Anti-Aging Vitamins: The Complete List
Aging is a process most people would like to slow. However, while aging is inevitable, increasing the human lifespan and slowing the aging process has been a center of scientific research for a very long time now. What happens is that low-level inflammation causes oxidative stress in the body, leading to many chronic conditions. The most effective anti-aging vitamins and supplements work to counteract the damage caused by this oxidative stress.
While scientists have identified many substances with anti-aging properties, here's an exhaustive list of those vitamins that can be taken as supplements and help decelerate the aging process and prevent age-related disease.
The Anti-Aging Vitamins List:
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a trusted source to boost the immune system by manufacturing new cells. In the skin, dosing Vitamin C protects against oxidative stress. Barring mega dosing Vitamin C, the vitamin is even protective against premature aging. That makes it a powerful antioxidant.
Vitamin C can also be used as a lightener to address "liver spots" and darkening around the eyes, which are also signs of aging.While Vitamin C can be found in food or taken in supplement form, the daily recommended amount for an adult the daily upper limit of vitamin C is 2,000 mg. While for teens, it is 1,800 mg, for children, with a range between 400 to 1,200 mg per day.
However, consumption of excessive amounts, also known as mega dosing Vitamin C. Studies, has shown that vitamin C absorption decreases to less than 50% when taking quantities greater than 1000 mg. It can cause side effects, including but not limited to vomiting, headache, heartburn, insomnia, nausea, and diarrhea. In some cases, it overloads individuals with hemochromatosis, a hereditary condition causing excessive iron in the blood. While Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, but mega dosing Vitamin C is never recommended.
Vitamin D
One of the more popular anti-aging vitamins is known to be a critical vitamin for athletes.Vitamin D deficiency is a direct cause of aging, such as cognitive decline, depression, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, so it becomes crucial to ensure adequate consumption.
Not just a significant anti-aging vitamin, specifically, vitamin D helps improve bone health while aiding calcium. It also increases muscle mass and strength, the number of muscle fibers used for short bursts of speed and power, regulates the immune system and protects the immune system against certain diseases. Vitamin D even plays a crucial role in brain development and cognitive performance, with several vitamin D receptors being identified in regions of the brain that affect cognition and mood.
One way you can keep track of your Vitamin D levels is by checking your blood levels. With the recommended daily intake being 600 IU, any dose below that will be termed Vitamin D Deficiency.
Vitamin E
Similar to Vitamin D & K, Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin E is another critical antioxidant because it protects cell membranes and prevents damage to enzymes associated with them. Vitamin E functions by protecting against collagen crosslinking and stops the oxidation of lipids linked to both aging and the skin hence promoting anti-aging. It is essential to treat wrinkles, dark spots, and skin elasticity. However, given that Vitamin E can reach toxic levels in the body if unchecked, these fat-soluble vitamins need to be closely monitored. Vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, grains, oats, nuts, and dairy products are some natural sources of vitamin E.
NMN or Nicotinamide Mononucleotide
NAD+ or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a compound found in every cell in your body. It is involved in many critical processes, including energy metabolism, DNA repair, and gene expression. The precursors to (NAD+) are Nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). NAD+ levels decline with age, which is associated with accelerated physical decline. However, NMN can be added directly to cells without converting to NAD.
Choosing to supplement NMN and NAD provides a more direct path to promoting cell metabolism. It is a quicker means of promoting anti-aging. In addition, nicotinamide mononucleotide also improves insulin activity and production, resulting in additional metabolic benefits. In particular, NMN supplements can help alleviate metabolic conditions like diabetes, fatty liver disease, and obesity and thus lengthen longevity.
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a polyphenol in grapes, berries, and peanuts and is known as the "red wine" chemical. Sirtuins are proteins that keep cells healthy, and the Sirt1 (sirtuin1) gene governs cellular longevity. Resveratrol activates these specific genes called sirtuins, which have increased the lifespan of fruit flies and yeasts in scientific studies.
With its beneficial effects of calorie restriction, resveratrol helps ward off diabetes and heart disease conditions by promoting extended cell life. Most resveratrol supplements come from polygonum cuspidatum, a giant knotweed grown mainly in China and Japan, so the recommended dose for consumption lies between 100 mg and 1 gram per day.
Quercetin
The most abundant flavonoid found in the diet, Quercetin, is found explicitly in apples, onions, broccoli, and citrus fruit, tomatoes, broccoli, and asparagus. It is related to anti-aging properties and lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Quercetin helps to decrease the action of free radicals and cellular aging. This unique flavonoid acts as a real natural anti-age, particularly in combating premature skin aging, including the appearance of wrinkles, spots, and sagging.
It is known for its anti-inflammatory and immunoprotected and helps to reduce the damage of solar radiation on the skin. That is one of the first causes of the appearance of spots, signs, and wrinkles.
Fisetin
A flavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, apples, grapes, and onions, Fisetin is the most potent senolytic compound. Senolytics promote anti-aging, and Fisetin, a plant extract, is an excellent source of it.
Fisetin can slow degenerative aging processes for decades with its own set of unique biological properties. It even helps protect against cancer, Type II diabetes, and obesity and in human research to improve outcomes in stroke victims. By helping prevent malignant changes in cells, Fisetin clears away dysfunctional senescent cells and allows healthy cells to thrive.
Hyaluronic Acid
A powerful moisturizer, Hyaluronic acid is known to keep your skin glowing and hydrated. In our youth, our skin retains water and balances the moisture. As we age, we tend to lose this ability. This results in a visible loss of firmness, pliability, and a diminished appearance of plumpness and suppleness.
Hyaluronic acid has powerful anti-aging properties too. It is used as a natural alternative to synthetic fillers. Hyaluronic acid's moisture-binding characteristic is significant for skin aging. A natural ingredient produced by the body and is found everywhere in the body, it is also an enormously effective antioxidant by managing the free radicals in the skin cells, protecting them from damage.
Curcumin
This element has now been known to possess powerful anti-aging properties. Its potent antioxidant potential helps delay cellular senescence and promotes longevity. It is abundantly found in turmeric, an ancient Indian spice that gives curry its yellow color. By taking curcumin supplements and including turmeric in food recipes, one can increase your curcumin intake. By ingesting 1-gram supplements daily with high curcumin content, get ready to bid goodbye to arthritis and bone loss too.
Any vitamin is a good vitamin if it makes you feel good, healthy, and energetic. A great test is to check your energy levels over 3-6 months period. Curcumin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, nicotinamide mononucleotide, and resveratrol are just some of the supplements that have been shown to offer anti-aging effects and help slow the aging process. However, it is always important to understand that while aiding with supplements may help, the best way to promote longevity is to consume a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and reduce stress.