Supporting Healthy Aging with Vitamins and Supplements

A few gray hairs and some more aches and pains are all signs that our body is starting to undergo the  normal process of aging. We are all striving to live a long and active life, plus learning to accept those gray hairs. We are living longer lives than previous generations (lifespan). But how healthy are we during the second half our of lives? There’s been a lot of buzz lately about starting to not just think about lifespan, but to also consider our health span. This means living a long life but being as healthy, active and mentally sharp as we can be.

Putting our health into focus in the present is a way to achieve a better health span.

Here are some vitamins and supplements that could support our bodies through the aging process and help us with healthy aging. And always talk to your health care provider and review your medications and health concerns before starting any vitamins or supplements.

Vitamin D

We can get Vitamin D from being out in the sun, from our diet and from taking vitamin D supplements. Many Americans are vitamin D insufficient, meaning their vitamin D level is not at the best level to support health. 

Estimates from 2018 data suggest that up to 40% of the population doesn’t have sufficient vitamin D levels. Why is this important? Vitamin D helps our bodies to use Calcium which supports the strength of our bones. Our bones, especially in women, become thinner as we age. Also, vitamin D supports our gut and has a strong role in supporting our immune system which keeps us from catching colds and flus. 

Vitamin D is difficult to get from just food and the sun alone and often requires that we take a vitamin D supplement to get that optimal level to support our health. 
Do you know your vitamin D level? Talk to your health care provider at your next well visit to see if the two of you feel it’s time to check your vitamin D level. This can be done through a simple blood test.

Berberine

Berberine has become a hot topic in the healthy aging realm. Berberine is a bitter substance found in many natural herbs and has been used in herbal therapy for thousands of years. 
Recent research shows that berberine can support healthy blood sugar levels when taken alone or used in conjunction with diabetes medications. Why is this important? According to the American Diabetes Association, over 16.5 million Americans over 65 have diagnosed or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, also known as high blood sugar, can cause harm to many organs and parts of our body. 

Berberine may also help lower our bad cholesterol (LDL) which can help support our heart health. This supplement is usually well tolerated but can cause some digestive upset.

Resveratrol

Reservatrol is a polyphenol, a strong antioxidant that’s found in nature, and is present in red wine. So is your glass of red wine a “health tonic?” An occasional glass of red wine can have some health benefits but it’s best to get your reservatrol through a supplement.  

This powerful antioxidant protects the body for oxidative stress. Oxidative stress causes damage to our cells and tissues. The damage in the body from this can contribute to many diseases including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. 

We are exposed to many factors in our daily lives such as poor diet, smoking and exposure to things in our environment such as toxins and pollution. There are certain things that cause oxidative stress that we can’t avoid, but working on eating a clean healthy diet and not smoking can help us improve our health span.

CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, is an antioxidant that protects our cells from damage and can help with energy production in the body. CoQ10 plays a large role in protecting our heart and blood vessels known as the cardiovascular system. 

Cardiovascular disease is a concerning condition and risks of this increase with age. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 24% of adults ages 75 and over had some form of cardiovascular disease. 

CoQ10 is naturally made in our body and certain medications can deplete our body’s stores of this protective, energy-boosting antioxidant. High blood pressure medications (beta-blockers) and statins used for high cholesterol can deplete our body’s natural amounts of CoQ10. Many people have high blood pressure and it’s estimated that one in four adults over age 45 are on a statin medication. These medications can be necessary to help protect your heart and blood vessels from the damage caused by high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Adding in CoQ10 can be another way to protect your heart from further damage. CoQ10 supplements are usually well tolerated.

Additional Thoughts on Aging Well

We all wish there was a “magic bullet” of vitamins or supplements that will stop the aging process. These all can help support the other things we are doing to stay healthy and age well. Keeping our stress levels low, getting good sleep, drinking plenty of water, exercising and a good diet are all important to keep our body and mind performing at their best. Aging is going to happen; let’s focus on health span and age well, naturally.

References: NatMed Database: naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com, cdc.gov, diabetes.org, health.harvard.edu