Vitamin D3 Supplementation Reduces Telomere Attrition
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, June 2, 2025 -- Supplementation with vitamin D3 is associated with reduced telomere attrition in adults aged 50 years and older, according to a study published online May 21 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Haidong Zhu, Ph.D., from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, and colleagues conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitamin D3 (2,000 IU/day) and marine omega 3 fatty acid (n-3 FAs; 1g/day) supplementation for five years in a representative sample of U.S. women aged 55 years and older and men aged 50 years and older. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured in 2,571 samples from 1,031 participants at baseline, year 2, and year 4.
The researchers found that vitamin D3 supplementation significantly decreased LTL attrition by 0.14 kilo base pairs (kb) over four years compared with placebo. LTLs were about 0.035 kb higher per year of follow-up in the vitamin D3 supplementation group compared with the placebo group in an overall trend analysis. No significant effect was seen on LTL at either year 2 or year 4 with marine n-3 FA supplementation.
"In the VITAL-Telomere study, vitamin D3 supplementation reduced telomere attrition and preserved telomere length, supporting an anticellular aging effect of vitamin D," the authors write. "Our findings underscore the potential benefits of vitamin D on biological aging and age-related diseases."
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2025
Read this next
Broader Formulary Coverage Linked to Lower Odds of MS Relapse
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2025 -- Broader formulary coverage is associated with lower odds of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study published...
'Heart Age' Often Older Than Chronological Age
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2025 -- The Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Events (PREVENT) equation risk age is older than chronological age on average, with greater discordance for...
Nonlinear Inverse Association Seen for Step Count, Peak Cadence With MACE
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- There are nonlinear, inverse associations for step count and peak cadence with the risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among individuals...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.