Scientists Find That Taking This Vitamin May Help You Live Longer
Most of us grew up with a vague understanding that 'getting our vitamins' was important, but the reasoning wasn't always clear. A new study dives into the specific health benefits of one vitamin in particular—vitamin D—and its findings show that getting enough of it could be the key to living longer and aging healthfully.
Meet the Experts: Joseph Mercola, D.O., board-certified family physician and author of Your Guide to Cellular Health; and Amy Davis, R.D., L.D.N., Live Conscious nutrition consultant.
The trial followed more than 1,000 healthy American women over 55 years old and men over 50 for a period of four years and found that, compared to placebo, taking 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 daily helped slow down the shortening of telomeres. Telomeres are 'protective caps on your chromosomes that naturally wear down with age,' explains Joseph Mercola, D.O., board-certified family physician and author of Your Guide to Cellular Health, and they protect DNA during cell division, a process that the body uses to repair and grow. Every time that happens, they get a bit shorter, which makes them a marker of biological age. 'When telomeres get too short, your cells can't divide properly and start to malfunction or die,' Dr. Mercola adds. 'When they shrink too fast, your risk for things like heart disease, cancer, and premature aging symptoms goes up.'
At the start of the study, participants had varied vitamin D levels, and those who took vitamin D3 had more telomere protection than those who didn't after four years. 'That's a measurable slowdown in cellular aging,' says Dr. Mercola. Another group in the study took omega-3 supplements and did not experience the same results.
Wondering if you're getting enough vitamin D? The National Institute of Health recommends adults not get more than 2000 IU of vitamin D a day.
While the study is promising, and there are others like it, there were a few limitations, including the participant pool lacking broad demographic and health diversity, potentially limiting the strength of the findings, explains Amy Davis, R.D., L.D.N., Live Conscious nutrition consultant. Still, both of our experts do think that, in the way of studies, this one was a pretty solid randomized clinical trial. 'While more studies would help clarify the full picture, this adds real credibility to vitamin D3's role in slowing age-related decline,' Dr. Mercola concludes.
Vitamin D is known as the 'sunshine vitamin' that may boost mental and bone health. More research is needed to determine exactly how it slows telomere shortening, but it likely has to do with its anti-inflammatory effects, immunity protection, and its role in cell function, particularly within the mitochondria, explains Dr. Mercola. 'Your mitochondria are the energy factories of your cells, and keeping them healthy helps preserve your metabolic power, your resilience, and even your brain function,' he says. 'Vitamin D also supports the production of glutathione, your body's master antioxidant. That means less oxidative stress, fewer damaged proteins and membranes, and slower wear and tear on your cells.' Research shows that oxidative stress may play a role in everything from cancer to rheumatoid arthritis.
Of course, as is the case with any supplementation, you should talk to your doctor before going all-in on vitamin D supplements and make sure you're practicing other healthy habits such as eating a Mediterranean-style diet, exercising regularly, getting good sleep, and maintaining an active social life.
Your body gets vitamin D through sun exposure, which you naturally absorb safely in small increments, says Dr. Mercola. (Still, don't skip the sunscreen!) 'Your body is built to regulate how much vitamin D it makes from sunlight,' he adds. 'If you supplement, test your levels first.' Your doctor can draw blood and determine if you have a deficiency and if supplements are needed.
You Might Also Like
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss?
Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
The Aging Brain: 6 Things You Should Be Doing to Slow Cognitive Decline
When it comes to healthy aging, we tend to focus a lot on body health by exercising and eating well. One thing you might not be thinking about is brain health. But you should be. Your brain runs the rest of your body, and as we age, it changes, too. Cognition declines over time due to several factors, including age-related structure changes, brain injuries or excess stress hormones. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in nine American adults over 65 report cognitive decline. "The parts of our brain that help with learning information and remembering can become smaller, and the brain can weigh less as we age," said Colleen Marshall, chief clinical officer for Two Chairs. Aging doesn't happen at the same rate for everyone, but we all experience it in one way or another. Focusing on brain fitness now may help you slow the change and ensure your brain stays sharp through the years. How to start nourishing your brain for healthy aging 1) Solve puzzles We'll start with the easiest strategy to integrate into your daily life: puzzles. Solving puzzles can benefit the brain in several ways, from improving memory to boosting problem-solving skills. "They may slow the rate of cognitive decline and how quickly the brain decreases in size as we age," Marshall said. A study published in the journal Neurology reported that playing games like checkers or completing jigsaw puzzles can delay the onset of Alzheimer's by about five years. Different research supports the idea that solving crossword puzzles or journaling can lower the risk of dementia. Experts suggest that puzzles help curb cognitive decline because they expand the brain's cognitive reserve, or the ability to solve and cope with problems. Activities to try include putting together jigsaw puzzles or solving other types of puzzles, such as Sudoku, crosswords, memory games and math problems. 2) Learn a new skill Like stimulating the brain by playing games or solving puzzles, learning a new skill has short-term and long-term advantages. By learning a new skill, you're strategically activating several parts of your brain simultaneously. You're also promoting neuroplasticity by creating new pathways and strengthening those connections as you continue honing the skill. It could be learning a new language, painting or trying out a new sport. Just make sure it's challenging or complex, and continue to practice for the best brain results.3) Prioritize sleep Sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your body. While I'm not saying there's a right or wrong way to sleep, research suggests that how much sleep you get and the quality of your sleep influence your risk for dementia. According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, a single night of sleep deprivation can age your brain. A lot goes on in the brain while we sleep, including clearing out toxins and creating new neural pathways. If you don't get enough sleep, your brain doesn't have time to carry out these functions and cognition suffers. Establishing a bedtime routine can have a big impact on your sleep quality. From reading a book to practicing yoga before bed, integrating relaxation into your night can help boost your sleep. 4) Focus on your nutrition What you eat also will influence the rate of cognitive decline you experience as you age. Studies have found that people who follow the Mediterranean and MIND (Mediterranean Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diets tend to have fewer cognitive impairments and dementias compared to those following other diets. More research is needed to conclude why this is true. However, it might have something to do with the way those diets prioritize foods that protect the brain with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Read more: Master the Mediterranean Diet With the Help of These Tips and Recipes No matter if you choose to follow a strict diet or just improve your current meal rotation, you'll want to focus on improving your blood sugar and dropping high levels of LDL cholesterol to reduce your risk of dementia. Foods to incorporate into your diet for better brain health: Leafy greens like spinach, kale and lettuce Salmon Dark berries Nuts Greek yogurt Dark chocolate Green tea Vegetables like broccoli and carrots 5) Exercise Studies have found that following an active lifestyle is associated with lower cognitive decline over time. Your heart rate increases when you exercise, which increases blood flow to the brain. This can help spark new development of nerve cells, a process called neurogenesis. Exercise also promotes increased connections between cells, making the brain more adaptive. Generally, any exercise that's good for the body will also help the mind. It doesn't have to be lifting weights; walking, swimming and dancing also achieve the same results. Read more: How Exercise Helps Boost Your Memory-Brain Health as You Age6) Make connections with others Marshall pointed out that prioritizing high-quality relationships with others can benefit the brain. According to a meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies, limited or poor relationships were associated with cognitive decline. Prioritizing social contact is an essential part of aging well. Whether spending time with your family or putting yourself out there at your local community center, staying connected is an integral part of aging gracefully. Too long; didn't read? Our brains change as we age; there is no way around it. However, integrating any of these easy habits into your routine can help nourish and safeguard your brain for the future. There are also a few things you should avoid to keep your brain in top shape. Heavy cigarette smoking has been associated with cognitive decline in middle age. Marshall added that heavy drinking, poor diet and unmanaged high blood pressure can also negatively impact the brain as we age. Don't worry; there's still time to turn it around. Even if you smoke now, quitting has the potential to return your risk of cognitive decline to a level that's comparable to those who never smoked.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Scientists develop game-changing method to generate energy from gentle breeze: 'What excites us most is the simplicity'
Researchers from India are demonstrating that harnessing wind power only requires a flutter. It's a stark contrast to the "world's largest" turbine accomplishments in China and elsewhere. "Yet, there is a quieter, more compact option: a slender strip of material fluttering in the breeze, capable of converting ambient airflow into usable electrical energy," the experts from the Indian Institutes of Technology wrote in a summary published by Tech Xplore. And while the small-scale breeze catchers won't be powering cities, the team said they could energize sensors and lights in remote settings and hard-to-reach areas. The key is slim polymer sheets that are used as piezoelectric materials. They can convert flutters, or vibrations from ambient air, into electricity. The team's blueprint isn't overly complicated, per the report. "Our work focuses on a simple idea: attach a flexible plate with a piezoelectric sheet to the downstream side of a cylinder and expose it to wind. As wind flows past the cylinder, it causes the attached plate to flutter — much like a flag," they wrote. Experts around the world are working on ways to harness unique energy sources. Students in France built turnstiles in a metro station that generated electricity from everyday human movement, powering nearby TV screens as people passed through. An international research team is studying how to generate voltage as low winds pass over water droplets. The team did some tweaking to the sheets to improve the device, generating more energy. It's thanks to "a resonance phenomenon where the oscillation frequency of the plate synchronizes with the frequency of vortex shedding," the experts said. The device was able to light 20 LEDs continuously, and 40 momentarily, with stored charge. The inventive energy generation is part of the overall shift to a cleaner future without reliance on heat-trapping fossil fuels. NASA has linked the fumes those energy sources produce to increased risks for severe weather — blackout-causing storms that are more damaging and frequent. Should the government be paying us to upgrade our homes? Definitely Depends on how much it costs Depends on what it's for No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Anyone can participate in the switch at home by investing in solar panel tech. It's a move that provides the average American household around $700 in annual savings, after expenses, according to a government study. EnergySage, a free online tool, is a reliable ally that can make sure you secure all the incentives and find the right installer, saving up to $10,000 on the installation. In the end, you can reduce or eliminate your power bill. Community solar is an option to tap the sun's power from a nearby solar farm via a subscription plan. You can save up to $150 a year on your utility bill without installing tech at home. In India, the researchers said they still have some improvements to make to the low-speed wind setup to prepare it for practical use. "What excites us most is the simplicity and scalability of this approach. Unlike traditional turbines, these harvesters have no rotating parts, minimal maintenance needs, and can be easily integrated into urban or natural environments. As the world seeks smarter, smaller, and cleaner ways to generate energy, this flutter-powered harvester may just have the wind at its back," the team wrote. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jewish Family Services receives $400K for opioid use support program
Niagara County and New York State have awarded Jewish Family Services $400,000 to provide services to those impacted by opioid use. The county awarded a $350,000 two-year grant to JFS for a comprehensive career support and care management recovery program at its Niagara Falls office. The state Office of Faith and Nonprofit Development Services awarded $50,000 to develop a community resource room for families served by care coordination and health home programs and for new American families. Both plan to start later this year. 'From addressing behavioral health and wellness needs to help prevent relapse and post-lasting recovery, to providing a safe space for families to work toward securing self-sustainability, JFS staff is committed to empowering individuals with the resources needed for long-term success,' said Jewish Family Services CEO Molly Carr in a statement. Around 12% of clients enrolled in JFS's Niagara County-based health home program have suffered from opioid use disorder, substance abuse, and other mental health conditions. It helped between 250 and 300 clients in the county in 2023. 'While those in recovery are faced with many challenges, one of the biggest can be getting back into the workforce,' said County Legislator Jesse Gooch, chair of the Community Services Committee. 'The JFS program has a focus on employment services, something that is sorely needed, which is why we were happy to award them grant funding through the opioid settlement fund.' The community resource room will have laptops, internet access, printers, scanners, and noise-cancelling headphones on hand. Case managers will be available by appointment for job application help and technology and interpretation services. JFS opened its Niagara Falls office on Third Street last August, with case workers there working on career services and refugee resettlement programming. It has operated in Buffalo since 1862, starting Niagara County services in 2021. It was one of many area nonprofits that had to cut positions earlier this year after the Trump administration froze funds meant for agencies that help new refugee arrivals. It partnered with four other Buffalo agencies to raise $1.5 million in February and March to cover funding shortfalls.
