Zinc, B12 and the deficiencies worth testing for

Most people do not need most supplements. What is worth knowing is the handful of shortfalls that are genuinely common after 60, cause real symptoms, and are easily missed because the symptoms look like ageing.

Tiredness, poor concentration, low mood, slow healing, pins and needles: all of these get shrugged off as getting older, and several have a correctable cause behind them.

Absorption of B12 falls naturally with age, and falls further with long-term use of medicines that reduce stomach acid, which a great many older people take for reflux. Vegetarian diets provide less of it to begin with, so in India this combination is common.

It causes tiredness, pins and needles in hands and feet, poor balance, and memory or mood changes that can look worryingly like early dementia. A blood test settles it, and treatment is straightforward.

Vitamin D shortfall is widespread in India despite the sunshine, largely because of time spent indoors, covered clothing and air pollution. It matters for bone, muscle and more.

Zinc supports immunity, wound healing and taste, and intake tends to be lower on a vegetarian diet. Dal, chana, rajma, nuts, seeds, whole grains and curd all contribute. Iron, calcium and magnesium complete the short list worth thinking about.

The point of this page is not to send you to a chemist. Taking supplements blindly is wasteful at best, and some do harm in excess. Zinc taken long-term in high doses interferes with copper, and too much iron is dangerous.

If you have been tired for months, or have any of the symptoms above, ask your doctor for the relevant blood tests. Correct what is actually low. This is general guidance, not medical advice, and supplements belong in a conversation with your doctor.