Figuring out ways to slow the inevitable aging process is a quest that humanity has been researching for eons. While a technique that can directly reverse aging hasn’t yet been found, there are certain things that people have discovered that could help slow down or modulate the hallmarks of aging.
The hallmarks of aging are biological processes that directly influence age-related decline. These changes happen on a cellular level, including the shortening of telomeres, chronic inflammation, DNA damage, unstable genes, and cellular senescence. Each one of these hallmarks feeds into the last, so limiting the amount they occur is vital.
One of the most promising candidates for helping slow these processes is that your body naturally produces vitamin D. This vitamin is an integral part of building muscle mass and bone strength. However, muscle mass and bone strength aren’t the only aging mechanisms for which vitamin D is essential.
Many of the hallmarks of aging can be directly affected and slowed simultaneously with a healthy amount of vitamin D. One of the most important hallmarks vitamin D can affect is within your genome. As we age, our body’s DNA accumulates damage naturally. This causes genomic instability, which directly causes many different age-related diseases. Vitamin D has been seen to be effective in preventing DNA damage and creating more stability in the genome.
Vitamin D is also integral in lowering chronic inflammation. As we age, our bodies tend to produce more molecules that promote inflammation. This inflammation contributes to a long list of age-related diseases, like cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. Vitamin D is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which will help prevent inflammation levels from getting too high.
This vitamin is also integral to gut health. Vitamin D is needed to keep your gut microbiome happy and healthy, and having an unhealthy digestive tract is directly linked to many different age-related conditions. Not to mention how vital vitamin D is to your physical health. Your bones need this vitamin for your bones to absorb calcium, so not getting enough as you grow in age could lead to brittle bones or weakness.
The key to vitamin D supplementation is not to take too much. Too much of this vitamin in your system can negatively impact your health. The key to supplementation is balance. If you stay close to daily percentage values, you’ll feel the positive effects without any negatives.
A healthy amount of vitamin D is an excellent way to help prevent the hallmarks of aging, but supplementation is only one way to positively impact how aging makes you feel. Hormones, toxin levels, and biological energy all directly impact the way you age. An Optimal You is California’s #1 hormone replacement and anti-aging center, which means we have the expertise to help you look and feel younger and healthier! Our hormone specialists are always ready to help you on your health journey, so don’t hesitate to call our office today to make your appointment!