Vitamin D3 has a very important role in maintaining bone health, the immune system and cognitive function, especially in the elderly.
Taking vitamin D3 for the elderly should be under the supervision of a doctor to ensure optimal benefits without side effects. Combining vitamin D3 intake with the adoption of a healthy lifestyle helps in leading a more active and quality life.
1. Maintains Bone Health
Vitamin D3 is popularly known as the sunshine vitamin because of its role in the body’s absorption and utilization of calcium for bones. Consuming vitamin D3 can maintain bone strength and mobility while improving quality of life.
- Increases calcium absorption, in the elderly calcium absorption tends to decrease and results in low bone density and increased risk of fractures. With adequate vitamin D3 intake in the elderly, it can increase the body’s ability to absorb calcium from food in maintaining healthy bone density.
- Maintaining osteoporosis, the sign is low bone density and high risk of fractures. Consumption of vitamin D3 together with calcium can strengthen bones, prevent loss of bone density and reduce the risk of fractures so that bones remain strong.
- Reduces the risk of falls, serious fractures in the elderly are caused by falls. Consuming vitamin D3 has a role in reducing this risk through increasing muscle strength and body balance.
- Supports fracture healing, fractures experienced by humans are sufficient vitamin D3 because it can help attack calcium and other minerals needed by the body to repair and strengthen damaged bones.
- Maintain joint health, not only bones but joint problems are also often experienced in the elderly such as osteoarthritis which gives the effect of pain as well as stiffness. Getting enough vitamin D3 intake can reduce pain and increase joint flexibility.
2. Heart Health and Diabetes
The increased risk of heart disease and types of diabetes in the elderly is caused by low levels of vitamin D3. The role of vitamin D3 in the body is able to maintain normal blood pressure, regulate blood sugar levels while improving blood vessel function.
- Maintain heart health, several ways vitamin D3 in maintaining heart health, the first is to regulate blood pressure to prevent hypertension which is known as a major factor in heart disease. The second way vitamin D3 with anti-information effects helps reduce inflammation in the walls of blood vessels thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. And the third way the role of vitamin D3 is the regulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in controlling blood pressure.
- Preventing type 2 diabetes, vitamin B3 to regulate blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. By getting enough vitamin D3 intake, it improves blood regulation and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes while improving the function of pancreatic beta cells that have the responsibility to produce insulin.
- Improving blood sugar balance, vitamin D3 improves blood sugar control and reduces changes in old healthy blood sugar levels due to the elderly with type 2 diabetes. This condition helps blood sugar to be stable and increases the sensitivity of body cells to insulin in optimizing the use of blood sugar by the body.
- Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in diabetics, the elderly have a very high risk of cardiovascular disease. Adequate intake of vitamin D3 helps improve blood lipid profile through increased HDL levels and decreased LDL levels as well as decreased triglyceride levels. It is known that vitamin D3 reduces systematic inflammation which is an important factor in cardiovascular disease.
- Improves vascular endothelial function, which is the inner lining of blood vessels that regulates blood flow and vascular function. Poor endothelial function is very risky for heart disease as well as diabetes complications. Through intake of vitamin D3, it improves endothelial function, maintains blood vessel elasticity and protects against damage caused by hypertension and inflammation.
3. Immune System
A strong immune system can fight infections and diseases. Vitamin D3 affects the production and function of immune cells in the immune system and reduces the risk of respiratory infections such as colds and flu.
- Improves immune response, the presence of vitamin D3 helps the body fight bacterial, viral and fungal infections and this affects the expression of genes associated with immune response including increased production of antimicrobials, anti-inflammatory cytokines and T and B cell activity.
- Reduces the risk of respiratory infections, adequate vitamin D3 intake in the elderly helps prevent respiratory infections such as colds, and upper respiratory tract infections.
- Increase immunity to autoimmune diseases, in general autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues and vitamin D3 which is known to have immunosuppressive effects can help reduce inflammation as well as tissue damage contained in autoimmune diseases.
- Reducing the risk of infections and complications, the elderly tend to have a resistant immune system and adequate vitamin D3 intake maintains immune function through activating and regulating immune responses. Consuming vitamin D3 can reduce the risk of infections such as pneumonia, and urinary tract infections.
- Strengthening the body’s defense against cancer, in vitamin D3 can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, stimulate apoptosis (cancer cell death) and inhibit angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels supplying tumors).
4. Improved Cognitive Function
A way to prevent Alzheimer for elderly disease, which is associated with decreased cognitive function is through taking vitamin D3. This cognitive function includes memory, concentration and information processing.
- Protection against cognitive decline, the role of vitamin B3 is quite important in the health of the brain and nervous system to protect it from oxidative damage, inflammation and oxidative stress that relate to age-related cognitive decline and also vitamin D3 has the ability to form and renew neural connections.
- Improve memory and cognition, by consuming enough vitamin D3 can improve memory, concentration and information processing abilities in the elderly. Vitamin D3 It increases the speed of thought and the ability to solve problems.
- Influence on mood and depression, one of the roles of vitamin D3 is to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood and mood regulation while maintaining hormonal balance and reducing the risk of depression. With a good mood can improve overall cognitive performance.
- Protection against neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are always associated with cognitive decline and the role of vitamin D3 can protect the brain from neurodegenerative damage while inhibiting the progression of the disease.
5. Improved Mouth And Better Emotional Wellbeing
A common problem that often occurs in the elderly is depression and anxiety. Consuming vitamin D3 can overcome this while improving overall quality of life.
- Produces the hormone of well-being, which is serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with mood regulation and emotional well-being. Serotonin production can increase when vitamin D3 intake is adequate in order to reduce symptoms of depression and promote more positive thoughts.
- Influence on depression, adequate vitamin D3 intake helps in maintaining hormonal balance and reduces the risk symptoms of depression.
- Regulation of anxiety, lack of vitamin D3 intake tends to increase higher anxiety and with adequate vitamin D3 intake can maintain hormonal balance as well as neurotransmitters in mood regulation.
- Improved deep sleep, adequate vitamin D3 intake can make sleep deeper and more quality. Sleep is essential for optimizing emotional well-being and positive mood.
- Protection against mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety fall into the category of mental disorders. Vitamin B3 plays an important role in the development and protection against mental disorders.