What nutrition based issues do adults face?
 |
The threshold for adulthood is arbitrary and depends on whom you are asking. Some may define it based upon age, such as eighteen years of age and greater. Others may take a more physiological approach and define it as the point at which one's greatest stature is reached. However, this latter explanation becomes problematic as some humans may reach their maximal stature in their teen years while others may not obtain their peak stature until their early twenties. Alcohol consumption is an important consideration for adults, even though many people began consum,ign alcohol in the mid teens or younger. Young to middle adulthood years are probably the most important years with regard to preventing the most significant diseases plaguing older adults, namely heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. |
Is alcohol good or bad for our health?
 |
This may be one of the few resources that even considers calling alcohol a nutrient. However, it does nourish our body by providing energy, and research has suggested that ingesting small amounts of alcoholic beverages daily is associated with a lower occurrence of heart disease. Alcoholic beverages contain antioxidants and other health promoting nutrients. For instance, wine contains many polyphenolics substances such as resveratrol and EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) that function as antioxidants and might have a positive impact on other aspects of cell function. This notion serves as the basis of The French Paradox, whereby the French have a dramatically lower incidence of heart disease despite eating and activity patterns that aren‚t that much different than Americans. The major difference appears to be based on the greater wine consumption. |
Can alcohol consumption affect the metabolism of other energy nutrients?
When alcohol is in the blood it is broken down in the liver preferentially before other energy nutrients. When alcohol is consumed in higher amounts, its metabolism can disrupt normal liver cell operations, especially those that generate glucose when blood glucose levels begin to fall. Therefore, it is not uncommon for blood glucose levels to fall below normal several hours after heavy drinking without eating food. This isn‚t a big concern when enjoying a glass of wine or two with dinner occasionally or having a couple of beers during the ball game. However, when the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption increases this can eventually lead to complications.
What are some concerns with chronic over consumption of alcohol?
Long-term alcohol abuse also results in excessive accumulation of lipids and disease in liver cells (fatty liver) as well as other cells throughout the body. Alcohol-related liver disease is the sixth leading killer in the United States. Luckily, the most important liver cells (hepatocytes) can regenerate themselves if the damage is not too severe and the alcohol abuse ceases.
Other direct or indirect effects of alcohol abuse include impaired drug metabolism and elevated blood uric acid levels. The latter of these situations can lead to gout and kidney stones. Barbiturates, which are sedative drugs (i.e., pentothal, pentobarbital, seconal), are metabolized and inactivated by one of the same mechanisms that metabolizes alcohol. Since the metabolism of alcohol is given higher priority than the inactivation of barbiturates, these drugs stay active longer and build up in the body. Barbiturates depress the CNS, breathing, and heart activity. Therefore, combining barbiturates with alcohol can be a lethal combination.
How does metabolism change as we get older?
 |
As humans progress through life, many changes occur in nutrition and body function. One such change is a decrease in resting metabolic rate (RMR). Therefore, daily calorie expenditure will generally not be as high as during younger years. Regular exercise can help minimize this reduction by slowing the loss of muscle tissue. In fact, when researchers studied the effects of weight training in older adults they found that their muscularity increased, as did their metabolic rate. |
So keep up the resistance training!ers have also realized that levels of certain hormones may also decrease with age. We are all familiar with estrogen and menopause for women. Men too seem to experience reductions in testosterone as they age. In fact, physician prescription testosterone for aging men has been called the hormone replacement therapy of the twenty-first century. Not every man‚ experiences reductions in testosterone levels as they get older, so the best thing to do is monitor the levels regularly. Adults of an even more advanced age also tend to experience reduced digestive capabilities and decreased senses of taste, smell, and thirst—all of which can certainly impact their nutritional status.
How does the need for vitamins and minerals change in older individuals?
research studies have reported that people fifty-one years of age and older can maintain adequate vitamin A status on intakes approximating the RDA level for this group. Contrarily, the requirement for vitamin D in this population is increased dramatically based on a reduced ability to make vitamin D in the skin as we get older. Furthermore, there may be reductions in the ability to properly metabolize vitamin D in the organs, especially in the liver and kidneys. In accordance the AI for vitamin D for people over 50 is double that of younger adults and the recommendation is tripled for those over the age of 70. In addition, some research suggests that these levels of intake for older populations might still under serve their needs.
Some researchers believe that the RDA and AIs for other vitamins such as vitamin B6 and B12 and riboflavin are also too low for older people. Increased vitamin E consumption may also be helpful in the prevention of heart disease. Furthermore, the reports of many scientific studies suggest that the 800 milligrams recommendation for calcium may be inadequate for people fifty-one years of age or older. For these and other reasons, a multivitamin and mineral supplement would benefit most adults over the age of fifty.
