D VITAMIN: SLOWS AGING

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 D VITAMIN: SLOWS AGING





A recent randomized controlled trial suggests that vitamin D supplements can help protect against biological aging by slowing the shortening of telomeres. Telomeres are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, and their gradual shortening is associated with increased risk of age-related diseases.

The findings, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, come from a sub-study of the larger VITAL trial, which was co-led by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia. According to the report, vitamin D supplementation helped preserve telomere length in participants over a multi-year period.

“VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to demonstrate that vitamin D supplements can protect telomeres and help maintain their length,” said Dr. JoAnn Manson, co-author and principal investigator of VITAL. Dr. Manson also noted that previous VITAL findings showed vitamin D’s benefits in reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of certain chronic diseases of aging, such as advanced cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Telomeres consist of repeating DNA sequences that safeguard chromosomes from damage. As people age, telomeres naturally become shorter, a process linked to various health risks. While earlier small studies hinted that vitamin D or omega-3 supplements might support telomere health, results were inconsistent.

VITAL was a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial involving vitamin D3 (2,000 IU/day) and omega-3 fatty acids (1 g/day). It followed U.S. women aged 55 and older and men aged 50 and older for five years. The telomere sub-study tracked 1,054 participants, measuring their white blood cell telomere lengths at the start of the study, year two, and year four.

Results showed that participants taking vitamin D3 experienced significantly less telomere shortening over four years than placebo participants. This reduction was equivalent to preventing nearly three years’ worth of biological aging. Omega-3 supplements did not significantly impact telomere length.

“These results suggest that targeted vitamin D supplementation could be a promising approach for slowing biological aging, although more research is needed,” said Dr. Haidong Zhu, first author of the study and a molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia.

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