Soak in the sunshine every morning. That daily dose of vitamin D can do wonders for your health. Vitamin D, also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, plays a critical role in bone health, immune function, and overall well-being. Recent research also suggests that it may help reverse age!
A recent study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia found that vitamin D supplements show signs of protection against biological aging. The findings are published in
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
What is vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient essential for maintaining healthy bones, supporting immune function, and promoting overall well-being. It is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight and can also be consumed from animal-based foods such as salmon, cod, and egg yolks.
Vitamin D and ageing
The recent controlled trial revealed that vitamin D supplementation helps to maintain telomeres, the protective caps found at the ends of chromosomes that shorten during aging and are linked to the development of certain diseases.
“VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to show that vitamin D supplements protect telomeres and preserve telomere length. This is of particular interest because VITAL had also shown benefits of vitamin D in reducing inflammation and lowering risks of selected chronic diseases of aging, such as advanced cancer and autoimmune disease,” co-author JoAnn Manson, MD, principal investigator and chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said in a release.
The study followed over 1,000 participants for four years and found that those who took vitamin D3 supplementation daily had slowed the process of telomere shortening. This means it delayed biological aging by nearly three years. The shortening of the telomeres is also linked to increased risk of many age-related diseases.
“Targeted vitamin D supplementation may be a promising strategy to counter a biological aging process, although further research is warranted,” the researchers noted.
Vitamin D and immunity
Studies have also found that a low level of vitamin D increased the risk of infections and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.
A 2020
study found that vitamin D can improve immune health and decrease the susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.
Vitamin D and cardiovascular health
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in fighting disease. Low levels of vitamin D are
linked to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
A systemic
analysis and meta-analysis conducted by scientists from institutions across China and the United States in 2024 found that targeted vitamin D supplementation can improve cardiometabolic health. The analysis found that vitamin D supplementation was associated with favorable effects on various cardiometabolic risk factors, including reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C, and fasting blood insulin.
Vitamin D and mood
Studies have shown that vitamin D plays a key role in decreasing the risk of depression and also regulating mood. A 2020 systematic review and
meta-analysis of 7,534 people found that vitamin D supplementation can reduce negative emotions. Researchers noted that patients with major depressive disorder and individuals with vitamin D deficiency are most likely to benefit from supplementation.
Vitamin D and weight loss
Vitamin D has also shown promise in weight management. A 2018
study looked at the effects of vitamin D supplementation on weight Loss, glycemic indices, and lipid profile in obese and overweight Women. After 6 weeks of supplementation in obese and overweight women aged 20–40 years, the researchers found a reduction in the mean of BMI, weight, and waist circumference.
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