News flashes are posted here frequently to keep you up-to-date with the latest advances in health and longevity. We have an unparalleled track record of breaking stories about life extension advances.

• Vitamin D deficiency linked with reduced life expectancy
• Meta-analysis review affirms multivitamin/mineral benefits

Vitamin D deficiency linked with reduced life expectancy

December 03 2025. A recent study affirmed the association between insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels and decreased life expectancy compared with healthy levels of vitamin D. The findings were published November 22, 2025, in the Archives of Public Health. 

"Thus far, no study has quantified potential linkage of vitamin D to life expectancy, an absolute quantitative metric for population health," Quong Wang of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and colleagues wrote. "To fill in gaps in knowledge, we aimed to investigate how serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations could correlate with premature mortality and life expectancy in a nationally representative cohort of US adults."

Wang and associates examined data from 62,704 men and women who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). National Death Index information provided information concerning mortality through 2019.

In comparison with individuals who had sufficient serum vitamin D levels of 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) or higher, men and women who had insufficient levels between 20 ng/mL and30 ng/mL had a risk of premature mortality that was 18% greater. Moderately deficient levels between 10 ng/mL and 20 ng/mL were associated with a 60% greater risk and severely deficient levels of less than 10 ng/mL more than doubled the risk of premature mortality compared withvitamin D-sufficient individuals. At 50 years, men and women who had insufficient, moderately deficient or severely deficient vitamin D levels lived respective averages of 0.7, 2.1 and 4.4 fewer years compared with those who were sufficient. The association between low vitamin D levels and diminished life expectancy was stronger in women and in white adults. 

"This finding underscores the importance of monitoring vitamin D in circulation for primary prevention of chronic diseases and premature mortality in the US," the authors concluded. "This is a call for action that renewed focus on vitamin D and life expectancy is warranted."

—D Dye

Meta-analysis review affirms multivitamin/mineral benefits

December 01 2025. A review of meta-analyses that included a total of 5,535,426 men, women and children addedevidence to the effectiveness of the use of multivitamin/mineral formulas, yet concluded that targeted, personalized approaches are needed. The findings were reported in the January 2026 issue of Ageing Research Reviews.

Weilan Wang and colleagues at National University of Singapore reviewed 19 meta-analyses which included a total of 214 case-control, cohort and interventional studies that examined the effects of multivitamin/minerals on cardiovascular, cognitive, psychologic, immunologic, oncologic, ophthalmologic, musculoskeletal and reproductive systems, as well as pediatric health, mortality and viral respiratory illness.

Analysis of randomized, controlled trials determined that multivitamin/mineral use was associated with better global cognition, episodic memory and immediate recall in cognitively intact or older adults, decreased psychologic symptoms in healthy individuals and lower systolic blood pressure among people with high blood pressure or chronic diseases.Multivitamin/minerals decreased the number of infections in adult trial participants who were younger than 65 years of age and in older adult participants who were undernourished.

Among observational studies, the use of multivitamin/minerals was associated with lower risks of cataracts, coronary heart disease, colorectal cancer in adults, and hip fracture in adults, including those hospitalized with osteoporotic hip fracture. Meta-analyses of studies that evaluated the use of multivitamin/mineral formulas among pregnant women found reductions in the risks of giving birth to infants that were small for their gestational age, had neural tube defects or developed cancer.

"Subclinical micronutrient deficiencies, often undetectable without biomarker testing, can compromise long-term health and accelerate aging," Wang and associates observed.

"Future studies should prioritize well-designed randomized controlled trials and personalized approaches that account for individual nutritional status, mobility limitations, and chronic health conditions," they recommended. "Such strategies may better optimize the role of multivitamin/minerals in supporting healthy longevity."

—D Dye

What's Hot Archive