Supplements, is Virol still available??

[Gemini]

My mum has asked me to get some sort of supplement to give her a pick me up. She suggested Virol. I remember Virol, but I don't think it exists any more.
I wondered if anyone else has experience with older relatives with anything of this type?

(I hated Virol as a child by the way!)

[Plantaholic]

I believe it is still available, it is a malt extract I believe. What about a Guinness? So many people are short of vit.D, so some multi-vitamins might help. My mil used to take Sanatagen.

[Oma]

Holland & Barrets still sell it I think Gem
Plants right Sanatagen is another good old treatment too

[Daisy]

I don't know about Virol, Gem, but is your mum losing weight?

Also is she on any medication that might be affected by Virol or something similar?

Do you think she's eating a reasonably varied diet? If she isn't perhaps encouraging her to eat more of whatever she's not getting might be a better, safer route to her feeling better.

[Gemini]

She is very light Daisy, and they keep a check on it at her reviews, and long as it is stable or slightly down they don't mind.
She doesn't have a lot of appetite, and apart from bananas and the odd tin of carrots, she hardly eats any fruits or veg. Her weekly shopping list is lacking in vitamins, but when you are almost 90 and you live alone, you eat what suits you!She is stubborn and will only listen to advice to a certain extent.
She doesn't sleep well, which is largely due, I think, to sleeping with Talk Radio on. I am trying to persuade her to try for at least a week turning the radio off. I'm sure she would sleep more soundly, as she keeps waking and hearing bits of things, and trying to stay awake to listen to interesting things.

[Gemini]

To add, although mum eats a lot of 'rubbish' each week - cakes, biscuits, Mars Bars, Cup A Soups, crisps, she does eat fish fairly often, and eggs from time to time, and once in a while makes beef stew, using frozen veg, so there are vitamins in her diet, just not enough!

[Daisy]

Oh dear, Gem. It's not easy. If you think she's low in fruit or veg, would something like rosehip syrup appeal to her? It would boost her vit C intake, and if she likes ice cream she could pour some on that. She obviously doesn't need to worry about eating too many calories, so that's not a problem.

I think she might sleep better without the radio on, too.


I read somewhere in the last day or two that eggs are eggcellent (sorry!!) because they contain almost everything we need. Would she have say a boiled egg for lunch if you left her some ready boiled in the fridge?

[Qwerty]

I have bought OH when he’s been run down Metatone from the chemist, but think supermarkets do it, it’s got vitamin B1 and four other minerals but can’t think what they are off hand Gem he says they seem to help

[Gemini]

I will look this afternoon Qwerty, thanks.

Daisy, I will suggest she has eggs more often!

[Shemadee]

Might be worth asking a pharmacist for advice or staff in Holland & Barrett as they get some training. I read recently that, as we age, our Vitamin D3 lowers and makes it harder for our bodies to absorb other vitamins. I use Healthspan to buy vitamins. Their products and prices are very good.

My mum used to feed us cod liver oil and malt. My older brother would keep it in his mouth and then spit it out. The taste stayed with him a lot longer than it would have if he just swallowed it.

[Nanto2girls]

Crikey, i haven't heard of Virol for years.

[Enfys]

Qwerty, Imtake Metatone from time to time and my mother used to swear by it. I agree, have a chat with the pharmacist, they are very helpful.

[Nana]

Good luck Gem. Good that she'll ask for some thing to help her feel brighter.