A recent study from the VITAL randomized controlled trial has shed light on the benefits of vitamin D supplementation in maintaining telomeres, which are protective caps found at the ends of chromosomes. Telomeres tend to shorten as we age, and this process is associated with the development of various diseases.
Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study was conducted by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia. The findings suggest that vitamin D supplements play a crucial role in slowing down the biological aging process by protecting and preserving telomeres.
Dr. JoAnn Manson, the principal investigator of VITAL and chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, stated, “VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to show that vitamin D supplements protect telomeres and preserve telomere length. This is significant as VITAL has also demonstrated the benefits of vitamin D in reducing inflammation and lowering the risks of certain chronic diseases associated with aging.”
Telomeres consist of repeating DNA sequences that prevent the degradation or fusion of chromosome ends. Shortening of telomeres is a natural part of aging and is linked to an increased risk of age-related diseases. Previous small-scale studies had suggested that vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acid supplementation could support telomeres, but the results were inconsistent.
The VITAL trial, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, focused on vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in individuals aged 50 and older for five years. The VITAL Telomere sub-study included 1,054 participants whose telomere length was assessed at baseline, Year 2, and Year 4. The results showed that vitamin D3 supplements significantly reduced telomere shortening over four years, effectively delaying the aging process compared to the placebo group. However, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did not show a significant impact on telomere length.
Dr. Haidong Zhu, a molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia and the first author of the report, mentioned, “Our findings suggest that targeted vitamin D supplementation may be a promising strategy to counter the biological aging process, although further research is needed.”
This study underscores the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in maintaining telomeres and slowing down the aging process. Further research is warranted to explore the full extent of these findings and their implications for overall health and disease prevention.
