Life Extension Magazine®

As We See It: Our Race Against Time

In a human study, a botanical extract improved several aging biomarkers. The race is to buy us more time to be alive when reversal of degenerative aging becomes standard medical practice. 

By William Faloon.

William Faloon

Each day about 6,000 Americans age 65 and older perish, most often due to complications from an age-related illness.¹

The leading causes are diseases of the heart, cancer, stroke, and dementia.² Much of the remaining relate to diabetes,^2,3 immune senescence,⁴ and frailty-falls-fractures (sarcopenia/osteoporosis).^5,6

These conditions share modifiable risk factors.

Early detection and remediation of established underlying causes can slash risks of all these degenerative disorders.⁷

Until recent years, however, the aging process itself was a major obstacle impeding the healthy longevity that Life Extension^® readers seek.

Fortunately, science is beginning to pierce through the fog.

The educated public is increasingly aware of mechanisms that affect biological aging. This includes the shortening of telomeres that safeguard cellular DNA.⁸

From The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 21, 2025

Vitamin D Supplement Reduced Telomere Shortening by 76%

Study subjects received 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D or placebo.¹¹

Vitamin D group had roughly 76% reduction in telomere attrition* compared to the average base pair loss over a 4-year period based on population studies.^11-13

This slowing of telomere shortening could represent the equivalent of about 3 fewer years of biological aging in leukocyte telomere length over the 4-year study period.

"Telomere length attrition measures are still in the research phase and not yet fully clinically validated." They remain a laboratory measure of biological aging that vitamin D favorably influences along with improved DNA methylation (epigenetic aging) scores.

* identified through Life Extension’s internal review of scientific studies.

Telomere attrition has been linked to many degenerative diseases. The supplement market has responded with products claiming to preserve or even lengthen telomeres. These commercial formulas can cost hundreds of dollars per month and may not meet rigorous standards of scientific efficacy.

We’ve reported evidence over the years that low-cost supplements like vitamin D might delay telomere shortening.^9,10

A pleasant surprise occurred this year with a clinical trial published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

This randomized controlled study showed that people taking just 2,000 IU/day of supplemental vitamin D for four years, had a statistically significant, roughly 76% reduction in telomere attrition compared to typical population averages identified through our internal review of scientific studies.^11,12

While this data is promising, it merely shows a delay in shortening of telomeres.

New Telomere Preservation Intervention

These kinds of data sets showing external control over telomere shortening prompted us to investigate a botanical extract from the scarlet beebalm.

Preclinical evidence suggests scarlet beebalm may favorably influence key aging biomarkers, such as inflammation.

Emerging clinical research indicates benefits for other aging biomarkers, including DNA methylation and telomere length preservation. These human findings show enhanced quality of life, particularly in the physical domain.¹⁴

The article Slow Biological Aging and Increase Healthspan of this month’s issue describes how scarlet beebalm extract may help counteract several hallmarks of aging.

The goal is to buy us more time to be alive when systemic reversal of degenerative aging becomes standard medical practice.

As our readers age, including myself, we find ourselves in a race against time to take proactive actions now to extend our healthy lifespans.

For longer life,

William Faloon, Co-Founder, Life Extension®

References

Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/older-american-health.htm. Accessed September 16, 2025.
Available at: http://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/saved/D158/D421F665. Accessed September 24, 2025.
D’Souza MJ, Li RC, Gannon ML, et al. 1997-2017 Leading Causes of Death Information Due to Diabetes, Neoplasms, and Diseases of the Circulatory System, Issues Cautionary Weight-Related Lesson to the US Population at Large. IEEE Netw. 2019;2019:1-6.
Li Y, Wang C, Peng M. Aging Immune System and Its Correlation With Liability to Severe Lung Complications. Front Public Health. 2021;9:735151.
Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls. Accessed September 17, 2025.
Goetzl EJ, Feeley B. Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Elderly. Am J Med. 2025 Sep;138(9):1197-200.
Manera V, Rovini E, Wais P. Editorial: Early detection of neurodegenerative disorders using behavioral markers and new technologies: New methods and perspectives. Front Aging Neurosci. 2023;15:1149886.
Lopez-Otin C, Blasco MA, Partridge L, et al. Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe. Cell. 2023 Jan 19;186(2):243-78.
Available at: https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2016/12/research-update. Accessed September 23, 2025.
Available at: https://www.lifeextension.com/newsletter/2007/11/higher-vitamin-d-levels-linked-to-reduced-telomere-shortening. Accessed September 23, 2025.
Zhu H, Manson JE, Cook NR, et al. Vitamin D(3) and marine omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and leukocyte telomere length: 4-year findings from the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Jul;122(1):39-47.
Data on file: Internal Review of Scientific Studies. 2025.
Beckett EL, Duesing K, Martin C, et al. Relationship between methylation status of vitamin D-related genes, vitamin D levels, and methyl-donor biochemistry. Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism. 2016 2016/12/01/;6:8-15.
Campisi M, Cannella L, Paccagnella O, et al. Unveiling the geroprotective potential of Monarda didyma L.: insights from in vitro studies and a randomized clinical trial on slowing biological aging and improving quality of life. Geroscience. 2025 Jun;47(3):4253-90.