Nutritional Supplements Help Frail Seniors, But Not Healthy Ones, Live Longer

Elderly people who are frail and malnourished benefit much more from nutritional supplements like Ensure and Boost than older people in the general population, according to a U.S. review of research studies. Healthy senior citizens who take nutritional supplements tend to gain weight, but do not live longer or function better than those who don’t take supplements. Malnourishment affects as many as 15 percent of people in long-term care facilities. The effects can be harmful: loss of strength and the ability to function independently, increased risk of hospitalizations, and deterioration of the overall quality of life. Supplements, the researchers found, do help frail and malnourished seniors to function better and live longer.