Vitamin D Supplements May Mitigate Telomere Shortening Associated with Aging

A recent study has found that vitamin D supplementation may play a significant role in slowing down the shortening of telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. This shortening is a natural occurrence linked with biological aging and has been associated with the onset of various diseases.

The findings, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, are derived from the VITAL randomized controlled trial, which was co-led by researchers from Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia. This research supports the potential of vitamin D in influencing biological aging processes.

Researchers have noted that VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to demonstrate that vitamin D supplementation can preserve telomere length. Co-author JoAnn Manson, a leading investigator of the VITAL study, emphasized the significance of these findings, highlighting that the trial also indicated vitamin D's benefits in reducing inflammation and mitigating risks associated with chronic diseases linked to aging, such as advanced cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Telomeres consist of repetitive DNA sequences that safeguard chromosome ends from deterioration or fusion with neighboring chromosomes. The natural process of telomere shortening raises the risk of various age-related illnesses. While some previous short-term studies have hinted at the benefits of vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids for telomere maintenance, their results have been inconsistent.

The VITAL trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that involved vitamin D3 (2,000 IU/day) and omega-3 fatty acid (1 g/day) supplementation over five years, focusing on U.S. participants aged 50 and older. The telomere sub-study analyzed the telomere length in 1,054 participants through assessments at baseline, Year 2, and Year 4.

Results indicated that those who received vitamin D3 supplements experienced a significant reduction in telomere shortening over the four-year period, effectively countering the equivalent of nearly three years of aging compared to participants who were given a placebo. In contrast, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did not demonstrate any significant impact on telomere length throughout the study.

According to Haidong Zhu, the first author of the study and a molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia, the results suggest targeted vitamin D supplementation might represent a viable approach to addressing biological aging. However, they also stress the need for further research in this area.

For more detailed information, refer to the full study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Vitamin D3 and Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation and Leukocyte Telomere Length: 4-Year Findings from the VITAL Randomized Controlled Trial.