Dr. JoAnn Manson from Harvard Medical School highlighted findings from a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which explored the potential of vitamin D supplementation to slow cellular aging.

The study, part of the large VITAL trial, focused on telomeres, protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that naturally shorten with age. Shortened telomeres are associated with increased risk of age-related diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Researchers examined data from over 1,000 participants, measuring telomere length over a 4-year period. They found that participants who took 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily had significantly less telomere shortening compared to those who received a placebo. This difference was estimated to equate to about 3 years of reduced biological aging.

While omega-3 supplements showed no similar effect, the results suggest that vitamin D may help protect against cellular aging. Dr. Manson noted that further research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore how vitamin D might influence other aging-related biological markers.

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