From The Summer 2004 Issue of Natural Grocery Buyer

Supplements Keep Seniors Active

Todd Runestad
Photo ©Alan Becker/The Image Bank

Life’s enjoyments can be grouped into two experiences: the getting there and, once there, the enjoyment thereof. Inevitably, as we age, the getting there becomes fraught with aching joints and fragile bones, while the being there gets clouded with shoddy vision or worse, an addled and aged mind.

“We all reap to a large degree what we sowed during our lifetime,” says Manny Stern, president of Culinova, a New York-based developer of functional foods. “Fortunately, there is a perception, with a decent amount of science to lend it credence, that a combination of exercise and nutritional intervention can turn the clock back and improve the odds for a healthier old age.”

The booming nutritional supplements market is in no small measure a response to the aging baby boomers who are bumping against the wrinkled realization that time waits for no man. But that booming market is chock-a-block with nutrients that address aging joints, bones, eyes and the brain—the getting there and the enjoyment thereof. Here’s a look at leading nutrients that are worth stocking.

Joint health
One of the first signs that a customer might face on the downhill side of the metaphorical mountain is a knee joint that inflames and aches after rudimentary exercise. Aspirins take the pain away quickly, but over the long term they actually contribute to faster joint health degeneration. What’s needed is a side effect-free youth injection into the knees. The discovery that joint cartilage—the pillow between the bones—is made up of chemicals called glucosamine and chondroitin led to a boom in the sales of these natural agents.

Here’s a statistic that will make retailers jump high: Glucosamine and chondroitin comprise 55 percent of all non-herbal supplement sales. There’s a reason for that, too: They work.

A landmark three-year study using a now-standard dose of 1,500 mg of glucosamine per day, taken in three divided doses, showed not only improved arthritis symptoms, but also improved knee structure. The study used the patented Dona brand of glucosamine sulfate, which is available by prescription in Europe but as a supplement in the United States.

“The original glucosamine sulfate is one of the safest prescription drugs and dietary supplements that are available, as witnessed by the many clinical trials we published in the literature,” says Lucio Rovati, M.D., executive medical director at Rotta Research Labs, which produces the Dona brand in Italy.

The success of glucosamine has even led to drinks fortified with glucosamine. Just make sure there’s 1,500 mg in the can.

Bone health
Near and dear to joints are bones. The World Health Organization recently announced that osteoporosis is the second-leading health-care problem on the planet, behind only cardiovascular health. To that end, consumers line up to put calcium in their bones—three out of every four mineral supplements sold is calcium.

“Although most people know they need dietary calcium for bone health, there is a substantial gap between the recommended daily calcium intake and what people actually consume,” says Judi Quilici-Timmcke, a consultant who has worked on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. Studies demonstrate that bone mass can be improved with 500 mg to 1,500 mg of calcium per day for prepubescent girls and adolescents. Postmenopausal women need about 1,500 mg per day.

Notably, the less-expensive calcium found in supplements is the form called calcium carbonate, which the body does not absorb as well as other forms, such as calcium citrate and calcium citrate malate. In the case of calcium, you do get what you pay for, so be sure the calcium supplements you stock are the better bioavailable forms and not the cheaper carbonate form.

A visionary ingredient
Now that you’ve helped your customers get up and go, you need to help them see what’s around. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the United States, and usually affects people older than 50.

The macula is a pigment in the area of the eyeball called the retina, and scientists have discovered that a carotenoid called lutein accumulates in the macula. Research has borne out that eating foods rich in lutein, such as spinach, broccoli and kale, tends to increase the density of the macula to the point where it does not degenerate as quickly, thus delaying or eliminating the risk of these conditions.

“Current evidence supports the hypothesis that the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin are readily bioavailable and will effectively increase macular pigment levels,” says renowned eye researcher John Landrum, Ph.D., at Florida International University. “Individuals at risk of macular degeneration or cataracts may now ensure a reasonable level of intake by supplementation.”

Entertain the brain
Older people who tend to go into cognitive decline as the years pile up received a dose of good news last year when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave tepid support to a fatty brain chemical called phosphatidylserine for older Americans.

The FDA has authorized the following health claim: “Phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly. Very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests that PS may reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly. FDA concludes that there is little scientific evidence supporting this claim.”

Not exactly gangbusters, but still a significant statement from the conservative FDA—not to mention that no pharmaceutical drug has proven any better at helping Grandma. The reason why this natural agent may prove beneficial has logic backing it, too.

“Phosphatidylserine is one of the key constituents of neuronal membranes—the site where brain cells both receive and transmit chemical messages,” says David Perlmutter, M.D., a neurologist and author of BrainRecovery.com: Powerful Therapy for Challenging Brain Disorders (The Perlmutter Health Center, 2003). “Abnormalities of the neuronal membrane have been linked to age-related functional changes in brain performance.”

With an estimate of more than 9 million Alzheimer’s patients in this country by 2030, including half the population over 85 years old, PS may win more generous official backing as the research continues.

Sell security
Demographics are on the side of the healthy-living-products retailer. Not only is America getting older, but older people have more money.

“In just six years, the 50-plus age group will represent 43 percent of the adult population, and your shoppers,” says Tom Hayes from the New England Consulting Group. “Even excluding home equity, the 50-plus shopper group has more net worth than any other segment.”

The retailer who stocks quality products that work for this aging clientele—and sells them intelligently—will win customers who are getting there and enjoying themselves well into the golden years.

Todd Runestad is science editor for Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals magazine.