Biological Aging 101
By Editorial Staff
As we've noted on several previous occasions, biological aging is different than chronological aging. You can't control your chronological age – every day, you get another day older. But biological aging is based on variables you can control; lifestyle variables such as what you eat, how well you manage stress, and much more. More specifically, as recent research suggests, consider vitamin D, omega 3 and exercise.
Researchers examined the individual and collective impact of vitamin D, omega-3 and exercise on "DNA methylation clocks of biological aging in older adults": 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D, 1 g of omega-3 fatty acids per day, and a home exercise program (three 30-minute sessions per week). Study participants included generally healthy and active seniors ages 70 and older from five countries. The intervention period lasted three years and participants' health was assessed at multiple points: annual examinations, bloodwork and telephone calls.
Findings, published in the research journal Nature Aging, indicate that omega-3 supplementation alone, and when combined with vitamin D supplementation and exercise, "slow biological aging." What does that mean in simpler terms? Instead of "slow biological aging," think "increase health span." Pretty cool, right?
