Why was this study done?
There is a great deal of interest in understanding more about preserving telomere length; telomeres are the protective caps on the end of our DNA strands. It is known that diets and specific nutrients seem to have a protective effect, especially multivitamins, omega 3, vitamin D and polyphenols. This study compared telomere lengths over the age spectrum from ages 30-79 (by decades) between a population of heavy supplement users (Shaklee) and a healthy age-matched control group of non-smoking, non-obese San Francisco Bay area population.
What did the study find?
This study showed that long-term multiple supplant users had longer telomere lengths in their 50s, 60s and 70s as compared to the controls. The results suggest that heavy dietary supplementation may slow the shortening of telomeres that occurs with aging. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of action of specific nutrients and telomere protection.
Telomere Length of Multiple Dietary Supplement Users – A Cross-sectional Study in Comparison with Age-matched Controls.
Authors: Wang H, Daggy BP, McManus JF, Wong LG. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences 2018; 6(5): 129-134.
