A simple pill to delay the aging of our body? A new study led by Italian researchers takes stock of the available data on the role of vitamin D against age-related changes.
Vitamin D contributes to the absorption of calciumcalcium. It is therefore recommended that people suffering from osteoporosis take supplements of this vitamin to prevent bone fractures, since a calcium deficiency is associated with these conditions. However, clinical trials have shown that vitamin D supplements do not always help prevent fractures and age-related bone loss in healthy people.
Published in the journal Nutrients, an Italian study sought to understand the benefit of this vitamin as a strategy to support human longevity. We must already ask ourselves what aging is, particularly at the biological level. “ The characteristics of aging are a set of finely regulated and strictly interconnected biological mechanisms », Write the authors in their study. They result in many cellular changes, such as shorter telomeres, GenoaGenoa unstable, molecular marks on our DNADNA and chronic inflammation. What could be the role of vitamin D in limiting these biological changes?
No clear conclusion to extend lifespan
Some studies show that people with low vitamin D levels are biologically older than those with normal levels, suggesting that this vitamin may slow epigenetic aging. It could also help reduce DNA damage according to another study.
Remember that taking high doses of vitamin D can be harmful to the body. Vitamin D supplements may also interact with medications such as statinsstatins (which reduce cholesterol levels in the blood). The authors conclude that vitamin D supplementation is not necessarily better for health, despite the interest in research on human longevity.
