Vitamins and antioxidants are key to healthy aging, and experts commonly recommend that individuals begin consuming more as they grow older. However, a person's nutritional needs may begin to outstrip what they can obtain from their diet. This is why it is critical for older individuals to consider taking nutritional supplements.

It is generally best to get vitamins and other important nutrients from food sources. But when it becomes unreasonable for a person to get all the nutrients their body needs from meals, nutritional supplements may fill the gap, reports AARP Bulletin.

"How many of us can claim to be getting the full complement of what we need from our diet each day?" Meir Stampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard University, told the enws source.

There are a number of nutrients that become difficult to consume adequate quantities of as a person ages. For example, women begin to require much higher levels of calcium as they grow older. Furthermore, the body of an elderly person may start to consume B vitamins more rapidly than it did when it was younger. These nutrients are important for supporting heart health.

Many seniors also experience vitamin D deficiencies, as they tend to spend less time outdoors in the sun. Because of these enhanced nutritional needs, it may be wise for seniors to consider dietary aids.