Can you stay young by using vitamin D supplements? There are ways to slow down aging, according to new studies.
Vitamin D is essential for the well-being of the human body. The crucial compound helps in the growth and maintenance of the bones and teeth, the immune system, brain health, and regulating inflammation.
As we grow old, our muscles and bones tend to weaken and Vitamin D can play a pivotal role in muscle and bone development. Several studies reveal lack of enough vitamin D can increase the age-related risk of muscle loss and falls. So, does it mean that you can take Vitamin D supplements slow down ageing?
A new review from Italian researchers has highlighted crucial aspects of this association.
For decades, doctors have recommended vitamin D supplements for people with osteoporosis and to help prevent bone fractures because a lack of vitamin D has been linked to those conditions.
It is noteworthy that although vitamin D is found in certain foods, it can be difficult to get enough from your diet alone or if you don’t get enough sun exposure.
However, recent studies suggest vitamin D supplements don’t necessarily help prevent age-related bone loss and fractures in otherwise healthy people.
In the latest review, Ruggiero and colleagues compiled observational studies and clinical trials examining the potential effects of vitamin D on the biological hallmarks of aging, and found the evidence is lacking: “To date, evidence… is scarce in humans and mainly based on preclinical [animal] models.”
Meanwhile, some studies suggest vitamin D can slow epigenetic aging since people with low vitamin D levels are biologically older than those with adequate levels.
Vitamin D supplementation might also help reduce DNA damage, the authors note, adding “it does not seem to have an impact on telomere length, although some findings support a protective role of vitamin D on telomerase activity in obese individuals.”
There’s also very little evidence about what dose or at what age vitamin D supplements might have an effect, as there are so few human studies, and the findings have been mixed.
Some studies suggest taking a specific dose of vitamin D would be safe for the general population however it is different of everyone. Research shows that taking high doses of vitamin D can be harmful. It is also important to highlight that Vitamin D supplements can also interact with prescription medicines, such as cholesterol-lowering statins.
Experts also maintain that consuming more vitamins in supplement form isn’t necessarily better for health. According to them, it is important for people to prioritise activities that they can do to improve their health and live longer, like eating a balanced diet or getting outdoors.
“Despite the interest in vitamin D supplementation as a strategy supporting human longevity and some evidence about its potential in modulating hallmarks of aging, we are still far from the point of translation from bench to bed,” Ruggiero and colleagues conclude.
The findings of the review has been published in Nutrients.
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