Biochemistry in the elderly

Elder GH Haem synthesis and the porphyrias. In Scientific Foundations of Biochemistry in Clinical Practice, 2nd ed. Williams DL, Marks V (editors). Butterworth-Heinemann, 1994. 

There are many excellent texts on nutrition. This chapter, therefore, focuses not on nutrition per se but on how biochemistry helps us understand well established and less well established aspects of nutrition and how such knowledge fits in with other subjects discussed in this text. There is now considerable medical and lay interest in what is meant by healthy and unhealthy diets. Nutrition has become a major issue in the medical sciences and in clinical practice. It is also of concern to politicians, particularly in the link between nutrition and Western diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer and neurological problems. In this chapter an attempt is made to provide a biochemical basis for discussion of nutrition and development of these conditions. To this end, biochemical explanations for nutritional advice and the recommendations from national bodies are provided. Similarly, explanations for the recommendations designed for different populations, different conditions and activities (physical and mental activity, the elderly, the young, during pregnancy and space flight) are discussed. Finally, the biochemistry of malnutrition, undemutrition and ovemutrition is discussed. 

This list is produced jointly by Professor G Elder and Dr M Badminton, the Department of Medical Biochemistry, University Hospital of Wales and the staff of the Welsh Medicines Information Centre (WMIC fiona.woods cardiffendvale.wales.nhs.uk). It is based on the best information available at the time of completion. Inclusion of a drug does not guarantee that it will be safe in all circumstances. 

Elder, G.H. (1976). Acquired disorders of haem synthesis. In Marks, V. and Hales, C.N. (eds.) Essays in Medical Biochemistry. Vol. 2, p. 75. (London The Biochemical Society and the Association of Clinical Biochemists)... 

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