A new study suggests that vitamin D supplements may slow cellular aging by preventing the loss of telomeres, DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes that shorten in old age. The study’s findings are based on analysis of data from the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) trial.
Previous research had shown mixed results for vitamin D supplements in various health conditions. However, this new study’s co-author, JoAnn Manson, believes that it may hold the key to understanding the protective effects of vitamin D on certain aging-related diseases.
Manson notes that if replicated in another randomized trial, the findings could translate into clinical benefits for chronic diseases of aging. Vitamin D has already been shown to reduce inflammation and has been linked to reduced cancer deaths and autoimmune disease incidence.
The study’s results provide a potential biological mechanism for vitamin D’s protective effects, offering new hope for understanding and treating age-related diseases.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vitamin-d-may-slow-cells-aging-by-protecting-dna