Vitamin D3 Supplementation Slows Cellular Aging: Evidence from the VITAL Telomere Study

A sub-study of the large-scale VITAL randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of vitamin D3 and marine omega-3 fatty acids on leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a biomarker of cellular aging. Over four years, vitamin D3 supplementation (2,000 IU/day) significantly slowed telomere attrition compared to placebo, indicating a protective effect against cellular aging. Participants receiving vitamin D3 showed a 0.14 kb preservation in LTL and a positive yearly trend. In contrast, omega-3 fatty acids showed no significant effect. These findings highlight vitamin D3’s potential as a nutraceutical intervention for healthy aging and telomere maintenance in older adults.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40409468/