Tier 3 — preclinical

Co-Administration of Creatine and Vitamin D and Telomere Length in Older Men: An Exploratory Pilot Trial

Sergej M. Ostojic, Viktória Prémusz, Pongrác Ács
Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research 2026 24(1)

Bibliography

DOI
10.37290/ctnr.v24i1.28

Study snapshot

DesignExploratory open-label pilot study with an age-matched reference comparison
ModelHealthy men aged 65 years or older
SampleIntervention group: n=30
InterventionCreatine monohydrate 2.5 g/day plus vitamin D3 2,000 IU/day
Duration12 months
EndpointsLeukocyte telomere length; Adherence; Safety and tolerability

What the study showed, in plain terms

Thirty healthy older men took creatine monohydrate plus vitamin D3 for 12 months. At the end of the study, the intervention group had a longer leukocyte telomere measure than an age-matched reference group. Because the study was open-label, non-randomized and used a combined intervention, it does not establish that creatine or vitamin D slows human aging.

Key findings

  • The study reported an approximately 11% longer leukocyte telomere measure in the supplemented group than in the age-matched reference group at the study endpoint.
  • Reported adherence was 81%.
  • No side effects were reported in the intervention group.
  • Creatine and vitamin D were administered together, so component-specific effects cannot be determined.

What this study can and cannot tell us

This was a small open-label exploratory study without a randomized placebo-controlled comparison. Creatine and vitamin D were given together, the comparison used an age-matched reference group, and telomere length is a biomarker rather than a clinical outcome. The study therefore cannot establish causality or show that either supplement slows aging.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology