Want To Age Gracefully? This Vitamin May Be The Key To Longevity

Advertisement

Make room, vitamin C—there's one more essential vitamin that shares the title of potent antioxidant. Though many focus on vitamin D's more siloed benefits (e.g., musculoskeletal integrity, immune function, skin health), longevity is one that shouldn't be ignored.* 

Vitamin D sufficiency (i.e., achieving and maintaining healthy D levels in the body) promotes graceful aging by helping to regulate antioxidant activity, balance mitochondrial function, combat oxidative stress, and ultimately, protect that precious DNA.*

A 2019 Pharmacological Research meta-analysis found that vitamin D supplementation helps increase total antioxidant capacity1 and serum levels of master antioxidant glutathione, both of which are vastly beneficial for promoting oxidative balance (i.e., antioxidants beating out oxidants) throughout the body.* Vitamin D signaling pathways protect proteins, fatty acids, and DNA2 (more on that later) from oxidation by combating reactive oxygen species (ROS).* 

Unfortunately, our nation's vitamin D status problem massively affects whether or not your body is able to fully utilize these antioxidant actions. Considering 41% of U.S. adults are insufficient in vitamin D33 and 29% deal with frank vitamin D deficiency, it's obvious that being intentional about getting enough vitamin D on the daily plays a big part in your body's antioxidant network and ability to fight free radicals.*

While antioxidant activity is an ever-vital (and valid) feature of healthy aging, promoting cellular integrity and protecting our genes is the other significant part of the longevity equation. One accurate way to look at the rate of cellular aging and overall longevity is by measuring telomeres.

Telomeres are sequences of proteins that essentially "cap" the ends of DNA strands. They protect our DNA from free radicals, modern toxins, and other potential stressors that can affect our genomic stability. When it comes to longevity, longer telomeres help protect DNA and buffer oxidative stress. 

In other words, telomere length (again, longer is better) is a viable biomarker for longevity—and vitamin D plays a part in increasing the activity of the telomerase enzyme4 to maintain telomere length and strength and protect cellular DNA and cells' ability to replicate.*

In fact, a 2017 study from the 55Archives of Medical Science5 found a positive association between vitamin D sufficiency and telomere length, which indicates getting adequate vitamin D is vital for maintaining genomic integrity and thus, longevity potential.* 

Advertisement

With the vast health benefits bolstered by a healthy vitamin D status, it's exceedingly clear that achieving vitamin D sufficiency (and keeping it there!) is important for whole-body health throughout the lifespan.* The problem? It's just not possible to get enough quality vitamin D from diet and sunshine alone. Enter: vitamin D supplementation.*

mbg's vitamin D3 potency+ provides 5,000 IU of organic vitamin D3 derived from sustainable, vegan algal oil, plus a trio of organic oils (avocado, flax, and olive, to be exact) to optimize bioavailability and absorption.* (All in one gelcap, mind you.)

This innovative, high-potency vitamin D formula can help you achieve and maintain sufficient vitamin D levels to promote DNA protection, antioxidant activity, and longevity!* Talk to your health care provider about the sweeping health benefits of taking a vitamin D3 supplement.