Vitamin C for Telomere Protection
Vitamin C may reduce the oxidative stress that accelerates shortening, without outcome proof.
Overview
Verdict
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 75-200mg/day dietary sufficiency
- Expected timeframe
- Years, if measurable at all
Protocol
- form
- Ascorbic acid
- duration
- Not applicable - telomere change requires years to detect
- co factor
- Evidence is insufficient. The rationale comes from cell culture work showing ascorbic acid slows telomere shortening in cultured endothelial cells, plus observational studies associating higher dietary vitamin C intake with longer leukocyte telomeres. No randomised trial has measured telomere length after vitamin C supplementation in humans. Telomere length also varies enormously between individuals and between cell types, measurement methods differ substantially in reliability, and shortening rates are slow enough that detecting an intervention effect would require years and large samples.
- titration
- Not applicable; the tolerable upper intake level is 2,000 mg/day
- starting dose
- Not established. No intervention trial has tested vitamin C for telomere length
Evidence
What the studies say
Multivitamin use and telomere length in women
Xu Q, Parks CG, DeRoo LA +3 more
Daily multivitamin users had 5.1% longer telomeres on average, and higher dietary vitamin C and E intakes were associated with longer telomeres.
Safety
Caveats
Mechanistic only. No human outcome data.
Less likely to help if
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any supplement regimen.
Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.