From Blue Zone diets to to biohacking, from supplements you can buy in the local drug store to plasma injections that cost thousands, there’s already a wide range of approaches to “anti-aging.” But is there a common denominator? One item that could form the core of any program?
As reported here, the answer may be Vitamin D.
Experts as wide-ranging as Dr. Anthony Fauci, antiaging researcher João Pedro de Magalhães, and billionaire longevity investor Christian Angermayer all say they take Vitamin D supplements as part of their anti-aging effort.
The article quotes Angermayer as noting that Vitamin D is “one of the really proven” things people could do for anti-aging, in part because of its beneficial effects on the immune system and reducing cancer risk.
Vitamin D is known to help our body absorb calcium from food, which promotes bone health and, in turn, overall health, because when we don’t get enough calcium from our diet, “out body digs into the calcium stored in our bones to meet its needs.”
From the article:
“Studies have consistently indicated that older adults who take vitamin D supplements (ranging from 400 to 800 international units a day) significantly reduce their risk of broken bones; that’s an especially important outcome for older people, who face an increased risk of death after injuries such as hip fractures. Vitamin D is also known to help prevent muscle cramps and spasms, reduce inflammation, and improve immune function.”
OK, but how much should you take?
Recommended doses are 600 IU per day up to age 69, and 800 IU over age 70. The safe upper limit is 4,000 IU per day, and this is important because too much Vitamin D can lead to calcium buildup in the kidneys, heart and lungs.
Angermayer, for example, who is 45, takes 4,000 IU every three days.
Read the whole article, because it also discusses the importance of sunlight (and the need for Vitamin D especially in winter months when sunlight is reduced), and natural sources of Vitamin D like fatty fish (salmon or tuna), and egg yolks.
Not everything has to be complex or radical. Here’s a simple solution all of us should know about.