Telomeres, inflammation and nutritional supplements

Relation

Tsoukalas D, Fragkiadaki P, Docea AO, et al. Association of dietary supplements with longer telomere length.Int. J. Mol. Med. 2019;44(1):218-226.

Objective

To determine whether dietary supplements can affect telomere length

Draft

Intervention study

Participant

Forty-seven healthy outpatients (aged 40 to 55 years) with no medical history who attended a private clinic in Athens, Greece, for a routine examination. Individuals with a history of chronic medical illness were excluded. All participants had never taken nutritional supplements before the study. The 16 participants in the intervention group received nutritional supplements; the 31 in the comparison/control group received no supplements.

intervention

The nutritional supplementation intervention included the following:

• 1 Kapsel mit einer Mischung aus Vitaminen, einschließlich Vitamin C, E, K₂ (als MK-7), B₁B₆B₁₂Niacin und Beta-Carotin
• 4.000 IE Vitamin D (2.000 IE als Tropfen und 2.000 IE in Kapselform)
• 2 Kapseln Omega 3-6-9 Kombinationsformel
• 4 Kapseln einer antioxidativen Formulierung aus Vitaminen und Mineralstoffen (keine sekundären Pflanzenstoffe)
• Probiotika (mit bestimmten Stämmen von Lactobacillus spp und Bifidobacterium spp) in Kombination mit Präbiotika
• Coenzym Q10 (CoQ10) als Ubiquinol
• L-Glutamin kombiniert mit Oligofructose (FOS)

Target parameters

Quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) was used to measure telomere length in leukocytes at baseline and after 6 to 12 months.

Key insights

Regardless of gender and age, the nutritional supplement group experienced a statistically significant increase in telomere length compared to the control group. There was an average 10% increase in telomere length in the supplemented group (P<0.05).

Practice implications

This study is a nice example of the positive effects that supplements can have on health and aging, but it is only part of the story. Telomere shortening, inflammation, chronic disease and accelerated aging are all linked.

In this study, it is plausible that the supplements used in the intervention group helped protect telomere length via the anti-inflammatory pathway. Interestingly, there are many ways to influence both telomere length and chronic inflammation, including diet, physical activity, and sleep, to name a few. All of these strategies have been shown to influence both telomere length and inflammation.^1-3

We see no more [telomeres] than mere caps at the ends of chromosomes; We now know that they are complex nucleoproteins that play an active role in protecting patients from the diseases of aging.

For example, following the Mediterranean diet is associated with longer telomeres. This was shown by the population-based study published in 2014 with a cohort from the Nurses' Health StudyThe British Medical Journal.⁴Boccardi et al. also published data in 2013 showing that high adherence to the Mediterranean diet was not only correlated with longer telomeres but was also associated with higher telomerase activity.⁵It is worth noting that the present study did not measure telomerase activity, and the authors cite this as a limitation.

When it comes to diet, it goes both ways: an unhealthy diet is associated with shorter telomeres. Studies have shown that drinking sugary sodas is correlated with shorter telomeres.^6.7This is not surprising, as research establishes a clear link between unhealthy diets and increased internal inflammation.⁸

Physical activity has also been linked to longer telomeres and protection against many age-related diseases. Further research is needed to determine the optimal level of physical activity in relation to telomere protection. However, research shows that exercise upregulates genetic expression involved in telomere homeostasis.⁹We also know that telomere length is shorter in people who are sedentary, as shown by a 2014 randomized controlled trial that looked at physical activity in older people.¹⁰

Of course, the combination of a healthy diet and physical activity can promote weight loss, which has also been shown to lengthen telomeres.¹¹

Lack of sleep can also negatively impact telomere length, inflammation, and the risk of chronic disease. In 2012, results from the Whitehall II Cohort Study, which included 434 healthy adults with a mean age of 63.3 years, showed that telomere length was shorter in male participants who slept just 5 hours per night than in those who slept 7 or more hours per night.¹²

Over the past decade, research has significantly changed our understanding of telomeres. We no longer see them just as caps on the ends of chromosomes; We now know that they are complex nucleoproteins that play an active role in protecting us from the diseases of aging. Telomere research also paints a perfect picture of how an integrative approach can make an important difference clinically. By combining diet, lifestyle and supplements, integrative practitioners can help patients reduce inflammation while increasing the likelihood of healthy aging. This latest study adds to a growing list of integrative approaches that can help lengthen telomeres.

Study Restrictions

This study has 2 major limitations:

1. Studiengröße. Weitere Forschung mit einer größeren Patientenpopulation ist gerechtfertigt.
2. Interventionsgröße. Solch ein umfassender Eingriff wirft Fragen der Patienten-Compliance, der Kosten für den Patienten und der Unfähigkeit auf, genau zu identifizieren, welcher Nährstoff oder welche Gruppe von Nährstoffen die Telomerlänge beeinflussen kann.