Can Vitamin D Reverse Aging?

Q: I’ve seen several posts online claiming that vitamin D can reverse aging. Is that true?

If you’re deficient in vitamin D, then vitamin D might be able to slow certain aging processes. But if you already have sufficient levels, there’s no strong evidence that extra vitamin D will reverse or slow aging.

For instance, you need vitamin D for collagen and elastin production. If you have insufficient levels, you’ll probably see more skin aging.

One of the hallmarks of aging is telomere length. Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of your chromosomes. Every time a cell divides, the telomere shortens.  

As we age, telomeres become shorter, and we see more errors and mutations in DNA. If you can keep telomeres long, you’re less likely to see DNA damage and aging outcomes.

There are certain things that may accelerate telomere shortening, like sleep deprivation, stress, pollution, eating a processed diet, and not exercising. Then there are habits like resistance training and other exercises that can slow down telomere shortening over time.

In a study published in July, researchers tested the white blood cells of more than 900 people enrolled in a larger clinical trial on vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation. Half the participants took 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.

The group that took the supplements lost 140 fewer DNA base pairs, which reduces the risk of errors and mutations that can lead to cell dysfunction. People who took vitamin D supplements also had longer telomeres. That’s why some people are hypothesizing that vitamin D can slow aging.

Telomere shortening is just one of 12 proposed mechanisms of aging. All potential mechanisms have strengths and weaknesses, and scientists don’t agree on what drives aging.