Vitamin D Supplementation Shown to Slow Telomere Shortening in Major Clinical Trial

New findings from a large randomized controlled trial suggest that vitamin D supplementation may help slow biological aging by preserving telomere length. Telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, naturally shorten with age and are associated with increased risk for various age-related diseases.

Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the results come from a sub-study of the VITAL (VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL) trial, co-led by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia. The study found that participants who received vitamin D supplements had less telomere shortening over time compared to those in the placebo group.

“This is the first large-scale, long-term randomized trial to demonstrate that vitamin D can protect telomere length,” said Dr. JoAnn Manson, senior author of the study, principal investigator of the VITAL trial, and Chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting vitamin D’s role in healthy aging. Previous results from the VITAL trial have also linked vitamin D supplementation to reduced inflammation and lower risks of advanced cancer and autoimmune diseases.

These findings suggest that vitamin D may influence key biological processes related to aging and disease, offering a low-cost and accessible intervention with broad public health potential.

SOURCE: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/05/vitamin-d-supplements-may-slow-biological-aging/ 

CREDITS: HARVARD