This supplement may slow aging, new research shows

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Supplements, some people take them faithfully, every day, others see little benefit in them. But new research shows that a specific supplement can indeed slow down aging.

Growing old healthily or slowing down aging as long as possible is a theme that Metro often addresses. For example , Metro previously spoke with professor Filip de Keyser about how we are now growing older than our ancestors, but we are losing sight of how to stay healthy. And molecular biologist Dr. Ellen Crabbe told Metro how to keep your biological age as low as possible.

Apparently, supplements also have an effect on the aging process. New research shows that a daily dose of vitamin D helps to slow down aging. Taking vitamin D supplements for four years could prevent three years of aging, BBC Science Focus also reports.

Previous studies also show that vitamin D can help combat some of the major signs of aging. Such as diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and dementia. Metro previously spoke with neuropsychologist Roy Kessels about Alzheimer's and reducing the risk of dementia.

American scientists wanted to investigate these findings about vitamin D further. Thousands of women over 55 and men over 50 participated in this experiment, who had to take a daily dose of vitamin D, omega 3 or a placebo for five years.

And apparently, vitamin D use affects telomeres in our body. Telomeres are protective 'caps' on the ends of our chromosomes, similar to the plastic dots on the ends of shoelaces. They protect DNA from damage during the cell division process and play a role in cellular aging and tumor suppression. Previously, it was also known that vitamin K was beneficial in slowing down brain aging.

Every time a cell divides, its telomeres shorten slightly. When telomeres become too short, they lose their ability to divide, meaning their cells can no longer function. The study found that participants who took vitamin D experienced significantly less telomere shortening.

This could provide important insights into how we can keep people healthy for longer, as telomere shortening is linked to many age-related diseases. “I often call them angry old men – cells that have lost their function in life, become dormant and mess up the environment around them,” Professor Morten Schiebye-Knudsen, an associate professor at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Copenhagen, told BBC Science Focus. “Telomere shortening could contribute to more angry old cells and therefore more inflammation in our bodies, particularly in cells that divide a lot, such as our bone marrow, skin and hair.”

The main source of vitamin D is sunlight. But you can also find it in foods such as oily fish, liver, meat, eggs and dairy products

Do you want to stock up on all sorts of jars of pills and vitamins right now? That is not necessary. Although taking vitamin D can have advantages according to the above-mentioned research, general practitioner Staf Hendrickx also previously explained that a varied diet in particular ensures that you get enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals. "A whole industry of supplements has now been set up, but if you eat a varied diet, you do not need them. Homo sapiens did not have supplements either. Of course, it can do no harm to take some extra vitamin C when you are ill or iron tablets if you have a deficiency. But healthy people do not need supplements."