One of the lesser known effects of vitamin D is that it activates the so-called longevity gene known as Klotho. As such, while vitamin D has been extensively studied for bone and immune health, there have been almost no in-vivo studies on its anti-aging effects. The study below is perhaps the first in-vivo study to show that vitamin D can reverse the aging phenotype while also extending maximum lifespan. The aging model used in this study was progeria, and the premature aging in that model has also been shown to be reversible by methylene blue, niacinamide and thyroid hormone (T3). Those findings once again implicate declining metabolism as the primary driver of the aging process and the primary factor controlling lifespan. Another little known fact is that the vitamin D family of receptors is a sub-family of the thyroid receptor family, which is another way of saying that vitamin D is a surrogate and potential substitute for the active thyroid hormone T3.
https://doi.org/10.1093/procel/pwag045
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1150135
https://www.newsweek.com/scientists-mice-vitamin-related-drug-aging-sign-reversed-12663243
“…The researchers treated mice with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), a rare condition that causes the rapid appearance of signs of aging, with calcipotriol, a drug that activates the vitamin D receptor (VDR).”
“…The study found that, in both natural aging and HGPS, SAT decline was caused by fewer adipocytes rather than a reduction in adipocyte size. The study also demonstrated that adipogenesis, the biological process that turns cells into mature fat cells, was enabled by VDR deficiency. Moreover, the findings suggest that supplementation with the VDR agonist calcipotriol counteracted VDR deficiency, rescued SAT loss, and even extended the lifespan of HGPS mice. The findings could have implications for future research into skin aging, as maintaining the fat beneath the skin may help address changes associated with its loss.”
