20 ways to increase Healthspan (such as Vitamin D)

Please list in priority order those things that can increase healthspan - include # of years where available - Asked Perplexity AI Nov 2025

Top Tier: Lifestyle Factors with Strongest Evidence

1. Quitting Smoking (6-10 years) Smoking cessation is among the most impactful interventions for healthspan extension. Quitting at age 35 adds 6.9-8.5 years for men and 6.1-7.7 years for women. Even quitting at age 65 adds 1.4-2.0 years for men and 2.7-3.7 years for women. Those who quit before age 34 can potentially regain nearly a full decade of life.^1 2

2. Regular Exercise (0.4-7 years) Physical activity is one of the most powerful healthspan extenders. Regular exercise adds 0.4-4.2 years of life, with the greatest benefits from combining moderate and vigorous activity. Working out 2-4 times beyond recommended minimums (300-599 minutes/week of moderate activity) reduces all-cause mortality by 26-31% and cardiovascular mortality by 28-38%. Exercise enhances healthspan by reducing chronic disease risk, preserving muscle mass, and improving cardiovascular and cognitive function.^{3 4 5 6 7}

3. Mediterranean Diet (2-8 years) The Mediterranean diet is consistently the top-performing dietary pattern for healthspan. High adherence delays mortality by 6-8 years and reduces frailty and disability in older adults. Older adults following this diet have a 20% higher chance of living longer, translating to an estimated 2-3 additional years. In women, close adherence reduces early death risk by nearly 25% over 25 years.^8 9 10

4. Maintaining Healthy Weight (3.5-9 years) Compared to healthy weight individuals, obesity reduces life expectancy by 3.5 years in women and 4.2 years in men. Class III obesity (BMI >40) reduces life expectancy by 7.7 years in women and 9.1 years in men. Conversely, maintaining healthy weight throughout life significantly extends healthspan.^11 12

5. Strength Training (Substantial but unquantified years) Strength training is crucial for maintaining muscle mass and function with aging. Both elevated cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength reduce the risk of premature healthspan termination by 10-13%. Strength training preserves type II muscle fibers at levels similar to those in younger adults, prevents sarcopenia, and maintains metabolic health.^4 13 14

High Priority: Health Behaviors

6. Optimal Sleep Duration (Significant effect, years not quantified) Healthy sleep quality reduces the risk of premature healthspan termination by 15%. Sleeping 7-9 hours per night is optimal for longevity; less than 7 hours or more than 9 hours increases mortality risk. Sleep regularity may be even more important than duration, with regular sleepers showing 16-39% lower mortality risk.^15 16 17

7. Social Connection (Up to 42% mortality reduction) High social engagement is associated with 42% lower mortality risk compared to low engagement. Social connections reduce inflammation, lower cardiovascular disease risk, and slow biological aging. The Harvard Study of Adult Development found that strong relationships are among the most consistent predictors of longevity.^{18 19 20 21 22}

8. Blood Pressure Control (0.8-3 years) Intensive blood pressure control (systolic BP <130 mmHg) adds significant years to life. At age 50, intensive vs. standard BP control adds 2.9 years; at age 65, it adds 1.1 years; at age 80, it adds 0.8 years. Women maintaining systolic BP between 110-130 mmHg have the highest probability of reaching age 90.^23 24

Promising Interventions: Emerging Evidence

9. Caloric Restriction (10-35% lifespan extension in animals) Caloric restriction without malnutrition is one of the most robust interventions in animal models. When timed to the active circadian phase, it extended mouse lifespan by 35%. In humans, the CALERIE trial showed that 2 years of 25% caloric restriction attenuated biological aging independent of weight loss. The mechanism involves reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and improved metabolic health.^{25 26 27 28}

10. Intermittent Fasting \& Time-Restricted Eating (2.5 years biological age reduction) Three monthly cycles of fasting-mimicking diet reduced biological age by 2.5 years in humans. Intermittent fasting improves insulin sensitivity, reduces liver fat, and enhances immune function. Research suggests it may prevent age-related diseases and extend both lifespan and healthspan.^{26 29 30 31 32}

11. Vitamin D Supplementation (~3 years biological aging reduction) Taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily slowed telomere shortening equivalent to preventing nearly 3 years of biological aging over 4 years. Vitamin D supplementation was associated with decreased inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and advanced cancers.^33 34 35

12. Omega-3 Supplementation (3-4 months biological age reduction) Daily omega-3 supplementation for 3 years slowed biological aging by 3-4 months when measured by epigenetic clocks. When combined with vitamin D and exercise, the effect increased to nearly 4 months. Omega-3s also reduced fall rates by 10% and infections by 13% in seniors.^36 37

13. Cognitive Engagement (Moderate effect, years not quantified) Participating in cognitively stimulating activities (reading, puzzles, learning new skills) across multiple life domains is associated with better memory and reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment. Those in the highest third of cognitive engagement were half as likely to develop mild cognitive impairment over 5 years.^38 39

14. Sauna Use (40% mortality reduction with frequent use) Sauna bathing 4-7 times per week for 20+ minutes at 175°F+ reduces all-cause mortality by 40% and sudden cardiovascular death by 48% compared to once-weekly use. It also reduces Alzheimer's risk by 66% and improves cardiovascular health, reduces inflammation, and may extend healthspan through hormetic stress responses.^{40 41 42 43}

15. Good Dental Health (20-50% mortality reduction) Brushing teeth at night before bed reduced mortality risk by 20-35%, flossing daily by 30%, and regular dental visits by 30-50% in elderly adults. Poor oral health is linked to cardiovascular disease (20% higher risk), diabetes complications, and Alzheimer's disease. Those with 20+ teeth at age 70 have considerably higher life expectancy.^44 45 46

Experimental/Controversial: Limited Human Data

16. Metformin (4-6% lifespan extension in mice) Metformin extended mean lifespan by 5.83% in male mice when started at middle age. In humans with diabetes, metformin monotherapy is associated with 18% higher median survival compared to non-diabetics. However, evidence for lifespan extension in healthy humans remains controversial, though it may improve healthspan by reducing early mortality from various diseases.^47 48 49

17. Rapamycin (16-34% lifespan extension in mice) Rapamycin robustly extends lifespan in mice by 16-34% depending on dosing and sex. Combined with other interventions, it shows additive effects. However, evidence for healthspan extension in healthy humans is limited, with concerns about side effects including impacts on muscle building and inflammation.^50 51

18. NAD+ Precursors (Promising but unquantified) NAD+ supplementation (NR, NMN) improved healthspan and lifespan in ataxia models and shows promise for metabolic health, muscle function, and cognitive improvements in humans. However, results are variable and more research is needed to establish efficacy in healthy aging populations.^52 53

19. Resveratrol (10-50% lifespan extension in some models) Resveratrol extended median longevity in fruit flies by up to 50% and increased median survival in disease models. In humans, it improves metabolic health markers but evidence for lifespan extension remains controversial. Effects may be dose-dependent and require long-term studies.^{54 55 56 57 58}

Additional Supportive Interventions

20. Cold Exposure - Acts as hormetic stressor, improves autophagy, reduces inflammation, enhances immune function when exposure includes shivering^{59 60 61 62}

21. Stress Management - Chronic stress accelerates biological aging; meditation, yoga, and relaxation practices can counteract this^63 64

22. Avoiding Excessive Alcohol - Moderate drinking (5-15g/day) was associated with highest probability of reaching age 90, but newer studies suggest no longevity benefit and potential harm^65 66 67

23. Childhood Nutrition - Optimal early-life nutrition reduces chronic disease risk and enhances healthspan by supporting development during critical periods⁶⁸

Key Takeaways

The most impactful, evidence-based interventions are:

1. Never smoking or quitting early (up to 10 years)
2. Regular exercise (combining moderate and vigorous activity)
3. Mediterranean-style diet (2-8 years)
4. Healthy weight maintenance
5. Strength training (to preserve muscle mass)
6. 7-9 hours quality sleep
7. Strong social connections
8. Blood pressure control

These foundational lifestyle factors should be prioritized, as they have the strongest evidence and largest effects. Emerging interventions like intermittent fasting, vitamin D, and sauna use show promise but require more research. Experimental interventions like metformin and rapamycin lack sufficient human evidence for general recommendation.^{69 5 6 9 10 12 14 24 42 8 1 33 40 100 101 102 103 104 105 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99}

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Related in VitaminDWiki

• Low Vitamin D is worse for your health than smoking

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Vitamin D and aging on the web

• Targeting the Hallmarks of Aging with Vitamin D: Starting to Decode the Myth - March 2024