How Can You Increase Telomere Length?

As mortals, we're always on the search for a fountain of youth. While humans may never find a mystical water source that grants us eternal life, we at least have some ideas of how our aging process can play out in slow-mo.

A large body of research shows that one of the key hallmarks of aging is the length of our telomeres. For those of us who didn't major in biology, telomeres are protective DNA caps at the ends of chromosomes. Research has shown that as we age, our telomeres get shorter, and shorter telomeres are associated with a shorter lifespan. In this way, telomeres are used as a measure of how quickly you are aging (aka your "biological age").

Here, we dive into the science around telomere length, how that affects our aging process—including healthspan and lifespan—and lifestyle strategies and supplements that can help maintain longer, healthier telomeres.

What are telomeres and why do they matter?

Telomeres are integral to cellular health. They are the protective pieces of DNA that sit at the end of each chromosome. Since human cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes (with 46 chromosomes total), and each chromosome has two telomeres, every cell has 92 telomeres.

These protective endcaps help keep chromosomes from fusing together or losing genetic information. You can think of telomeres as the plastic aglets at the ends of shoelaces—without aglets, the lace would fray and unravel. Telomeres work much the same way.

Each time a cell divides, the telomeres shorten. Cell division is part of the aging process, so essentially, the more mileage on your cells, the shorter your telomeres become. After many divisions, telomeres become too short. Research shows there's a "telomeric brink," where the cell can no longer divide and then either enters a dormant state (known as senescence) or dies. This biological clock limits how many times our cells can reproduce, and this plays a role in aging.

Many studies have associated shorter telomeres with aging and vice versa. Scientists also see an association between telomere length and health span.

However, our telomere length is not all up to fate. How we live plays a part. Studies have found that healthy lifestyle factors—such as regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, relieving stress in healthy ways, and quality sleep—are associated with longer telomeres.

What shortens telomeres?

Telomeres shorten normally, as part of the cellular replication process. But certain factors, such as smoking and sleep disruptions, have been linked to telomere shortening.

Telomeres are especially vulnerable to free radicals in the body. These are molecules that build up during oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been shown to impact telomere length and effectiveness.

6 habits that may help lengthen or protect telomeres

There are dozens of reasons why the following habits should be part of your routine, but here's one more: research links them to healthy telomere length.

1. Regular exercise

We're already very familiar with the many health benefits exercise has to offer, but here's another: it can also help support telomere length. Research shows exercise supports telomerase activity (telomerase is an enzyme that rebuilds and lengthens telomeres). Researchers found aerobic exercise shows the most promise, while resistance training and HIIT workouts need more studies.

Exercise is a part of every healthy lifestyle. CDC guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (like jogging) or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity (like CrossFit), or an equivalent combination of the two, each week. We also need at least two days of resistance training a week.

2. Eating an antioxidant-rich diet

Fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes are all praised for their antioxidant activity. Foods like these help support the body's ability to protect against oxidative stress. These types of whole, fresh foods are also important for their nutrition.

Research shows diets that include healthy plant-based foods are associated with longer telomeres compared with diets high in unhealthy plant-based foods. Studies show a healthy diet with components such as carotenoids, vitamins, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids could also help maintain telomere length.

3. Getting enough sleep

Sleep is important for our bodies to rest and renew. Evidence, including a large meta-analysis of 29 studies including more than 400,000 people, suggests that healthy sleep supports telomere length. Generally, you should aim for seven to nine hours of good sleep per night.

4. Not smoking

Smoking is associated with many negative health outcomes, including oxidative stress, which affects telomere health. Multiple studies have shown that smoking can affect telomere length.

5. Managing stress

Keeping stress at bay can also help protect telomeres. Both psychological and biological components of the stress response have been shown to affect telomere length, especially in women. Even perceived stress has been associated with shorter telomeres. So finding healthy ways to manage your stress is critical for supporting telomere length.

Some well-regarded stress management methods include:

• Mindfulness practices like yoga or meditation
• Regular physical activity
• Spending time in nature
• Connecting with friends and family
• Taking breaks from technology and screens

The key is finding whatever stress-relief strategies work best for you and practicing them consistently.

6. Limiting alcohol and ultra-processed foods

The ideal is eating whole foods as much as possible to get the full spectrum of nutrients. While ultra-processed foods can come in handy when you don't have access to whole foods, limiting convenience foods is key. Research shows that eating more than three servings of ultra-processed foods per day is associated with a higher chance of having shorter telomeres. So if you often rely on these foods to get by, start with a goal of eating just one or two fewer servings a day.

What's more, a large study of 245,354 people found alcohol use—especially heavy and binge drinking—can affect telomeres. Drinking alcohol should either be avoided or done in moderation.

Which nutrients and supplements support telomere health?

Healthy habits are the foundation of healthy telomeres, but longevity-supporting supplements can help, too. Here are the ones worth considering:

• Scarlet beebalm extract.

  In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, people taking a standardized scarlet beebalm extract showed significantly longer telomeres compared to placebo by the end of the study.

• Lithium.

  Lithium is a trace mineral. Various studies have found associations between lithium and longer telomeres. Lithium levels in tap water have also been positively associated with lifespan.

• Ergothioneine.

  Some people have turned to the amino acid ergothioneine for healthy aging support because of its powerful antioxidant activity. While studies show it may support cellular health, more research is needed to determine the effect of ergothioneine on telomeres.

Can telomeres really be lengthened?

Yes! Some lifestyle habits have been shown to help with telomerase activity (the enzyme that rebuilds telomeres), which could help maintain telomeres or even slightly lengthen them. Exercise is one of them. Studies have also found that eating an antioxidant-rich diet, prioritizing stress relief, and getting good sleep are associated with increases in telomerase activity and telomere length over time. Maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding unhealthy lifestyle habits also supports telomere health.

Additionally, research supports the use of supplements to support cellular health and other key biological aging biomarkers.

Still, it's important to have realistic expectations—we can't completely outrun the aging process. The most reliable benefit of healthy lifestyle habits isn't dramatically lengthening telomeres but rather slowing down the rate at which they shorten, which can support healthy cellular aging.

What are the best supplements to protect telomeres?

While lifestyle habits form the foundation of telomere health, certain supplements may offer additional support. Scarlet beebalm supplements can help support healthy aging at the cellular level, including telomere protection, by helping protect against oxidative stress (a major driver of telomere shortening).

How does aging affect telomeres?

As we age, our telomeres shorten with each cell division. This is a natural part of aging. Healthy lifestyle choices like getting regular exercise and healthy sleep, managing stress and avoiding alcohol can help mitigate the effects of aging on telomere length, but poor choices may accelerate the process.

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