Tier 1 — highest

Increased telomerase activity and vitamin D supplementation in overweight African Americans

H Zhu, D Guo, K Li, J Pedersen-White, I S Stallmann-Jorgensen, Y Huang, S Parikh, K Liu, Y Dong
International journal of obesity (2005) 2012 36(6):805-9

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 21986705
PubMed Central
PMC3826782
DOI
10.1038/ijo.2011.197
Trial registry
View on ClinicalTrials.gov Registered trial — results not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Funding
Support is recorded from NHLBI NIH HHS. See the original publication for grant and material-support details.
Competing interests
The authors report no relevant competing interests.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized controlled clinical trial
ModelHuman participants
Sample37 overweight African-American adults with paired blood samples
InterventionVitamin D3 60,000 IU monthly or placebo
Duration16 weeks
EndpointsPeripheral-blood-cell telomerase activity; Vitamin D status

What the study showed, in plain terms

This publication examines peripheral-blood-cell telomerase activity, vitamin d status. Study population or evidence base: 37 overweight African-American adults with paired blood samples. Intervention or exposure: Vitamin D3 60,000 IU monthly or placebo.

Key findings

Vitamin D increased telomerase activity in this small biomarker study, alongside improved vitamin D concentrations.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Telomerase activity is not telomere length or a clinical aging outcome. A small short-term study cannot establish slower aging or disease prevention.

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