Vitamin D is one of the most popular vitamins used by people for its assorted benefits, which is why many elderly individuals savor it. Here, we take a brief look at the chemical nature of this crucial vitamin, and then discuss the top benefits that older men and women can attain from a vitamin D supplement.
A Profile on Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin present in many foods; It is also produced within the human body when your skin absorbs UV sun rays. One of vitamin D’s primary functions is to facilitate bodily absorption of calcium. This makes it extremely important for bone strength and longevity. Vitamin D is also necessary for modulating cell growth, supporting neuromuscular function, and contributing to glucose metabolism, and more.
Deficiency in vitamin D is more common than you might think. While the majority of Americans have adequate blood levels of vitamin D, roughly a quarter of them don’t. This segment of Americans have a vitamin D level low enough to affect their bone health as well as their overall health. Vitamin D deficiency puts an aging person at risk of osteomalacia, a condition which causes bone pain and weakening of muscles.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include fatigue, weakness, and brain fog.
How a Vitamin D Supplement Helps Seniors
Men and women who are aging can benefit from a vitamin D supplement in multiple ways. This is especially true for those deficient in this vitamin. However, older individuals benefit from upping vitamin D intake on a baseline level, simply because the body doesn’t produce as much vitamin D from UV exposure as it did during a person’s younger days.
Preserving healthy bones: Vitamin D promotes and secures long-term bone health in a fundamental way. This vitamin enables bone mineralization, the result of its role in fostering calcium absorption in the gut. Supplementing with vitamin D has been shown to help older adults avoid both osteomalacia and osteoporosis. This is because getting enough vitamin D helps prevent bones from becoming brittle, thin, or misshapen. The benefits which consistent vitamin D supplementation can confer to the long-term health of bones make it a first-choice supplement for bone health.
Telomere length: One of the standard biological markers of aging is telomere length, and research shows that consistent vitamin D supplementation supports healthy telomere length. Reduced telomere shortening has been shown in one large-scale study to occur over periods of between two and four years in older persons who took a vitamin D supplement compared to those who took a placebo. Vitamin D’s potential effect on preserving telomere length means that it could potentially assist in meaningfully mitigating the effects of aging.
Preserving cognitive health: Research shows a link between cognitive decline and low vitamin D levels in aging individuals. The cognitive areas specifically studied involve both thinking and learning. A vitamin D supplement has the potential to help preserve cognitive health in aging persons.
Dosage: The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin D for aging men and women is around 800iu or less. However, multiple scientists and studies point to the recommendation of a daily intake of somewhere around 4,000iu to 6,000iu daily to maintain ideal vitamin D levels in the body.
If you or someone you care about is aging, then a vitamin D supplement is of clear potential benefit to their health of both body and mind. Pass the word. Consider how taking vitamin D might help you. It is always recommended that you consult your healthcare provider before taking any supplement for the first time.