Vitamin D3 at Midlife- A Pro-Aging Wonder Supplement
As we age, it becomes more and more important to pay attention to our vitamin and mineral intake. We might not be able to get everything we need from diet alone, so supplements may become a necessary part of life. If you’re a woman over the age of 40, it’s time to start thinking about ensuring you get enough Vitamin D3 at midlife.
This essential vitamin has been shown to play a role in protecting against a variety of age-related diseases, from cognitive decline to cancer.
Vitamin D3 is also great for your skin, helping to keep it looking young and staying healthy at midlife.
Read on to learn more about this amazing vitamin and why you should make it a part of your daily routine.
What is Vitamin D3?
Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in very few foods. It can also be produced in the body when skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D3 is unique because it can be converted into an active form of the vitamin, which then helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus.
This process is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth.
Many of us use sunscreen every day, in hopes of preventing sun damage and premature aging of our skin. These sunscreens we use can impair Vitamin D3 production in our bodies.
During the winter months, it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D from sun exposure alone. I live in Canada, where we can often have limited sunshine during the winter months. That’s why I supplement with 2000 IU of vitamin D3 per day. I also try to get some additional vitamin D by eating foods such as fatty fish (such as salmon), eggs, mushrooms, and fortified dairy products.
Vitamin D3 and Disease Prevention
As we age, our bodies become less efficient at converting vitamin D3 into its active form.
This can lead to a deficiency in vitamin D3, which has been linked to a number of age-related diseases, including cognitive decline, depression, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
A recent study has also linked low vitamin D3 levels to pelvic organ prolapse in midlife women.
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and maintains adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal mineralization of bone and to prevent hypocalcemic tetany. Recent studies have shown that vitamin D3 supplementation can help improve bone health in postmenopausal women and reduce the risk of falls in older adults.
One study found that women who took a daily supplement of vitamin D3 (1000 IU) had significantly better scores on tests of cognitive function than women who took a placebo.
Vitamin D3 supplementation also plays an important role in muscle function, immune system health, and helps reduce inflammation.
There is also some evidence that vitamin D3 may help prevent or treat type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
While more research is needed in these areas, the evidence so far looks promising.
Vitamin D3 and Skin Health
If you’re a woman over the age of 40, chances are you’ve started to notice a few changes in your body. Perhaps you’re starting to see a few wrinkles that weren’t there before.
In addition to its many benefits for overall health, Vitamin D3 also offers some great benefits for the skin.
The active metabolites of vitamin D3 have been shown to exert a variety of antiaging and photoprotective effects on the skin.
These effects include reducing inflammation, increasing collagen production, and protecting against UV damage.
As we age, it’s important to do everything we can to keep our bodies healthy and strong. That’s why I’m such a big proponent of supplementing with vitamin D.
How much Vitamin D do we need at midlife?
The amount of vitamin D you need depends on several factors including your age, how much sun exposure you get, whether you have dark skin, and if you have any conditions that affect how your body processes or absorbs vitamin D.
According to Osteoporosis Canada: “Healthy adults between 19-50 years of age, including pregnant or breast feeding women, require 400 – 1,000 IU daily. Those over 50 or those younger adults at high risk (with osteoporosis, multiple fractures, or conditions affecting vitamin D absorption) should receive 800 – 2,000 IU daily.”
Those with darker skin tones will not synthesize Vitamin D from the sun as easily, so be sure to take this into consideration when you are supplementing.
As we age, it’s important to do everything we can to keep our bodies healthy and strong. This essential vitamin has been shown to play a role in preventing many age-related diseases, from cognitive decline to cancer.
The recommended amount depends on various factors but is generally between 600-2000 IU/day.
Vitamin D3 is essential for our bones, muscles, and immune system. Vitamin D3 is also great for your skin, helping to keep it looking young and healthy. It also plays an important role in cognitive function and mood. So, if you’re looking for a way to help keep your body healthy as you age, consider adding some extra vitamin D into your diet!
While I am a Registered Nurse, I am not your nurse and what I have outlined in this blog should not be used as medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether supplementing with Vitamin D3 is right for you.
Resources:
Meehan M, Penckofer S. The Role of Vitamin D in the Aging Adult. J Aging Gerontol. 2014 Dec;2(2):60-71. doi: 10.12974/2309-6128.2014.02.02.1. PMID: 25893188; PMCID: PMC4399494.
Yang T, Wang H, Xiong Y, Chen C, Duan K, Jia J, Ma F. Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Cognitive Function Through Reducing Oxidative Stress Regulated by Telomere Length in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A 12-Month Randomized Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2020;78(4):1509-1518. doi: 10.3233/JAD-200926. PMID: 33164936.
Legan, M., Barbič, M., Osredkar, J. et al. Association of vitamin D deficiency and pelvic organ prolapse in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study. womens midlife health 8, 9 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-022-00078-7
Bocheva G, Slominski RM, Slominski AT. The Impact of Vitamin D on Skin Aging. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021; 22(16):9097. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22169097
https://osteoporosis.ca/vitamin-d/
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=za1487#:~:text=Your%20body%20needs%20vitamin%20D,osteoporosis)%20in%20their%20later%20years.