(BPT) - Longevity is one of the buzziest trends in wellness today, with a multitude of treatments and influential biohacking gurus promising to combat aging, extend lifespan, and improve the quality of your life. From headlines about "Blue Zones," which are places where studies show people typically live longer due to their diets and lifestyles, to reports about the latest longevity therapies like cold plunges, many people are interested in finding out how to live longer and healthier as they age.
Short of moving to a Blue Zone like Sardinia, what can the average person do to support longevity? While proper diet and nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management are proven foundations for a healthy lifestyle, it can be a challenge to balance those needs with the demands of everyday life. For example, not everyone is able to eat a balanced, nutritious diet every day to support their wellness goals.
That means supplements can help play a valuable role in meeting your essential nutrition needs. Additionally, when it comes to supporting longevity and healthspan - which is a measure of your healthy, active years - supplements can support key areas of cellular health, mobility support, and cognitive function.
"Cellular health, cognitive health and mobility are all tied to longevity," explains Brittany Michels, a Registered Dietitian nutritionist with The Vitamin Shoppe. "Cells are the building blocks of the body. The gradual decline of our cells is what ages our bodies and minds. Aging cells begin to lose function, their ability to efficiently respond to nutrients and remove waste, and signal to one another. This makes us more susceptible to physical and mental decline and disease. Diet, exercise, and supplementation are essential in supporting cellular health, and thus longevity."
While every person has unique wellness goals and should speak to a health professional about their individual supplement use, here are five products Michels recommends from The Vitamin Shoppe to optimize overall longevity and healthspan.
Cellular Health:
Life Extension Super Ubiquinol CoQ10 provides the benefits of CoQ10, an antioxidant that reduces cellular oxidative stress and helps provide energy to cells, in a highly bioavailable form. CoQ10 is important to the proper function of many organs in the body, so it's essential to maintain healthy levels as you age.
Jarrow Formula L-Carnitine Amino Acid promotes longevity by playing a key role in cellular energy metabolism and production. L-Carnitine is an amino acid found in high concentrations in heart and liver tissues, where it helps transform fats into energy. L-Carnitine works synergistically with CoQ10.
Cognitive Function:
VThrive The Vitamin Shoppe® KSM-66 Ashwagandha - Stress & Anxiety Support is a premium ashwagandha formula available exclusively at The Vitamin Shoppe. Long used in Ayurveda, a traditional form of alternative medicine based on Indian principles of natural healing, Ashwagandha is best known for its natural ability to reduce stress, which it does by lowering levels of cortisol (aka the stress hormone) in our body. But Ashwagandha has also been shown to support memory and cognitive function, improve attention span, and boost mental performance.
Mobility Support:
Doctor's Best Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM provides three important nutrients to support joints: glucosamine, chondroitin and Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Glucosamine supports joint mobility while chondroitin works to enhance joint comfort and lubrication. MSM supplies natural, bioavailable sulfur to support joint health - plus it provides beauty benefits for hair, skin, and nails.
Vibrant Health Joint Vibrance with Collagen & Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM Powder is a powder formula that can be used daily for the maintenance of healthy joints, bones, and cartilage. With an easy-to-drink blend of collagen, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin, glucosamine, and MSM, just mix it into your favorite beverage to complement your active lifestyle and help keep your joints functioning smoothly.
Always talk with your doctor about your supplement routine, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or on prescription medications. While there is no magic pill that will turn back the clock, boosting your health with these longevity supplements from The Vitamin Shoppe can support your goals for a longer, more active life.
