As we start aging, it starts becoming more and more difficult for the body to continue gathering all the nutrients it needs from the food we eat. The demands of the body also increase with age and it becomes problematic to get all the nutrients we need from food alone. The various changes in the body that occur as it ages affect many aspects of our health. Not only does aging impact the way we feel and look, but it also has an influence on the exact nutrients and the amounts of these nutrients we need. Taking supplements can make it easier to meet the daily nutritional needs of your body as you age, thus ensuring that you remain in the best of health. Here are some of the best supplements you need for healthier aging.
Best Supplements For Healthier Ageing
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Collagen
One of the most important, and often ignored, supplements that you need for healthy aging of your skin is collagen. Collagen is a protein that has many functions in our body, one of which is to maintain the structure of the skin. Even though collagen is produced naturally in the body, its production begins to slow down as we age. This accelerates the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.(1, 2, 3)
Some studies have shown that using collagen supplements may reduce the appearance of signs of aging including dry skin and wrinkles.(4) For example, a study published in October 2019 carried out research on 72 women participants for a period of 12 weeks to demonstrate whether taking a supplement containing 2.5 grams of collagen can improve the appearance of the skin? The supplement also contained many other ingredients including biotin and the women were administered the supplement every day. At the end of 12 weeks, the study found significant improvement in skin roughness, elasticity, and hydration.(5)
There have been many other studies conducted as well that have shown that taking collagen supplements can help improve the skin’s elasticity, increase hydration, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and even improve nail growth.(6, 7, 8)
While these results are quite promising, one has to look at the fact that many of these studies were sponsored by companies that actually manufacture collagen products, which might have had an influence on the results of these studies.
Collagen supplements are available in many different forms, including in capsules and powders.
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Calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral that has a critical role to play in ensuring good bone health.(9) Women, especially, are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis (bone loss) as they age. Taking a calcium supplement can be helpful in preserving bone density, especially if you are not getting enough calcium in your diet.(10)
Along with calcium, you may consider taking vitamin D supplements as well as it improves the body’s ability to absorb calcium. While purchasing supplements, keep an eye out as some supplements contain both calcium and vitamin D for maximum benefit.
Calcium supplements are available in many forms, and the form in which you consume the supplement also makes a difference. For example, if you are taking calcium carbonate supplements, you should ideally be taking them with your meals to boost absorption. Many older adults are often on stomach acid reducers, which prevent the proper absorption of calcium. On the other hand, calcium citrate supplements are easier to absorb, and therefore, do not need to be taken with food.
While studies show that increasing the intake of calcium as you age is directly associated with decreased bone loss and an increase in bone density, it still remains unclear whether these supplements can help prevent fractures and bone break in old age.(11, 12, 13, 14)
So even though calcium is important for bone density, it is not the only mineral that the body requires. Living a sedentary lifestyle and not getting sufficient weight-bearing exercise, smoking, and decreases in hormones like estrogen and testosterone in the body with age also have an impact on bone density.
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Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are an important type of heart-healthy fats that have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.(15) Several studies have even shown that omega-3 fats can actually help slow down the decline in brain health, while also protecting from degenerating conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.(16, 17)
Apart from this, omega-3 fatty acids are also known to help reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis and also play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.(18, 19)
While it is possible to meet your requirements for omega-3 fatty acids by including foods like fatty fish in your diet, you can also take supplements of fish oil, algal oil, or krill oil to get this essential fat.
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Curcumin
You might not have heard of curcumin supplements since they are still not very popular. Curcumin is the main active compound found in turmeric and it is known to possess some potent cellular protective properties. The supplement has powerful antioxidant effects and can play a major role in slowing down aging.
Curcumin activates certain proteins in the body that are known to help delay cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is a process that occurs when the cells of the body stop dividing. As you get older, senescent cells start to accumulate in the body, which actually accelerates the process of aging as well as disease progression.(20, 21) Studies in both humans and animals have shown that curcumin fights against cellular damage and it can dramatically increase life span. In fact, curcumin has been shown to postpone many types of age-related illnesses and also provide relief from age-related symptoms.(22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
You can either increase your curcumin intake by adding fresh or dried turmeric to your cooking or you can also take curcumin or turmeric supplements.
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Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a powerful antioxidant that is produced naturally by the body. CoQ10 is known to play a critical role in the body’s energy production and it also protects against cellular damage.(27)
Studies have shown that the levels of CoQ10 start declining as you get older. Taking supplements of CoQ10 can help improve many aspects of health in older adults. For example, a four-year-long study carried out on 443 older adults showed that using supplements containing CoQ10 and selenium dramatically boosted the overall quality of life, slowed down the physical and mental deterioration in the participants, and also reduced the number of hospital visits.(28)
CoQ10 supplements work by decreasing oxidative stress in the body, which is a condition marked by a build-up of free radicals that speeds up the process of aging and also accelerates the onset of various age-related diseases.(29)
CoQ10 supplementation can also be good for heart health as it reduces the stiffness in the arteries, prevents the buildup of oxidized cholesterol in the arteries, and also lowers blood pressure.(30)
Conclusion
While taking certain supplements can help slow down the aging process and also improve the overall quality of life as you get older, it is equally important to follow a healthy lifestyle and diet at the same time. Supplements like curcumin, vitamin D, CoQ10, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, collagen, and many others are just some of the substances that are known to have age-supportive effects on the body. However, no matter how many supplements you take, remember that the best way to increase your longevity and improve your overall health is to take good care of your body by eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet, avoid following a sedentary lifestyle, and also manage your stress levels better.
- Verzár, F., 1964. Aging of the collagen fiber. International review of connective tissue research, 2, pp.243-300.
- Pashley, D.H., Tay, F.R., Yiu, C.K.Y., Hashimoto, M., Breschi, L., Carvalho, R.M.D. and Ito, S., 2004. Collagen degradation by host-derived enzymes during aging. Journal of dental research, 83(3), pp.216-221.
- Verzár, F., 1963. The aging of collagen. Scientific American, 208(4), pp.104-117.
- Lupu, M.A., Gradisteanu Pircalabioru, G., Chifiriuc, M.C., Albulescu, R. and Tanase, C., 2020. Beneficial effects of food supplements based on hydrolyzed collagen for skin care. Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 20(1), pp.12-17.
- Bolke, L., Schlippe, G., Gerß, J. and Voss, W., 2019. A collagen supplement improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, blind study. Nutrients, 11(10), p.2494.
- Choi, F.D., Sung, C.T., Juhasz, M.L. and Mesinkovsk, N.A., 2019. Oral collagen supplementation: a systematic review of dermatological applications. Journal of drugs in dermatology: JDD, 18(1), pp.9-16.
- Jhawar, N., Wang, J.V. and Saedi, N., 2020. Oral collagen supplementation for skin aging: A fad or the future?. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 19(4), pp.910-912.
- de Miranda, R.B., Weimer, P. and Rossi, R.C., 2021. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. International Journal of Dermatology, 60(12), pp.1449-1461.
- Cormick, G. and Belizán, J.M., 2019. Calcium intake and health. Nutrients, 11(7), p.1606.
- Pouresmaeili, F., Kamalidehghan, B., Kamarehei, M. and Goh, Y.M., 2018. A comprehensive overview on osteoporosis and its risk factors. Therapeutics and clinical risk management, pp.2029-2049.
- Tai, V., Leung, W., Grey, A., Reid, I.R. and Bolland, M.J., 2015. Calcium intake and bone mineral density: systematic review and meta-analysis. Bmj, 351.
- Bailey, R.L., Zou, P., Wallace, T.C., McCabe, G.P., Craig, B.A., Jun, S., Cauley, J.A. and Weaver, C.M., 2020. Calcium supplement use is associated with less bone mineral density loss, but does not lessen the risk of bone fracture across the menopause transition: data from the study of Women’s health across the nation. JBMR plus, 4(1), p.e10246.
- Bolland, M.J., Leung, W., Tai, V., Bastin, S., Gamble, G.D., Grey, A. and Reid, I.R., 2015. Calcium intake and risk of fracture: systematic review. Bmj, 351.
- Yao, P., Bennett, D., Mafham, M., Lin, X., Chen, Z., Armitage, J. and Clarke, R., 2019. Vitamin D and calcium for the prevention of fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA network open, 2(12), pp.e1917789-e1917789.
- Gammone, M.A., Riccioni, G., Parrinello, G. and D’orazio, N., 2018. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: benefits and endpoints in sport. Nutrients, 11(1), p.46.
- Marti, A. and Fortique, F., 2019. Omega-3 fatty acids and cognitive decline: A systematic review. Nutr. Hosp, 36, pp.939-949.
- Canhada, S., Castro, K., Perry, I.S. and Luft, V.C., 2018. Omega-3 fatty acids’ supplementation in Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic review. Nutritional neuroscience, 21(8), pp.529-538.
- Loef, M., Schoones, J.W., Kloppenburg, M. and Ioan-Facsinay, A., 2019. Fatty acids and osteoarthritis: different types, different effects. Joint Bone Spine, 86(4), pp.451-458.
- Jain, A.P., Aggarwal, K.K. and Zhang, P.Y., 2015. Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 19(3), pp.441-5.
- Liochev, S.I., 2015. Which is the most significant cause of aging?. Antioxidants, 4(4), pp.793-810.
- He, S. and Sharpless, N.E., 2017. Senescence in health and disease. Cell, 169(6), pp.1000-1011.
- Lee, S.H., Lee, J.H., Lee, H.Y. and Min, K.J., 2019. Sirtuin signaling in cellular senescence and aging. BMB reports, 52(1), p.24.
- Bielak-Zmijewska, A., Grabowska, W., Ciolko, A., Bojko, A., Mosieniak, G., Bijoch, Ł. and Sikora, E., 2019. The role of curcumin in the modulation of ageing. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(5), p.1239.
- Bielak-Zmijewska, A., Grabowska, W., Ciolko, A., Bojko, A., Mosieniak, G., Bijoch, Ł. and Sikora, E., 2019. The role of curcumin in the modulation of ageing. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(5), p.1239.
- Bahrami, A., Montecucco, F., Carbone, F. and Sahebkar, A., 2021. Effects of curcumin on aging: Molecular mechanisms and experimental evidence. BioMed Research International, 2021.
- Chen, Y., Liu, X., Jiang, C., Liu, L., Ordovas, J.M., Lai, C.Q. and Shen, L., 2018. Curcumin supplementation increases survival and lifespan in Drosophila under heat stress conditions. BioFactors, 44(6), pp.577-587.
- Hernández-Camacho, J.D., Bernier, M., López-Lluch, G. and Navas, P., 2018. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in aging and disease. Frontiers in physiology, 9, p.44.
- Johansson, P., Dahlström, Ö., Dahlström, U. and Alehagen, U., 2015. Improved health-related quality of life, and more days out of hospital with supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 combined. Results from a double blind, placebo-controlled prospective study. The journal of nutrition, health & aging, 19, pp.870-877.
- Pizzino, G., Irrera, N., Cucinotta, M., Pallio, G., Mannino, F., Arcoraci, V., Squadrito, F., Altavilla, D. and Bitto, A., 2017. Oxidative stress: harms and benefits for human health. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2017.
- Rabanal-Ruiz, Y., Llanos-González, E. and Alcain, F.J., 2021. The use of coenzyme Q10 in cardiovascular diseases. Antioxidants, 10(5), p.755.
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