Protecting Your Telomeres

Every strand of DNA in our cells is capped by protective structures called telomeres.

Long, healthy telomeres are essential to the function and stability of our genetic material.^1,2

The problem is that telomeres shorten each time cells divide, a process thought to be accelerated by oxidative stress and inflammation.

When telomeres become too short, cells stop dividing or die, contributing to aging and age-related diseases.³ For this reason, telomere length and shortening rate are considered markers of biological age.^3,4

Several nutrients have been found to protect telomeres and may even boost the function of enzymes that lengthen telomeres.

Oral intake of these ingredients may help reduce telomere shortening and protect DNA.

The Importance of Telomeres

Almost 100 years ago, scientists discovered that our chromosomes, or strands of DNA, are capped on each end by structures they called telomeres, a Greek-derived name meaning “end part.”

In youth, telomeres are long and healthy. But with age, they slowly become damaged and shorten. This telomere attrition is considered a primary marker and driver of biological aging.^5,6

When telomeres shorten to a critical length, this can damage DNA. Over time, this can impair the body's ability to repair tissues and contribute to age-related disorders, including cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and metabolic diseases,⁶ and an increased risk of overall mortality.⁷

In cell and animal models, increased telomere shortening is a predictor of decreased lifespan.^4,8

Human studies show shorter telomeres predict higher risk of mortality.^4,7,9

The bad news is that loss of telomeres is currently inevitable. (Current research aims to reverse this trend.)¹⁰

The good news is that the rate of telomere shortening can be slowed. An enzyme called telomerase is able to add to the telomere structure, maintaining longer telomeres.^3,6 Another enzyme, WRN helicase, has been shown to work alongside telomerase to maintain telomere integrity.¹¹

Specific nutrients have been shown to boost these enzymes' activity, protect telomeres, and promote healthy aging.

Scarlet Beebalm

Scarlet beebalm is an herb in the mint family native to North America. It contains several flavonoid nutrients such as didymin, which has garnered increasing attention in the medical literature for its multifaceted beneficial properties including a reduction in rate of telomere shortening.^12,13

In preclinical studies, an extract of scarlet beebalm has been found to exhibit multiple anti-aging effects on five recognized contributors of aging, including protecting DNA from damage, reducing cellular senescence, and suppressing chronic inflammation.¹²

The same extract was evaluated in human subjects. Adults aged 45-65 years were randomized to receive either 100 mg of the beebalm extract or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Despite the relatively short intervention period, participants receiving the beebalm extract demonstrated no significant increase in epigenetic age, a major determinant of biological aging.¹²

In contrast, DNA methylation age in the placebo group increased by 1.7 years over the 12‑week period.

Compared with placebo, the beebalm extract was associated with improvements in leukocyte telomere length and stabilization of DNA methylation age.¹²

Leukocyte telomere length increased among treated participants relative to placebo, suggesting a potential benefit for longer health span.

Curcumin

Curcumin is a polyphenol derived from turmeric root.¹⁴ It has been shown in preclinical studies to protect telomeres by activating telomerase.^14-16

In a lab study of cells damaged by amyloid plaques, (protein deposits that accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer's patients) curcumin exerted a neuro-protective effect. When scientists blocked telomerase, this effect was lost.¹⁴

In other words, the neuroprotective activity observed in this study appeared to be largely due to curcumin's positive impact on activity of the telomerase enzyme.

Lithium

Lithium is a mineral present in small amounts in natural water sources and some foods.¹⁷

While high doses of a specific form of lithium are used as a treatment for bipolar disorder, in smaller amounts lithium may support optimal health.¹⁷

Lower lithium intake has been associated with higher rates of cognitive decline and dementia, mental health disorders, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease.¹⁸

In animal models, lithium has been shown to help preserve longer telomeres by regulating genes responsible for telomere maintenance.^19-22 In human studies, patients with bipolar disorder who have been prescribed high doses of lithium tend to have significantly longer telomeres than those not taking lithium.²¹

Nicotinamide Riboside

Nicotinamide riboside is a bioavailable form of vitamin B3. It is a precursor for NAD+, a compound essential to cellular function.²³

Several proteins that maintain the health of our genetic material require ample NAD+ to function. For example, sirtuins protect telomere health and have been tied to longer lifespan and protection from disease, but they don't work without adequate NAD+.^23,24

In one preclinical study, nicotinamide riboside boosted cellular NAD+ levels, helping to maintain telomere length.²⁵

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Several human studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids have a beneficial effect on telomere length.^26-28

One study found that higher DHA, an omega-3 found in fish oil, was linked to longer telomere length as compared to lower DHA intake.²⁷

Vitamin D

A substantial amount of human research indicates that vitamin D supports healthy telomeres.^29-32

One study noted that women with higher vitamin D levels had telomere lengths of people approximately five years younger than those with low vitamin D levels.³³ Multiple studies have confirmed this association.^30,34,35

In overweight subjects, taking vitamin D for 16 weeks significantly increased telomerase activity, compared to baseline, whereas no changes were observed in the placebo group.³¹

In a large clinical trial published in 2025, taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily for four years modestly slowed telomere shortening compared with the placebo, suggesting a protective effect on leukocyte telomere length. This benefit was consistent over time.³²

Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid, well-known for support of DNA health, among many other supportive properties.^36-38 Some scientists have proposed that taurine deficiency may contribute to aging.^36-38

In animal studies, taurine has been found to protect against telomerase deficiency. This helps prevent telomere shortening and protects DNA from damage.³⁸

Telomeres, the caps on chromosomes, shorten with age and with each round of cell division.

Summary

Telomeres help protect our genetic material (our chromosomes). Telomere shortening is considered a hallmark of aging and is associated with increased risk of disease and decreased lifespan.

Various nutrients may support telomere length or the enzymes that maintain them.

Scarlet beebalm, curcumin, lithium, nicotinamide riboside, omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, vitamin D, and taurine have all been shown in preclinical or clinical studies to support telomere length, which may help protect DNA and promote healthy aging.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

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