Gum Health, DNA Protection & Other Lesser-Known Perks Of Vitamin D

Bone health, immune response, mood support—these are the benefits that most people associate with vitamin D. And while these physiological functions are certainly important, they're by no means the only ways in which this essential nutrient bolsters whole-body health. Here, we've compiled some lesser-known (but absolutely vital) vitamin D health benefits that you might not be aware of.

As it turns out, vitamin D3 supplements have been found to promote healthy, balanced levels of blood glucose2 and insulin sensitivity3 (as a reminder, insulin is the hormone that helps regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) in clinical trials.*

Vitamin D's positive effect on oral hygiene is, in my opinion, one of its most underrated health benefits.

Famous for its role in promoting bone health and integrity, vitamin D plays a similar part in tooth mineralization: It assists with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus—two minerals critical for building and maintaining strong teeth.

Speaking of underrated health benefits… Let's talk about vitamin D's vital role in gut health!

In a 2020 cross-sectional analysis from Nature Communications, scientists found greater gut microbiome diversity5 in men with higher levels of active vitamin D.

"The vitamin D pathway is important in the regulation of immune responses and gut health. There are different genes regulated by the vitamin D receptor that can affect the integrity of the gut barrier and the immune defenses in the gut. With deficiency of vitamin D, one could hypothesize that changes in these aspects of the gut could lead to changes in the composition of the microbiota," Adrian F. Gombart, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry at Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute, previously shared with mindbodygreen.

While I'm certainly a big fan of vitamin D's previously mentioned functions, we should all be shouting its role in healthy aging from the rooftops! 

Sustaining healthy levels of vitamin D can help you live a long and healthy life by regulating antioxidant activity, combating oxidative stress, balancing mitochondrial function, and literally protecting your DNA.

In a 2019 meta-analysis from Pharmacological Research, vitamin D supplementation, specifically, was found to help increase total antioxidant activity6 (including serum levels of master antioxidant glutathione) and promote oxidative balance throughout the body.*

A 2019 Biology review also shows that vitamin D signaling pathways literally protect proteins, fatty acids, and DNA7. The latter is critical for longevity, as the length of telomeres (the "caps" on the ends of DNA strands) is directly related to cellular aging.

Vitamin D supplements have also been found to play a role in increasing telomerase enzyme activity8 (which maintains telomere length and protects cells' ability to replicate).* What's more, a positive association between vitamin D sufficiency and telomere length was found in a 2017 study from the Archives of Medical Science.

Vitamin D supports everything from gut and oral health to blood sugar balance and longevity, but none of these benefits are possible if you're struggling to achieve sufficiency (like so many people are).*