This Supplement Lengthened Telomeres in Middle-Aged Study Participants

Telomere Lengthening Supplement Shows Promising Results in Clinical Study

Treating middle-aged individuals with a supplement combination containing astragalus, a plant widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, has shown positive effects on telomere length. This study highlights the potential of supplementation in preventing telomere shortening and supporting cellular longevity.

Understanding Telomeres and Their Role in Aging

Telomeres function as protective caps at the ends of DNA strands, similar to shoelace aglets. Composed of a repetitive nucleotide sequence, telomeres protect chromosomes from damage and help maintain genome integrity. However, with each replication cycle, telomere length is reduced by approximately 50 to 200 base pairs. Environmental factors such as diet, physical activity, and lifestyle further influence the rate of telomere shortening.

The only enzyme capable of replicating and lengthening telomeres is telomerase. When telomerase is inactive, telomeres progressively shorten with each cell cycle until they reach a critically low length, leading to cellular senescence or apoptosis. Certain compounds have been identified as telomerase activators, including active ingredients in astragalus such as astragaloside IV and cycloastragenol, which have demonstrated efficacy in vitro and in animal studies.

Clinical Study on Telomere Lengthening

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of an astragalus-based supplement on telomere length. Forty healthy volunteers aged 40 to 70, with a mean age of 56, were randomly assigned to either a placebo group or an astragalus supplement group for six months. Each group included eight men and twelve postmenopausal women. Baseline metrics such as medical history, body mass index, weekly physical activity, and biochemical test values were similar in both groups.

The tested supplement, ASTCOQ02, contained a blend of ingredients, including "astragalus extracts (including astragaloside IV and cycloastragenol), olive fruit extract (including hydroxytyrosol), zinc oxide, and grape seed extract." Participants took the supplement twice daily for six months. Hydroxytyrosol, a key ingredient, has been noted for its ability to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation.

No Reported Side Effects

Throughout the study, no adverse effects were observed. Laboratory results and participant measurements showed no changes in weight, blood pressure, heart rate, or heart function. Additionally, there were no signs of inflammation, further supporting the supplement’s safety profile.

While both sexes were included in the study, the researchers did not analyze results separately by sex. Given known differences in telomere length between men and women, future studies should explore sex-specific responses.

Significant Improvements in Telomere Length

At baseline, there were no significant differences in median telomere length between the placebo and supplement groups, although the placebo group had a slight trend toward longer telomeres. Over the course of the trial, "in the placebo group, the median telomere length either decreased or remained stable."

In contrast, individuals taking ASTCOQ02 exhibited a substantial increase in telomere length. By one month, telomere length increased by 271 kilo base pairs (kbp), by three months it increased by 472 kbp, and by six months, the increase reached 695 kbp.

The researchers also analyzed short telomere length. At baseline, the placebo group had a higher mean size of short telomeres, which remained stable throughout the study. The median short telomere length in the placebo group also remained stable after a minor decrease at one month.

Conversely, in the supplement group, "the median short telomere length increased significantly compared to baseline, starting at one month" and continued to increase significantly at three and six months. Additionally, the percentage of short telomeres significantly decreased in the supplement-treated group at six months.

Potential Implications for Aging and Disease Prevention

Telomere shortening is associated with cellular senescence and serves as a biomarker of aging. Shortened telomeres have been linked to age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease.

The study authors propose that their findings "open a novel and effective therapeutic pathway to control telomere length in aging and/or support the prevention of cardiovascular-related diseases." However, further research is required to confirm these hypotheses.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial demonstrated that ASTCOQ02 effectively lengthens both median and short telomeres by enhancing telomerase activity while also reducing the proportion of short telomeres. The findings align with a previous open prospective study indicating that ASTCOQ02 is non-toxic. Given these promising results, further research is warranted to explore its potential health benefits in promoting healthy aging and extending life expectancy.

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Study Links:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39275278/

[1] de Jaeger, C., Kruiskamp, S., Voronska, E., Lamberti, C., Baramki, H., Beaudeux, J. L., & Cherin, P. (2024). A Natural Astragalus-Based Nutritional Supplement Lengthens Telomeres in a Middle-Aged Population: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients, 16(17), 2963.

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[3] Harley, C. B., Liu, W., Flom, P. L., & Raffaele, J. M. (2013). A natural product telomerase activator as part of a health maintenance program: metabolic and cardiovascular response. Rejuvenation research, 16(5), 386–395.

[4] Huang, Z., Liu, C., Ruan, Y., Guo, Y., Sun, S., Shi, Y., & Wu, F. (2021). Dynamics of leukocyte telomere length in adults aged 50 and older: a longitudinal population-based cohort study. GeroScience, 43(2), 645–654.