It’s probably not news to you that making some healthy lifestyle changes can affect not only your risk of illness, but also the longevity of his life. creating Healthy habitseating a nutrient-dense dietand even working out they are part of staying healthy and happy for as long as possible. And, according to a new review that was published by the BMJ, Taking vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acid supplements may also lower your risk of autoimmune diseases as you age.
In this review, researchers evaluated 25,871 patients: 12,786 men older than 50 years and 13,085 women older than 55 years, all with mixed racial and ethnic backgrounds. They were divided into groups of taking either a vitamin D supplement or a placebo, and an omega-3 fatty acid or a placebo, and assessed each participant’s incidence of autoimmune disease over a median of 5.3 years.
The results indicated that the group taking vitamin d supplement (either with or without omega 3 fatty acid supplements) saw a 22% reduction in autoimmune disease. Participants who took an omega-3 fatty acid saw a 15% reduced rate. While the omega-3 fatty acid supplements was not as significant compared to vitamin D, both still had “larger effects” compared to the placebo groups.
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How much supplementation is necessary?
Looking at the review, the vitamin D supplement group took 2,000 international units (IU) a day, which is equivalent to 50 micrograms. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 15 micrograms for adults age 70 and younger, and 20 micrograms for older adults. Although this vitamin D supplement exceeds the RDA, the tolerable upper intake level, the maximum amount of a vitamin that you should take before risk serious side effects—it’s 100 micrograms, which is 4,000 IU.
For omega-3 fatty acids, participants received 1,000 milligrams (equivalent to one gram) daily. The recommended daily dose of omega-3 is 1.6 grams per day for men and 1.1 grams per day for women, so the supplement almost reaches the necessary amount of omega 3 for one person in one day.
By taking these supplements daily, the groups saw a decreased risk of developing autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, autoimmune thyroid disease, psoriasis, among others.
While taking a supplement can be a helpful way to get the necessary nutrients you need as you age, dieticians recommend first getting your daily vitamins from natural sources, such as food and, in the case of vitamin D, sunlight . You can get some vitamin d from fatty fish, egg yolks, wild mushrooms, and fortified foods. Omega-3 fatty acids are even easier to get from foods like salmon, grass-fed beef, spinach, winter squash, and much more.
However, if you are not getting enough of these nutrients from your diet alone, it is imperative that you speak with your doctor before incorporating any supplements into your routine, so be sure to consult a medical professional before making any changes to your supplement newspaper.
