Researchers at Japan’s Osaka University published a new study examining the relationship between germ cells, aging, and sex, finding that vitamin D extended fishes’ lifespan, a result that is likely to translate to other vertebrates including humans.
Dr. Tohru Ishitani, a researcher on the study of Nothobranchius furzeri (also known as killifish), told Newsweek in an email that the study found, “Treatment with vitamin D extended the lifespan in both sexes in the turquoise killifish, N. furzeri.” The study, published in Science Advances on June 12, concluded that the “average lifespan was extended by 7% in females and 21% in males, respectively.”
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He explained, “Excessive treatment of vitamin D did not extend the lifespan of killifish, so it was important to treat the appropriate amount.” Dr. Ishitani noted that while it “has also been reported that an excessive increase in vitamin D has a negative effect on lifespan in mice,” the vitamin “has been used as a supplement for a long time, and as long as the amount is correct, it has little adverse effect on health.”
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Killifish have exceptionally short lifespans measured in weeks, making them a useful metric for a study analyzing aging. Researchers removed germ cells in both females and males to compare the biological responses.
In female killifish, “germ cell removal shortened lifespan, decreased estrogen, and increased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling,” the study said. In contrast, germ cell removal in males improved their health with increased vitamin D signaling, resulting in increased longevity.
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Dr. Michael Holick, a specialist in vitamin D research at Boston University’s Vitamin D, Skin, and Bone Research Laboratory, explained the vitamin D process to Newsweek in a phone interview: “When you make vitamin D in your skin from sun exposure or you ingest it, it goes to your liver and its converted to 25-hydroxy vitamin D, but then it goes to your kidney where it gets activated to the 125-dihydroxy vitamin D—that is the active form of vitamin D that causes signaling by interacting with the vitamin D receptor that is then going to the nucleus to unlock genetic information.” Vitamin D “by itself is inactive, it has to get activated first in the liver and then the kidney,” he explained.
He found the recent study’s findings to be unsurprising, as the beneficial effects and connection to increased longevity of vitamin D are “well documented.” He noted a previous study of worms (C. elegans) that showed they lived longer when given vitamin D “because it improved the protein status of the animal.” In addition, he highlighted that the latest Endocrine Society’s vitamin D recommendations state, “In the general population ages 75 years and older, we suggest empiric vitamin D supplementation because of the potential to lower the risk of mortality.”
Dr. Holick added, “There’s very good documentation that the higher your vitamin D status, the lower is your risk for mortality. And I believe that is for all ages.” He emphasized that vitamin D can improve neurocognitive function, reduce the risk of myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes, and lower the risk of autoimmune disorders.
In a similar vein, Purdue University Professor Majid Kazemian told Newsweek in an email Thursday: “Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with many diseases, and as a steroid hormone, vitamin D impacts many cellular processes, including anti-inflammation and anti-aging effects.”
He also pointed to the findings of other studies.
“Several studies in mice and other animal models have shown aging-related symptoms and premature aging due to vitamin D deficiency or inactivation of its receptor or activating enzyme.”
Vitamin D can be both produced and ingested. According to Dr. Holick: “We know that when you make vitamin D in your skin from sunlight, it lasts two to three times longer in your body than when you take it as an oral dose. But if you take vitamin D every day, it’s not an issue. But sunlight, we believe not only makes vitamin D in your skin, but has a lot of other potentially important effects.” He recommends “sensible sun exposure.”
Newsweek reached out to several other medical researchers for comment via email on Thursday.
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Update 6/14/24, 10:10 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from Professor Majid Kazemian.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.