Food Supplements and Their Use in Elderly Subjects-Challenges and Risks in Selected Health Issues: A Narrative Review

Overview

Journal Foods

Specialty Biotechnology

Date 2024 Aug 29

PMID 39200545

Authors

Maria Joao Campos

Magdalena Czlapka-Matyasik

Angelina Pena

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The European population is ageing. Food Supplements (FSs) are foods with particular characteristics, consumed by elderly people for various purposes, including combating nutritional deficits. Their consumption in this age group, associated with a high prevalence of polypharmacy, can enhance interactions. Potential drug-food (or food supplements), drug-drug interactions and polypharmacy are common health issues among older adults. The prevalence of polypharmacy is high, and preliminary data also indicate that there is significant FS use, increasing the risk of the duplication of therapies and various adverse reactions as well as drug-FS and FS-FS interactions. Therefore, the intervention of health professionals in mitigating these risks is essential. This review highlights and discusses the association between FSs, polypharmacy, and adverse reactions due to the risk of potential interactions between these products. Moreover, it also provides current scientific evidence regarding the use of FSs by the elderly. A review of the challenges, advantages, and risks of using FSs in elderly people who are malnourished and/or polymedicated, focusing on the good practises needed to support healthy ageing, is presented. In this regard, this paper aims to help health professionals better deal with the issue of the use of multiple FSs and polypharmacy, overcome the malnutrition problem, and improve the health and well-being of older adults.

Citing Articles

Key Factors Driving Portuguese Individuals to Use Food Supplements-Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study.

Campos M, Garbacz A, Czlapka-Klapinska N, Czlapka-Matyasik M, Pena A Foods. 2025; 14(5).

PMID: 40077587 PMC: 11899158. DOI: 10.3390/foods14050884.

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