aging process to the progression of chronic disease, influence the nutrition needs of this very diverse group of people. Appropriate micronutrient intake is of particular importance but is often suboptimal. Here we review the available data regarding micronutrient needs and the consequences of deficiencies in the ever growing aged population. (Nutr Clin Pract. 2014;29:435-444)