Essential Minerals for Anti-Aging: The Complete Guide

When I turned 50, I suddenly realized that I was not putting my health first (or even second or third), and was on just the right path to meet one of ‘the big four’ causes of mortality.

As I began my journey into researching how to increase my lifespan and – even more importantly – healthspan, I did not appreciate just how important anti-aging minerals and vitamins are.

They have the ability to actually help slow down the aging process.

Essential Anti-Aging Nutrients

I know this article is focusing on minerals, but let’s quickly mention vitamins, as they go together hand-in-hand.

What’s the difference?

• Vitamins are made by plants or animals and help fight infection, heal wounds, and regulate hormones.
• Minerals come from soil and water and are absorbed by plants and/or eaten by animals. They help regulate body processes and functions.

Vitamins for Aging Well

Vitamins are like the body’s handy helpers – they keep things running smoothly and help fight off nasties that make us age faster. Here’s the A-E on vits:

• Vitamin A is the most commonly used and studied anti-aging compound because it may reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps with vision, growth, reproduction, and immunity.

• B Vitamins keep your brain sharp and help give you the energy you need. They’re the unsung heroes of health. Dive deeper into B vitamins here.

• Vitamin C is your skin’s best friend. It’s all about keeping that bounce in your skin. And your immune system loves it. For more, find out why vitamin C is amazing.

• Vitamin D is like sunshine in a bottle. It keeps your immune system ticking and helps build bones, teeth, and muscles. When the sun’s playing hide and seek, supplements have your back. More on that in my vitamin D guide.

• Vitamin E: Helps protect cells from damage, boosts the immune system, and helps prevent blood clots.

You can find out more about vitamins for healthy aging if you’re interested.

Minerals for Age Management

Just like vitamins, minerals are here to help us stay young and healthy.

• Zinc is not just about banishing colds – it protects your skin and boosts the immune defenses. Learn more about zinc’s benefits.

• Copper does wonders for your skin’s snap-back and also helps keep the old gray matter sharp.

• Selenium is a warrior against inflammation and supports DNA production. It protects cells and supports thyroid, cognitive, reproductive, and immune health. Find out more about selenium anti-aging.

• Calcium – because who doesn’t want strong bones and teeth? It also helps your heart, muscles, and nerves function properly.

• Potassium helps regulate things like fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals. It also helps maintain a healthy heart rate and blood pressure.

• Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It’s also involved in repairing tissue, energy production, and heart rhythm. Find out more on magnesium benefits.

Adding these vitamins and minerals to meals, either via food or the best anti-aging supplements, will improve health and energy as we age. For more tips, head over to my anti-aging supplements guide.

What Foods Should I Eat?

Eating the right nutrient-rich foods can be a game-changer in tackling aging. Let’s dish out the top eats that’ll help us put our best face – and life – forward.

Avocado for Skin Health

Adding avocado to your meals can increase your skin’s firmness. Think I’m joking? Some research in 2022 found that munching an avocado a day for 8 weeks can give your skin a lift and make it more elastic (UCLA).

Olive Oil for Longevity

This is one we’ve all known about for a while – ever since people started looking into the Mediterranean diet. Where do you begin?

Olive oil helps lower blood pressure, reduces the level of bad LDL cholesterol in your arteries, has anti-inflammatory properties, and so much more.

It can also reduce your chances of heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis… I think we’re all agreed on this one!

Fish for Cognitive Decline

Oily fish, like salmon, are a good source of lean protein and, more importantly, omega-3 fatty acids. That makes them brain food! They support cognitive and motor development – brain development, function, and memory.

Some research also suggests that people who consume more omega-3s may have a lower risk of developing dementia.

Like olive oil, they can help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. They may protect joints and vision and reduce the risk of auto-immune diseases.

Green Tea for Aging

Green tea is packed with more antioxidants than your average brew, ready to shield your skin from that sunlit wrinkle-maker. But that’s not all it may help with:

• Brain health: May help protect against cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 
• Heart health: May improve cardiovascular health and lower cholesterol. 
• Bone health: May help lower the risk of osteoporosis. 
• Inflammation: May help with inflammatory diseases like arthritis. 
• Stress and anxiety: May help reduce stress and anxiety. 
• Liver health: May help protect the liver. 
• Cancer: May offer some protection against cancer. 
• Dental health: May even help prevent dental cavities. 

I know what you’re thinking: what’s with all the “may”?

All the research on vitamins and minerals is very promising. However, it’s really hard to know for certain whether these benefits are down to any specific nutrient.

That’s because we all eat different things on the same day – could it be those instead? We all walk around – could it be the exercise? We all go outside – could it be the sunlight? Could it be a combination of all those things interacting?

So, we can only say “may” because we can’t lock a group of people in a darkened room and only give them green tea for 3 months.

Broccoli for Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Broccoli is the swiss army knife of veggies – it has a bit of everything. Packed with vitamin C to keep your skin collagen factory going and with lutein for a memory boost, it’s got you covered. There’s also vitamin K and calcium that’ll help you build bone strength.

If you want to know more about anti-inflammatory eats, you can read my article on antioxidants aging supplements.

Red Bell Peppers for Skin Health

These colorful wonders are basically skin superheroes. Loaded with carotenoids – those things that battle inflammation and keep your skin happy – these peppers will have your skin glowing and in fighting shape against age marks.

Spinach for Antioxidant Support

This leafy gem fills you up with vitamins and keeps collagen production humming thanks to its vitamin C. Vitamin A promotes hair growth, while vitamin K helps with blood clotting, bone health, and wound healing.

Vitamin B9 produces healthy red blood cells and is great if you’re pregnant. Spinach even has some iron, magnesium, and potassium.

Sweet Potatoes and Skin Elasticity

Try and swap some of your spuds for sweet potatoes. Like carrots, they pack a punch of beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A and works wonders for skin elasticity and eye health. And don’t forget vitamins C and E – they’re your skin’s personal protection squad.

Swapping these goodies into your meals isn’t just tasty – it’s game-changing for keeping you healthy and winding back the clock. Eat smart, feel amazing, and let these natural anti-aging powerhouses do their thing.

Supplements for Anti-Aging

The over 50s market is huge – we all want to look younger and turn back the hands of time… or, at least try and slow them down.

However, we don’t have a huge amount of data for most supplements. The clinical trials are often small, or the majority of testing has been on mice. That means that trials don’t always show the same results.

For that reason, I’ve picked 3 that have consistently shown anti-aging benefits.

Turmeric for Cellular Benefits

Ever heard of turmeric? Sure, it spices up your curry, but it does much more. Curcumin, the magic ingredient, works like a charm against aging. It may help delay aging, with benefits for longevity, and fight age-related chronic diseases.

The downside is that curcumin is poorly absorbed into your bloodstream, but it is fat-soluble. So, it’s a good idea to take curcumin supplements with a meal that’s high in fat.

And if you’re wondering about how turmeric plays with others, check my supplement interactions guide.

Collagen for Skin Health

Remember when you were young and had amazing skin? That’s collagen. The reason it’s not so tight and bouncy now is that your body produces less as you age.

One study suggested that collagen supplements can significantly improve skin hydration, roughness, and elasticity (PMC).

Collagen also helps maintain joint and bone health and improves muscle mass.

You can find more in my collagen supplements for seniors article.

CoQ10 for Vitality

Meet Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10. Research suggests that it may help improve heart and brain health, blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar regulation. Not bad!

It may also protect against many age-related diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. It could even help reduce wrinkles.

You’ll find more info in my guide on how coq10 benefits seniors.

Promising Anti-Aging Compounds

Waders on! I’m going a bit furhter into the weeds.

NAD+ for Cellular Health

As we age, levels of NAD+ decrease. And reduced levels are associated with conditions like diabetes, mental decline, and metabolic conditions like heart disease.

Studies have identified that boosting NAD+ levels might improve many of the hallmarks of cellular aging. Not only does it play a key role in skin aging but also multiple aspects of age-related decline across the whole body (Healthline).

However, more research is needed before we can 100% make that link. You’ll find more in my NAD+ supplements for aging guide.

Anti-Aging Benefits of EGCG

Green tea’s secret weapon is EGCG or Epigallocatechin Gallate. As well as being a bit of a mouthful, in every way, it may help to reduce inflammation, aid weight loss, and prevent conditions like heart disease (Healthline).

Here’s where you’ll find it:

• Teas
• Cocoa products
• Pome fruits, like apples and pears
• Prune juice

Some research suggests that EGCG may help to reduce inflammation and prevent certain chronic conditions (PubMed). These include:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Some cancers

Telomere Lengthening with Supplements

This bit gets a little sciencey: telomeres are the little caps on the end of your chromosomes to protect them. As we age, they shrink, giving your cells a major headache.

But with goodies like nicotinamide, it’s possible to keep them lengthy, slowing down cellular aging (Healthline).

Compared with nonusers, the relative telomere length of leukocyte DNA was, on average, 5.1% longer among daily multivitamin users.

In the analysis of micronutrients, higher intakes of vitamins C and E from foods were each associated with longer telomeres, even after adjustment for multivitamin use (ScienceDirect).

Supplement Safety

I know you know this, but it’s worth saying anyway that before you add any supplements to your diet, you should consult a healthcare professional.

Some supplements can mess with each other, or with medications you’re taking – reducing their potency or causing unpleasant or even harmful side effects.

You can also get side effects if you take too much of some supplements. You can find out more information on supplement dosage for seniors.

The Bottom Line

Supplements are an exciting frontier because they feel like shortcuts to slowing the aging process. However, while some have a reasonable amount of science behind them, others have received relatively limited testing.

The best way to promote longevity and overall health is to take care of your body by eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and reducing stress.

In addition to following a healthy diet and lifestyle, taking certain supplements may actually help slow down the aging process and promote a long and healthy life.

Curcumin, collagen, CoQ10, and vitamin C are just a few of the substances that have been repeatedly shown to offer age-supportive effects.