seniors & aging well

seniors & aging FAQs

July 20, 2009

I’ve seen articles that imply that vitamin and mineral supplements are not beneficial. What are the facts?

First, multiple vitamin and mineral (MVM) supplementation is just that: a supplement to your best possible food diet. Second, MVM supplementation was designed to cure nutritional deficiency disease More...

dotFIT experts

March 24, 2009

How does an older woman with a very low metabolism rate lose weight?

Metabolism is the rate at which the body uses energy to support all basic functions essential to sustain life, plus all energy requirements for additional activity and digestive processes. There are three components to energy expenditure More...

dotFIT experts

March 24, 2009

Why does my age change my body fat reading using Skyndex calipers?

The different settings on the Skyndex caliper dial are meant to account for the different types of body fat distribution between men and women as well as the changes that occur with aging. More...

dotFIT experts

December 31, 2008

Are there any vitamins that could improve my vision or protect me from further vision loss?

Epidemiological studies offer some evidence that an increased intake of lutein and zeaxanthin within the diet is linked with a lowered risk for age-related macular degeneration. More...

dotFIT experts

December 23, 2008

Is it more difficult to lose weight when one has less to lose and is over 50 years old?

Maybe, but probably due more to lifestyle than physiology. No matter your age, the mechanics of weight loss are the same for everyone--eat less and move more. Make sure you’re eating fewer calories than you burn. More...

dotFIT experts

January 05, 2009

What are the best types of exercise to increase HDL levels?

The good news is that any type of exercise will help improve your HDL level, especially if it leads to weight loss. Try to add or increase the amount of weekly time spent doing both aerobic and resistance training. More...

dotFIT experts

December 31, 2008

Does metabolism slow with age?

Practically speaking, yes, but not to the degree many people believe and certainly not enough to keep anyone from losing weight. Data reveals that for every decade after age 25, your resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn while sitting quietly--RMR) slows down approximately 2%. More...

dotFIT experts

January 05, 2009

As a person ages, do they burn more calories doing the same thing as a younger person?

The opposite is generally true: most people tend to burn slightly fewer calories as they age, not more. Total daily calorie burn is determined to a large degree by physical activity (especially if one is really active), but weight is a big contributor as well. More...

dotFIT experts

January 05, 2009

At what age does a person quit gaining muscle mass?

Whether anyone gains muscle depends upon several factors, including total caloric intake (you must have a surplus of nutrients to build muscle), type and amount of activity/exercise and appropriate rest. More...

dotFIT experts

February 02, 2009

I’m 55 years old. Do I need to take a “silver” or “senior” multivitamin or is that just marketing hype?

Americans age 50 and older can benefit from a multivitamin and mineral formula (MVM) that is slightly different than those created for younger folks, and takes into account unique nutrient requirements based on guidelines recently published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). More...

dotFIT experts

March 08, 2009

I am menopausal and wondering if I should take a vitamin containing iron since I do not have a menstrual cycle anymore.

The only way you will know for sure how much iron you’re getting and how much you need is to have your iron levels checked through the proper blood tests (see below for more on tests). More...

dotFIT experts

March 19, 2009

Am I just too old to lose weight easily? I am 55 years old and female.

The simple answer is no. The laws of physics never ignore you, regardless of your age. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. More...

dotFIT experts