Which nutritional milk powder is the best for the elderly?

There is no universal "best", only the ones that suit the elderly's physical condition and dietary structure are really effective.

I have been helping four elderly people in my family choose milk powder for five or six years, and I have gone through many pitfalls before I figured out this truth. I previously chose a product with active probiotics and small-molecule hydrolyzed protein for my grandma who has a weak stomach and suffers from flatulence. After drinking it for two months, she said she felt comfortable and would not suffer from flatulence every now and then. I recommended it to a sister in the same department, but her father had gout with high uric acid. After drinking it for half a month, he went for a follow-up check and the uric acid increased a lot. The content of animal protein in that product was too high, and it was not suitable for the purine control needs of gout patients. What was originally a good product has become a burden for people who are not symptomatic.

There is quite a lot of quarrel about this topic on the Internet right now. One group thinks that you should choose something with functional properties. The more lactoferrin, DHA, aminoglycosides, and probiotics, the better. The more expensive ones are worth it.； The other group thinks that these are all marketing gimmicks. Ordinary high-calcium and high-protein milk powder is enough, and the extra money spent is all IQ tax. After struggling with it for so long, I feel that there is nothing wrong with both arguments. They are really different. If the elderly usually have a good appetite and good teeth, and can eat enough chicken, duck, fish, eggs, milk and vegetables every day, there is really no need to spend a lot of money to buy those stuffed milk powder. It is enough to choose a basic high-calcium milk powder that meets the national standards. The additional functional ingredients are originally to make up for the dietary gap. The daily diet is enough to make up for it. Even if you eat more, you can't absorb it. It is a pure waste. If the elderly have bad teeth, usually eat light meals and consume few types of food, or have underlying diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, then it is necessary to choose a formula in a targeted manner. For example, if the blood sugar is high, choose a formula without additional additions. If you have sucrose or low GI, if your blood pressure is unstable, choose low-sodium, fish oil, and plant sterol esters. If you often have waist and leg pain or have low bone density, choose the ones with high calcium content and added vitamins D and K2. The ones that are right for your symptoms will work better than the popular models from big brands.

To be honest, when choosing, don’t just look at the big words such as “high calcium” and “enhance immunity” printed on the front packaging. It is more reliable to turn over and scan the ingredient list. The first two are preferably raw milk or whole/skimmed milk powder. If the first two are white sugar and maltodextrin, then you can basically pass it. It will be all carbohydrates and will not provide any nutrition. If the elderly are prone to diarrhea and flatulence when drinking ordinary milk powder, they are most likely to be lactose intolerant. Just choose lactose-free formula instead of forcing yourself to drink it.

To put it bluntly, this is like wearing reading glasses. If someone else wears them with a prescription that allows you to see clearly, you may feel dizzy and nauseous if you wear them. If you choose according to your needs, you will not go wrong.