The researchers discovered that taking 2,000 IU (international units, a standard measure for vitamins<\/a>) of vitamin D<\/a> daily helped maintain telomeres \u2013 the tiny structures that act like plastic caps on shoelaces, protecting our DNA<\/a> from damage<\/a> every time cells<\/a> divide.<\/p>\n Telomeres<\/a> sit at the end of each of our 46 chromosomes, shortening every time a cell copies itself. When they become too short, cells<\/a> can no longer divide and eventually die.<\/p>\n Scientists have linked shorter telomeres to some of our most feared diseases of ageing<\/a>, including cancer<\/a>, heart disease<\/a> and osteoarthritis<\/a>. <\/p>\n Smoking<\/a>, chronic stress<\/a> and depression<\/a> all appear to speed up telomere shortening, while inflammatory processes<\/a> in the body also take their toll.<\/p>\n Beyond strong bones<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n A review of evidence found that vitamin D supplements can cut respiratory infections, especially in people who are deficient (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n It is well known that vitamin D is essential for bone health<\/a>, helping our bodies absorb calcium. Children, teenagers and people with darker skin or limited sun exposure particularly need adequate levels to build and maintain strong bones<\/a>.<\/p>\n But vitamin D also powers our immune system<\/a>. A review of evidence found that vitamin D supplements can cut respiratory infections, especially in people who are deficient.<\/p>\n Early research<\/a> even suggests it might help prevent autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis<\/a>, lupus<\/a> and multiple sclerosis<\/a>, though more trials are needed.<\/p>\n About the author<\/p>\n Dervla Kelly is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Limerick.<\/p>\n This article was originally published by The Conversation<\/a> and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.<\/a><\/p>\n Since inflammation damages telomeres<\/a>, vitamin D\u2019s anti-inflammatory effects could explain its protective role.<\/p>\n In this recent study, from Augusta University in the US, the researchers followed 1,031 people with an average age of 65 for five years, measuring their telomeres at the start, after two years, and after four years. Half took 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, while the other half received a placebo.<\/p>\n The results showed that telomeres were preserved by 140 base pairs in the vitamin D group, compared with a placebo. To put this in context, previous research<\/a> found that telomeres naturally shorten by about 460 base pairs over a decade, suggesting vitamin D\u2019s protective effect could be genuinely meaningful.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first promising finding. Earlier studies<\/a> have reported similar benefits, while the Mediterranean diet<\/a> \u2013 rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients<\/a> \u2013 has also been linked to longer telomeres.<\/p>\n The catch<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n It is well known that vitamin D is essential for bone health, helping our bodies absorb calcium (Getty)<\/p>\n But there are some important points to note. Some researchers warn that extremely long telomeres<\/a> might actually increase disease risk<\/a>, suggesting there\u2019s a sweet spot we don\u2019t yet understand.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also no agreement on the right dose. The Augusta researchers used 2,000 IU daily \u2013 much higher than the current recommended intake of 600 IU<\/a> for under-70s and 800 IU for older adults. Yet other research suggests just 400 IU<\/a> might help prevent colds.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/10131241-f7bc61c8-c271-47c4-a4a6-1dd30f6f6e1f.jpg\")
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