When you think about aging well, you might consider factors like diet, exercise, and sleep. However, there’s one small nutrient you might be overlooking in the quest for longevity: vitamin D. Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D supports not only your bones but also immune function, inflammation control, and cellular health — all of which affect how well (and how long) we live. Still, one in four people has inadequate vitamin D levels for proper bone health and overall wellness.
Fortunately, with a few simple lifestyle changes and supplementation with a science-backed product like NOVOS Core, you can start gradually improving your vitamin D levels. Over time, you’ll build a foundation for healthy aging and a life that energizes you instead of draining you.
Why Is Vitamin D So Important?
Vitamin D is essential for good health. Among other functions, it helps your body absorb the calcium you need for strong bones and osteoporosis prevention.
Your body also needs vitamin D for healthy muscle movement, immune function, and nervous system processes. It may even protect you from chronic inflammation and cellular damage over time. Research shows that taking vitamin D supplements has a positive effect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Why Vitamin D Becomes More Important as You Age
As we get older, our bodies’ ability to produce vitamin D declines. Although sunshine is one of the best natural ways to trigger the production of this essential nutrient, our skin becomes less efficient at converting sunlight into vitamin D. Other factors impacting vitamin D levels may include:
- Lack of time spent outdoors
- Low dietary intake of vitamin D
- Declining absorption in the gut
Low vitamin D levels may lead to a wide range of chronic diseases — not only osteoporosis but also cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Some studies link low vitamin D levels with shorter telomeres, a marker of biological aging.
What Are Normal Vitamin D Levels — and Does It Change with Age?
A simple blood test can reveal Vitamin D levels, specifically looking at the amount of circulating vitamin D in the body (called 25-hydroxyvitamin D). Results, shown as nanograms per milliliter, are typically categorized as follows:
- Below 20 ng/mL: deficient
- 20–40 ng/mL or 30–50 ng/mL: may be adequate for many, although many experts advise 40–60 ng/mL for immune and longevity benefits
- Over 50 ng/mL: potentially excessive
For adequate immune health and longevity, you may wish to aim for levels at least 40–60 ng/mL as you age. Your optimal levels may depend on your age, skin tone, health history, and time spent in the sun. Getting tested is the best way to establish a baseline and determine how much vitamin D per day is best for your needs.
How Much Vitamin D Per Day Do You Need?
The recommended daily amount of vitamin D, measured as international units (IU), varies by age:
- Children up to 12 months: 400 IU
- Children and adults ages 1 to 70: 600 IU
- Adults over 70: 800 IU
However, some experts say those numbers are on the low side. In a narrative review published in Nutrients, researchers found that daily vitamin D supplementation with 2,000 IU may be a safe and effective way to treat vitamin D deficiency in adults.
Because vitamin D comes from sunlight, supplements, and food, it’s important to consider how much vitamin D you’re getting from all sources. Fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods can help, but it’s often challenging to get enough vitamin D through diet alone.
People who have darker skin, spend more time indoors, or live in areas with less sun may also struggle to get enough vitamin D. If you think you might be falling short of the daily RDA, consider supplementation to boost your levels.
Does Vitamin D Slow Aging?
You’re getting your daily dose of sunshine, you’re eating foods high in vitamin D like oily fish and egg yolks — maybe you’re even taking a vitamin D supplement. But is it enough to slow aging? The science on vitamin D and longevity is promising, with research suggesting that vitamin D can help with the following:
- Vitamin D may reduce chronic low-grade inflammation, or “inflammaging,” a key driver of many age-related diseases.
- It supports mitochondrial function, helping your cells produce energy and repair damage.
- It may help safeguard against cognitive decline and age-related brain changes.
- Vitamin D supplementation may be linked with slower epigenetic aging.
Keeping vitamin D levels within optimal ranges is crucial to experiencing longevity benefits. With adequate levels, you may slow down some of the internal processes that contribute to aging, increasing healthspan and lifespan.
How NOVOS Core Supports Your Body’s Vitamin D Function
Whether due to lifestyle factors like working indoors or age-related declines, many people struggle to get enough daily vitamin D. With NOVOS Core, you can support healthy aging with ingredients that work in sync with other supplements and foods — supporting cellular repair, enhancing mitochondrial function, and reducing inflammation.
While NOVOS Core doesn’t contain vitamin D itself, it’s part of a holistic longevity regimen that supports healthy aging, with ingredients that target the 12 root causes of aging. For example, it contains magnesium, which helps activate vitamin D in the body, and vitamin C, which supports immune function and acts as an antioxidant. Meanwhile, NOVOS Boost contains NMN, which enhances energy and protects DNA by boosting the body’s natural NAD+ production.
Together with smart lifestyle choices — including healthy sun exposure, regular movement, and vitamin D supplementation — NOVOS Core helps create the conditions for healthier aging from within.
The Takeaway: Small Changes Add Up to Longevity Gains
Vitamin D may seem like a simple supplement, but it’s one of the most impactful when it comes to aging well. Many people don’t realize they have low levels, which can affect everything from immune health to cognitive function and cellular aging. Yet it’s easy to test, supplement, and optimize — and, over time, you can boost your vitamin D levels and optimize your health and longevity.
If you haven’t checked your vitamin D levels lately (or ever), talk to your doctor or order an at-home test. For a well-rounded approach to aging better and staying healthier for longer, combine diet and lifestyle changes with targeted supplementation, using NOVOS Core to support your body from the inside out. It helps fill the gaps and aids your body’s repair systems — so you can stay stronger, longer.
