Have you ever wondered whether you should take a multivitamin?
A new study provides strong evidence that if you choose the right supplement formula, it not only prolongs your life, but makes your senior years healthier.
The discovery was announced in an article by Dr. Bruce Ames. He’s a senior scientist at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute.
Dr. Ames reviewed numerous studies. Some were from his own laboratory. Others came from different institutions.
He concluded that some vitamins and other nutrients can be categorized as “longevity vitamins.” That’s because proteins required for good health can be classified as either “survival proteins” or “longevity proteins.”1
Dr. Ames says “survival proteins” support basic biological functions. “Longevity proteins” are involved in protecting against damage to the body. When we’re deficient in nutrients, the body favors producing survival proteins over longevity proteins. That leads to a higher risk of illness.
Longevity vitamins are the specific nutrients that support longevity proteins.
Dr. Ames hopes his research will lead to “the prevention of the degenerative diseases of aging.”2
These Nutrients Are Crucial for Long Life
Dr. Ames says there are certain vitamins and minerals that help ensure healthy aging and a longer lifespan.
Among the most important are:
- * Vitamin K
- Vitamin D
- * Magnesium
- * Selenium
- * Omega-3 fatty acids
These have multiple roles in keeping us healthy, such as maintaining cardiovascular health and repairing DNA They also inhibit damage to our cells from oxidative stress. If you take a multivitamin, make sure it has vitamins K and D, magnesium, and selenium. Omega-3s are not included in most multivitamins. So you’ll likely have to get them separately in a fish oil supplement.
One of Dr. Ames’s most important discoveries involved deficiencies of vitamin K and selenium. People lacking these nutrients have a higher risk of dying earlier, especially from cardiovascular problems.
Although not really “vitamins,” he also adds another 11 compounds to his “longevity vitamins” list:
- Astaxanthin
- Lutein
- Taurine
- Beta-cryptoxanthin
- Beta-carotene
- Alpha-carotene
- Lycopene
- Zeaxanthin
- Queuine
- Pyrroloquinoline
- Ergothioneine
All of these are available in supplements.
In addition to supplements, Dr. Ames also stresses the importance of diet. He recommends that you should “try to do what your mother told you…” eat veggies and fruit and “give up sugary soft drinks and empty carbohydrates.”
Editor’s Note: Recent studies show that the symptoms of aging are just like any others. They can be treated or eliminated. Go here to discover specific ways you can stop the clock – and even turn it back.
Related Articles
Do Prewashed Greens Lose Vitamins?
This is the Best Sport for a Longer Life
What’s the Best Time of Day to Take Your Vitamins?
Like this Article? Forward this article here or Share on Facebook.
References:
1 http://www.pnas.org/content/115/43/10836
2 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323373.php