故事
老人饮食 · 胃口、口渴和吸收为什么变了
人老了饱得早、渴得晚、吸收变差,吃得少反而更容易缺。这里讲身体里变了什么、饭桌上怎么跟着调,以及哪些变化要看医生。
最后更新:
先读这一段 人老了吃得少,一部分原因在身体里:饱的信号来得更早、更强,不只是嘴变挑了。
科普内容,不替代医师诊断或处方;有症状或在服药请咨询医师。
故事路径
第 1 章
胃口为什么变小了
Why appetite shrinks with age
人老了吃得少,一部分原因在身体里:饱的信号来得更早、更强,不只是嘴变挑了。这种胃口变小、吃得变少的情况叫老年性厌食(anorexia of aging),很常见,但不是老了就必然会有(Landi 2016)。
身体里至少有三处在变。一是胃排空变慢:老人胃里的食物排得更慢,排得越慢,饭后越不觉得饿(Clarkston 1997)。二是饱腹信号更强:食物进到小肠,肠壁会放出一种叫胆囊收缩素(CCK)的饱腹信号,健康老人血里的 CCK 比年轻人高,也更不觉得饿(Johnson 2020)。三是需要的能量变少:肌肉少了,身体本来就烧得少(Volkert 2022)。
调节的弹性也在变小。一项小研究让男性先少吃三周再随便吃,年轻人会自动多吃、把体重补回来,老年人不会(Roberts 1994)。所以一场病、几周没胃口掉下去的体重,老人可能自己补不回来。
老人吃喝都很少,又突然糊涂、叫不醒,要立即叫急救;什么时候该带老人看医生那一章列了所有要就医的情况。
身体里至少有三处在变。一是胃排空变慢:老人胃里的食物排得更慢,排得越慢,饭后越不觉得饿(Clarkston 1997)。二是饱腹信号更强:食物进到小肠,肠壁会放出一种叫胆囊收缩素(CCK)的饱腹信号,健康老人血里的 CCK 比年轻人高,也更不觉得饿(Johnson 2020)。三是需要的能量变少:肌肉少了,身体本来就烧得少(Volkert 2022)。
调节的弹性也在变小。一项小研究让男性先少吃三周再随便吃,年轻人会自动多吃、把体重补回来,老年人不会(Roberts 1994)。所以一场病、几周没胃口掉下去的体重,老人可能自己补不回来。
老人吃喝都很少,又突然糊涂、叫不醒,要立即叫急救;什么时候该带老人看医生那一章列了所有要就医的情况。
证据 · 这几项研究各测了什么
胃排空(Clarkston 1997):14 名 70 到 84 岁的健康老人和 19 名 23 到 50 岁的年轻人吃同一顿饭。老人胃里的固体食物排空一半要约 182 分钟,年轻人约 127 分钟;液体是约 47 分钟对约 35 分钟。饭后老人更不想吃、更不饿,自己觉得的饱胀却没有明显更重;固体排得越慢,饭后越不饿。饱腹信号(Johnson 2020):这篇 汇总了 35 项研究,710 名平均 73 岁的健康老人和 713 名平均 28 岁的年轻人。老人空腹和饭后的 CCK 都更高,瘦素和饭后的胰岛素也更高;他们吃进的能量更少,空腹时也更不饿。这些都是同一时间点的比较,说明这些信号和胃口小一起出现,单靠它们证明不了谁造成了谁。
老人对 CCK 更敏感吗(MacIntosh 2001):给 12 名老人和 12 名年轻人静脉输入 CCK,老人的饭量被压下去约 32%,年轻人约 16%。但按血里 CCK 每升高同样一份来算,两组被压下去的程度一样。所以老人不是对它更敏感,而是身体里的 CCK 更多。
体重回不来(Roberts 1994):35 名健康男性先多吃或少吃 21 天,之后想吃多少吃多少。年轻人多吃之后会自动少吃,少吃之后会自动多吃,体重回到原位;老年人两个方向都没有调回来。这项研究只有男性、人数也少,还需要更多研究来确认。
macintosh-2001-cck-aging
第 2 章
味道和气味变淡了
Taste and smell fade
饭菜的风味,大半是鼻子尝出来的:嚼的时候,香气从口腔后面升进鼻腔,大脑把它和舌头尝到的酸甜苦咸合在一起。人老了,先退下去的常常是嗅觉。
一项给 1955 人做气味辨认测试的研究里,成绩在二三十岁到四十多岁最好,七十岁以后明显变差:65 到 80 岁的人一半以上嗅觉明显减退,80 岁以上超过四分之三(Doty 1984)。作者说,这正好对上很多老人抱怨饭菜没味道。除了年纪,一些病(尤其是阿尔茨海默病)和不少常用药也会让味觉、嗅觉变差(Schiffman 1997)。
尝不出、闻不出,吃饭的乐趣少了一截,吃得也跟着少,少盐这类饮食要求也更难守住。一篇综述提到,把饭菜的风味做足,能让老人吃得更有滋味、吃得多一些(Schiffman 1997)。家里能做的,是多用葱姜蒜、香料、醋把香味调出来,而不是一味加盐。
还有一件安全上的事:嗅觉差的人闻不出煤气泄漏和变了味的饭菜(Doty 1984)。家里装燃气报警器、剩饭菜看日期,比靠鼻子可靠。
一项给 1955 人做气味辨认测试的研究里,成绩在二三十岁到四十多岁最好,七十岁以后明显变差:65 到 80 岁的人一半以上嗅觉明显减退,80 岁以上超过四分之三(Doty 1984)。作者说,这正好对上很多老人抱怨饭菜没味道。除了年纪,一些病(尤其是阿尔茨海默病)和不少常用药也会让味觉、嗅觉变差(Schiffman 1997)。
尝不出、闻不出,吃饭的乐趣少了一截,吃得也跟着少,少盐这类饮食要求也更难守住。一篇综述提到,把饭菜的风味做足,能让老人吃得更有滋味、吃得多一些(Schiffman 1997)。家里能做的,是多用葱姜蒜、香料、醋把香味调出来,而不是一味加盐。
还有一件安全上的事:嗅觉差的人闻不出煤气泄漏和变了味的饭菜(Doty 1984)。家里装燃气报警器、剩饭菜看日期,比靠鼻子可靠。
第 3 章
不渴也可能缺水
Not thirsty, yet short of water
老人不觉得渴,不代表身体不缺水。提醒人喝水的口渴,年纪大了会来得晚、来得轻。
血一变浓,大脑同时做两件事:让人口渴,并放出抗利尿激素,叫肾脏把水留住,水与电解质那篇讲了这套报警。一项研究让 7 名 67 到 75 岁和 7 名 20 到 31 岁的健康男性 24 小时不喝水:老人的血变得更浓,抗利尿激素升得更高,可他们没那么渴、喝得更少,喝完血也没稀释回原来的样子;他们的尿也浓缩得不如年轻人(Phillips 1984)。也就是说,报警信号还在,口渴和肾脏这两头都松了。
所以老人喝水不能等渴。欧洲临床营养与代谢学会(ESPEN)的老年营养指南建议,没有病情需要另作安排时,给老年女性每天至少 1.6 升、老年男性至少 2.0 升的饮品;心衰、肾病被医生限水的人,按医生说的来(Volkert 2022)。把水杯放在手边,跟着三餐和吃药定时喝,比等渴了再喝可靠。
血一变浓,大脑同时做两件事:让人口渴,并放出抗利尿激素,叫肾脏把水留住,水与电解质那篇讲了这套报警。一项研究让 7 名 67 到 75 岁和 7 名 20 到 31 岁的健康男性 24 小时不喝水:老人的血变得更浓,抗利尿激素升得更高,可他们没那么渴、喝得更少,喝完血也没稀释回原来的样子;他们的尿也浓缩得不如年轻人(Phillips 1984)。也就是说,报警信号还在,口渴和肾脏这两头都松了。
所以老人喝水不能等渴。欧洲临床营养与代谢学会(ESPEN)的老年营养指南建议,没有病情需要另作安排时,给老年女性每天至少 1.6 升、老年男性至少 2.0 升的饮品;心衰、肾病被医生限水的人,按医生说的来(Volkert 2022)。把水杯放在手边,跟着三餐和吃药定时喝,比等渴了再喝可靠。
实操 · 怎么看老人喝够了没有
摸嘴唇干不干、捏手背的皮肤回不回弹、看尿是什么颜色,这些常用的办法在老人身上都不可靠。ESPEN 指南引用的一篇诊断准确性系统综述发现,没有哪个单独的体征能稳定地反映老人缺不缺水,所以指南明确说,不要用它们来判断老人的水分状况(Volkert 2022)。医院里判断老人是不是喝得太少,看的是抽血测的血清渗透压,也就是血有多浓:超过 300 mOsm/kg 就算缺水(Volkert 2022)。
所以在家里,该看的是喝进去了多少,而不是看起来像不像缺水。记一两天水杯续了几次、每次喝掉多少,心里就有数;水、茶、牛奶这些饮品都算在里面。
有几种时候更容易缺水,要多留心:吃利尿剂(排水的药)、腹泻或呕吐、发烧、天热,以及要靠别人递水才喝得上的老人(NHS)。
第 4 章
嚼得动、咽得下
Chewing and swallowing
吃得好不好,先要嚼得动、咽得下。
牙少了、假牙不合适,人会不自觉地躲开难嚼的东西:生的蔬菜水果、粗粮、整块的肉。美国一项全国调查里,牙齿齐全的人吃胡萝卜是戴全口假牙者的 2.1 倍,吃沙拉是 1.5 倍,膳食纤维也更多(Nowjack-Raymer 2003)。这是观察到的关联,但和机制对得上:嚼不动的东西,慢慢就从盘子里消失了。
吞咽是另一道关。把一口饭从嘴里送进食道,要舌头和喉咙的许多肌肉按顺序配合,同时关上通向气管的门。老人的这套吞咽反应会变慢、变弱,饭菜或水就可能呛进气管,这叫口咽性吞咽困难。它会带来营养不良、脱水和吸入性肺炎,却常常没被发现(Baijens 2016)。
饭桌上能做的,是让食物去迁就嘴:切小、煮软,做成肉末、蒸蛋、豆腐、炖菜。ESPEN 指南建议,有咀嚼或吞咽问题、营养又跟不上的老人,吃改过质地、同时加了营养的饭菜(Volkert 2022)。但吃饭喝水时常常呛咳、饭后嗓音像含着水、总觉得东西卡在喉咙,就不是换软饭能解决的,要尽快看医生(NHS)。
牙少了、假牙不合适,人会不自觉地躲开难嚼的东西:生的蔬菜水果、粗粮、整块的肉。美国一项全国调查里,牙齿齐全的人吃胡萝卜是戴全口假牙者的 2.1 倍,吃沙拉是 1.5 倍,膳食纤维也更多(Nowjack-Raymer 2003)。这是观察到的关联,但和机制对得上:嚼不动的东西,慢慢就从盘子里消失了。
吞咽是另一道关。把一口饭从嘴里送进食道,要舌头和喉咙的许多肌肉按顺序配合,同时关上通向气管的门。老人的这套吞咽反应会变慢、变弱,饭菜或水就可能呛进气管,这叫口咽性吞咽困难。它会带来营养不良、脱水和吸入性肺炎,却常常没被发现(Baijens 2016)。
饭桌上能做的,是让食物去迁就嘴:切小、煮软,做成肉末、蒸蛋、豆腐、炖菜。ESPEN 指南建议,有咀嚼或吞咽问题、营养又跟不上的老人,吃改过质地、同时加了营养的饭菜(Volkert 2022)。但吃饭喝水时常常呛咳、饭后嗓音像含着水、总觉得东西卡在喉咙,就不是换软饭能解决的,要尽快看医生(NHS)。
第 5 章
同样的饭吸收得更少
Absorbing less from the same food
同样一顿饭,老人身体里拿到的可能更少,最典型的是维生素 B12 和维生素 D。
B12:食物里的 B12 紧紧粘在蛋白质上,要靠胃酸和消化酶先把它剥下来,维生素 B12 那篇讲了这一步。人老了,胃黏膜常常慢慢萎缩、胃酸变少,这叫萎缩性胃炎,这一步就松了。一篇综述说,老人里缺 B12 的超过 20%,其中六成以上是这种情况:B12 吃进去了,却没能从食物里放出来(Andrès 2004)。长期吃抑酸药或二甲双胍,也和 B12 偏低有关,药物与营养素那篇有细讲。缺 B12 的表现很隐蔽:手脚发麻、走路不稳、记性变差、乏力,容易被当成老了(NHS)。
维生素 D:皮肤靠阳光造维生素 D,原料是表皮里一种和胆固醇相似的分子。用手术切下的皮肤做的实验发现,这种原料随年龄减少;同样照紫外线,七八十岁老人的皮肤造出的维生素 D 前体,不到孩子和年轻人的一半(MacLaughlin 1985)。老人出门少、露出来的皮肤少,就更容易缺。
缺不缺,要查过才知道;补什么、补多少,由医生按化验结果定。
B12:食物里的 B12 紧紧粘在蛋白质上,要靠胃酸和消化酶先把它剥下来,维生素 B12 那篇讲了这一步。人老了,胃黏膜常常慢慢萎缩、胃酸变少,这叫萎缩性胃炎,这一步就松了。一篇综述说,老人里缺 B12 的超过 20%,其中六成以上是这种情况:B12 吃进去了,却没能从食物里放出来(Andrès 2004)。长期吃抑酸药或二甲双胍,也和 B12 偏低有关,药物与营养素那篇有细讲。缺 B12 的表现很隐蔽:手脚发麻、走路不稳、记性变差、乏力,容易被当成老了(NHS)。
维生素 D:皮肤靠阳光造维生素 D,原料是表皮里一种和胆固醇相似的分子。用手术切下的皮肤做的实验发现,这种原料随年龄减少;同样照紫外线,七八十岁老人的皮肤造出的维生素 D 前体,不到孩子和年轻人的一半(MacLaughlin 1985)。老人出门少、露出来的皮肤少,就更容易缺。
缺不缺,要查过才知道;补什么、补多少,由医生按化验结果定。
证据 · B12 和维生素 D 的数从哪来
B12 缺乏从哪来(Andrès 2004):在老人的 B12 缺乏里,六成以上是食物 B12 吸收不良,也就是 B12 从食物里放不出来,或者小肠里转运它的蛋白不够;15% 到 20% 是恶性贫血,身体的免疫系统破坏了胃里护送 B12 的内因子;其余是吃得太少和别的吸收问题。ESPEN 指南也写明,萎缩性胃炎会让 B12、钙和铁吸收变差(Volkert 2022)。两种常用药:一项大型病例对照研究里,用抑酸药()2 年以上的人,B12 缺乏的风险更高,这是观察到的关联(Lam 2013)。一项糖尿病预防研究的长期随访里,吃二甲双胍 5 年的人 B12 偏低的比例是 4.3%,吃安慰剂的是 2.3%(Aroda 2016)。这两种药都不该因此自己停;药物与营养素那篇讲了该怎么查。
皮肤造维生素 D(MacLaughlin 1985):研究者用 8 到 92 岁的人手术切下的皮肤,测里面造维生素 D 的原料,发现它随年龄减少;再用紫外线照,77 岁和 82 岁的皮肤造出的维生素 D 前体,不到 8 岁和 18 岁的一半。这是切下来的皮肤在体外做的实验,不是在活人身上测的;但方向和美国国立卫生研究院(NIH)膳食补充剂办公室的说法一致:老人晒太阳造出的维生素 D 更少(NIH ODS)。
lam-2013-ppi-h2ra-b12-jamaaroda-2016-metformin-b12-dppos
第 6 章
饭桌上怎么跟着调整
Adjusting meals to an older body
前面几章的变化,各自指向饭桌上的一个调整。最要紧的是蛋白质:要吃够,还要分到每一顿。
老人的肌肉对一顿饭里蛋白质的反应变钝了,这叫合成代谢抵抗。汇总数据里,年轻男性一餐每公斤体重吃到约 0.24 g 蛋白,肌肉合成就到顶了;老年男性要约 0.40 g(Moore 2015)。所以别把蛋白都堆在晚饭,早中晚每顿都该有一份鸡蛋、牛奶、豆腐、鱼或肉。一天吃多少,肌少症那篇讲得最全;ESPEN 指南给老人的底线是每天每公斤体重至少 1 g(Volkert 2022)。
胃口小、饱得早,就少量多餐:一大碗吃不完,就分成三顿正餐加几次点心;在粥、面、汤里加蛋、奶、豆腐或一点油,同样一口带进更多能量和蛋白。ESPEN 指南对吃不够的老人也这样建议(Volkert 2022)。
还有一条反直觉的:别乱忌口。指南提醒,会让人吃得更少的饮食限制对老人可能有害,一般应当避免(Volkert 2022)。多年前开的低盐、低脂或严格控糖饮食,现在还要不要那么严,值得拿去和医生重新商量,不要自己一下全放开。
老人的肌肉对一顿饭里蛋白质的反应变钝了,这叫合成代谢抵抗。汇总数据里,年轻男性一餐每公斤体重吃到约 0.24 g 蛋白,肌肉合成就到顶了;老年男性要约 0.40 g(Moore 2015)。所以别把蛋白都堆在晚饭,早中晚每顿都该有一份鸡蛋、牛奶、豆腐、鱼或肉。一天吃多少,肌少症那篇讲得最全;ESPEN 指南给老人的底线是每天每公斤体重至少 1 g(Volkert 2022)。
胃口小、饱得早,就少量多餐:一大碗吃不完,就分成三顿正餐加几次点心;在粥、面、汤里加蛋、奶、豆腐或一点油,同样一口带进更多能量和蛋白。ESPEN 指南对吃不够的老人也这样建议(Volkert 2022)。
还有一条反直觉的:别乱忌口。指南提醒,会让人吃得更少的饮食限制对老人可能有害,一般应当避免(Volkert 2022)。多年前开的低盐、低脂或严格控糖饮食,现在还要不要那么严,值得拿去和医生重新商量,不要自己一下全放开。
实操 · 一天的饭可以怎么排
风味做足:味觉和嗅觉变淡以后,用葱姜蒜、香料、醋把香味调出来,比多加盐稳妥,理由在味道和气味变淡了那一章。水按钟点喝:水杯放在手边,跟着起床、三餐和吃药定时喝,不等渴,理由在不渴也可能缺水那一章。
纤维从软的吃起:老人常有便秘。ESPEN 指南把每天约 25 g 膳食纤维当作参考值(Volkert 2022);蔬菜、豆类和粗粮煮软切碎,嚼不动的人也吃得下。便秘的来龙去脉,便秘那篇有细讲。
有人一起吃:吃饭是一件和人一起做的事,有人陪着吃,老人往往吃得多一些(Volkert 2022)。
先在饭菜上想办法:先用上面这些做法;还是吃不够、体重往下掉,医生或营养师可能会开口服营养补充品,比如营养粉、营养液(NHS)。不要自己买一堆补剂来代替吃饭。骨头怎么护,骨质疏松那篇有细讲。
第 7 章
什么时候该带老人看医生
When an older parent needs a doctor
下面这些情况不能当成老了就这样,要带老人去看医生。
体重和胃口:
没有刻意减肥,3 到 6 个月里体重掉了 5% 到 10% 或更多,衣服、皮带、戒指变松了(英国国民医疗服务体系 NHS 把它列为营养不良的主要信号)。长时间没胃口,同时总是累、没力气、伤口好得慢。
吞咽:吃饭喝水时常常呛咳、饭后嗓音像含着水、总觉得东西卡在喉咙,或者反复肺部感染,要尽快约医生。
缺水:
尿少、尿色深,站起来头晕不缓解,异常疲倦,呼吸或心跳很快:尽快就医。缺水的同时糊涂了、比平时嗜睡或叫不醒,或者皮肤发冷、嘴唇或皮肤发青发灰、呼吸困难:立即叫急救,这可能是休克。
可能缺 B12:手脚发麻刺痛、走路不稳、记性变差,要看医生查一查,拖久了有些损伤可能回不来。
吃的药:同时吃好几种药,或者新加了药以后没胃口、吃饭没了味道,带上全部药盒去问医生或药师,不要自己停药。
ESPEN 指南建议老人都定期做营养不良筛查,看病时可以请医生做一次(Volkert 2022)。这一篇是科普,不替代诊断。
体重和胃口:
没有刻意减肥,3 到 6 个月里体重掉了 5% 到 10% 或更多,衣服、皮带、戒指变松了(英国国民医疗服务体系 NHS 把它列为营养不良的主要信号)。长时间没胃口,同时总是累、没力气、伤口好得慢。
吞咽:吃饭喝水时常常呛咳、饭后嗓音像含着水、总觉得东西卡在喉咙,或者反复肺部感染,要尽快约医生。
缺水:
尿少、尿色深,站起来头晕不缓解,异常疲倦,呼吸或心跳很快:尽快就医。缺水的同时糊涂了、比平时嗜睡或叫不醒,或者皮肤发冷、嘴唇或皮肤发青发灰、呼吸困难:立即叫急救,这可能是休克。
可能缺 B12:手脚发麻刺痛、走路不稳、记性变差,要看医生查一查,拖久了有些损伤可能回不来。
吃的药:同时吃好几种药,或者新加了药以后没胃口、吃饭没了味道,带上全部药盒去问医生或药师,不要自己停药。
ESPEN 指南建议老人都定期做营养不良筛查,看病时可以请医生做一次(Volkert 2022)。这一篇是科普,不替代诊断。
参考文献 · 18
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