According to the American Medical Association, at the turn of the 20th century, people lived an average of 47 years, and today the life expectancy is 77 years of age. Research in intervention of the aging process dates back to the 1930’s. The National Institute of Aging and the AARP have recognized the significance of anti-aging medicine as the leading frontier of health care in the 21st century. Biogerontology is the study of biology of aging where the ultimate goal is to discover ways to slow aging, increase life longevity, and to postpone multiple illnesses experienced in a person’s last decades of life.
Vitamins E, C, and D have been proven to help in the quest to stay healthy with age. Vitamin E is an antioxidant known to fight off free radicals. Certain free radicals in the body work to degrade protein, DNA, and other cells. This free radical damage has been linked to many processes and diseases involved with aging. Vitamin E may aid in reducing risk of stroke, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It is also a possible aid in fighting heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Vitamin C is known to improve health of blood vessels and reduce risk for heart disease. Vitamin C also has benefits for those with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Vitamin D improves absorption of calcium, and according to research conducted at Harvard, vitamin D improves bone health in older adults.
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