India is ageing faster than most people realise. By 2030, one in five Indians will be over 50 – this is a demographic shift with major implications for productivity, healthcare and quality of life. But while longevity is increasing, “healthy longevity” is not keeping pace. National studies show widespread nutritional gaps among older adults despite better food availability. It’s not what seniors eat; it’s what their bodies can no longer use. Ageing, as one needs to understand, changes nutrient absorption, quietly and under the radar.

After 50, gastric acidity drops, gut motility slows, intestinal blood flow declines, and the liver becomes less efficient at processing nutrients. Even healthy seniors absorb some vitamins, minerals and bioactives at lower rates than younger adults. This biological shift is now well-documented across studies from India’s Longitudinal Ageing Survey (LASI), ICMR reports and international geriatric research. And it explains an uncomfortable truth: eating right is necessary, but often no longer sufficient, after 50.

INDIA’S SUPPLEMENT BOOM… AND IT’S BLIND SPOT

India has seen a surge in supplements in the post-covid-19 era. Some popular categories include multivitamins, B-complex, herbal extracts, anti-fatigue blends, and “memory boosters.” While these are well-intentioned, these products may not serve the same purpose for people in their 50s and beyond that they do for younger cohorts. This is because most of these products rely on standard tablets and powders, assuming the body will absorb them the way it did at 25.

Research however suggests otherwise. Bioavailability studies show that many conventional formulations result in limited absorption in older adults with reduced digestive efficiency. In effect, seniors are swallowing nutrients they may never actually receive.

Wondering why quick fix pills don’t work for older adults? The gap lies in how a nutrient is released, absorbed, transported and utilised. Ageing disrupts each step:

Higher gut pH affects dissolution of tablets.Reduced bile flow limits absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, thereby, adversely impacting the bioavailability.Weaker intestinal membranes alter transport and thus amplify the need for phospholipid-based delivery solutions.Reduced liver metabolism affects conversion into active forms.

This is why studies increasingly call for form-specific supplements for seniors rather than generic or young-adult-oriented formulas.

SAY HELLO TO PHOSPHOLIPID SCIENCE

Over the past decade, researchers have turned to phospholipid-based delivery systems—these are complexes where nutrients or plant actives bind to phospholipids (the same molecules that make up human cell membranes). These carriers improve stability, help nutrients cross the gut barrier more effectively, and support higher tissue uptake.

Multiple clinical and mechanistic studies show that phospholipid complexes can:

Increase absorption versus standard extracts

Improve delivery to target organs like liver, brain and muscle

Reduce degradation in the gut

Support better pharmacokinetics in older populations

This doesn’t make phospholipid complexes a miracle cure. But it does make them a substantially more rational approach for adults over 50 whose physiology has changed.

WHAT SHOULD SENIORS AND CAREGIVERS DO?

1. Start with assessment, not assumption. Check vitamin D, liver health, cholesterol health and other markers before you start supplementation.

2. Prioritise targeted supplementation. At the age of 50 and beyond, the body’s needs differ from those of younger adults’. Choose nutrients with demonstrated relevance for ageing bodies.

3. Ask important questions. Ask “What absorption technology does this product use?” If the delivery system is outdated, the ingredient list matters far less.

4. Look for phospholipid-based or clinically validated delivery systems. Evidence shows they have a clear advantage over regular tablets and powders.

5. Remember that more pills don’t equal better health. The goal is efficient uptake, not larger stacks of supplements.

India’s ageing population deserves a science-based approach to senior nutrition. As evidence grows, it is clear that the future of supplementation will not be defined by the nutrient alone—but by how well the body can use it. In a world of easy promises and quick fixes, the most meaningful question for anyone over 50 is simple: Is your supplement actually reaching you?

Mihir Karkare is the co-founder and CEO of Mumbai-based age-tech platform, Meru Life.