US scientists have reported Vitamin D supplements may slow ageing by preserving telomere length.
Harvard University researchers examined telomeres – the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes which are an important component of healthy ageing – in over 2,500 samples from over 1,000 participants.
Their study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined how omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin D supplementation affected telomere shortening, a natural process that happens with age. It found vitamin D supplementation helped minimise shortening of telomeres in white blood cells and thus may protect against diseases tied to age and biological ageing.
Trial participants received vitamin D3 supplements, omega-3 fatty acid supplements or both for around five years in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. All female participants were at least 55 and all males at least 50.
Researchers examined telomere length at baseline, two-year and four-year follow-ups. Among participants who received vitamin D, there was only minimal shortening of telomere length at two and four years; in contrast, there was substantial telomere shortening in the placebo group at both time points, while Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation appeared to have no significant impact on telomere length.
Subgroup analysis further suggested the effects of vitamin D on telomere length were significant for participants not taking medication for cholesterol, but not for participants who were taking cholesterol medication.
Also, taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements did not appear to impact the role of vitamin D on telomere length.
The authors suggest preservation of telomere length in this study “could mean a 3-year decrease in ageing,” noted medicalnewstoday.com.
