Scientists believe that a low-cost supplement might slow down the ageing process within our bodies. During the colder months – October to March – the NHS advises Brits to take vitamin D, as sunlight alone is not enough for the body to produce it.
Now, scientists claim this common supplement might have the potential to slow down the body’s ageing process – although they have stressed that more research is needed to confirm this, the Sun reported. Led by Carmelinda Ruggiero from the University of Perugia’s Division Gerontology and Geriatrics, a group of Italian scientists conducted a comprehensive analysis on the potential benefits of vitamin D supplements and how they could impact signs of ageing in the body.
“Ageing is a complex and multi-factorial process, marked by the progressive decline in organ functions, leading to frailty and increased susceptibility to age-related diseases,” the researchers stated in their study, published in Nutrients journal. Changes in the body associated with ageing include chronic inflammation, imbalances in gut bacteria (dysbiosis) and cellular senescence – where cells stop multiplying but fail to die when they should.
Genomic instability is another hallmark. This refers to a greater tendency for DNA mutations to occur during cell division – and can be a factor in many types of cancer. “Hallmarks of ageing are a set of interconnected biological mechanisms that, individually or synergistically, contribute to molecular and cellular damage, potentially initiating and accelerating the onset of age-related diseases,” researchers added.
Reviewing a number of clinical studies, the Italian research team suggested that vitamin D could have a positive effect on a number of these age-related signs. The supplement shows potential in regulating DNA stability and integrity, particularly in conditions like type 2 diabetes and cancer, researchers wrote.
Studies they reviewed also suggested that vitamin D supplementation may reduce DNA damage and oxidative stress, potentially offering protective effects against genomic instability and oncogene-induced senescence. “Vitamin D appears to regulate and influence several hallmarks of ageing through genomic and non-genomic pathways,” researchers said.
“Based on the available clinical studies, we can conclude that vitamin D may contribute to genomic stability,” they went on. Trials with with the supplement also showed improved immunity in older adults, while further studies seemed to show that vitamin D can regulate protein homeostasis, which impacts longevity and muscle health. The researchers also found that vitamin D can improve immunity in older adults and regulate protein homeostasis, which is important for longevity and muscle health.
Overall, this study suggests that vitamin D may be an important supplement for people who want to live longer and healthier lives. The experts have found that taking vitamin D might help keep your gut healthy and bring lots of health benefits.
They said: “Notably, clinical studies support the potential of vitamin D supplementation in hampering dysbiosys, prompting the recovery of gut microbiota health, and providing multiple health benefits.” But they also pointed out that we still have a lot to learn: “Despite the interest in vitamin D supplementation as a strategy supporting human longevity and some evidence about its potential in modulating hallmarks of ageing, we are still far from the point of translation from bench to bed.”
“Current knowledge does not allow yet to define a potential optimal vitamin D dosage for modulating hallmarks of ageing or the chronological or functional age at which vitamin D supplementation might be useful in modulating ageing biologically related factors.”
“We could speculate that early interventions to avoid vitamin D insufficiency might be protective in the long run, but longitudinal studies based on homogenous cohorts and targeted therapy are warranted.” This adds to other studies that show vitamin D might affect how old our bodies really are.
Researchers from Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin looked at the epigenetic patterns in 1,600 people. Epigenetics is about how what we do and our surroundings can change how our genes work. They discovered that people who didn’t have enough vitamin D were “biologically older” than those with the right amount.
Also, chromosomes, which are like the organisers of our DNA, seemed younger in people who had enough vitamin D (30-100 ng/mL). These findings hint that vitamin D could be a secret weapon in slowing down the ageing process.
It’s also been hinted that taking this supplement every day might help keep dementia at bay. In other news, scientists have said that if everyone in the UK took vitamin D supplements, we could see 15 per cent fewer cancer deaths.
Research involving half a million Brits showed that not having enough vitamin D could make you more likely to die – especially from bowel, stomach, prostate, and lung cancers.
So, how can you get more vitamin D?
You can get some vitamin D from what you eat, like:
Oily fish think salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel.
Red meat.
Liver (but don’t eat this if you’re expecting a baby).
Egg yolks.
Foods that have had vitamin D added to them like some spreads and breakfast cereals.
Doctors say that kids over one and grown-ups should take a supplement with 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day when it’s autumn and winter.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
