The Secret of Telomers

Why am I such a huge fan of the plant compound berberine that I take it every day? Because living a greatly expanded lifespan appeals to me. I really want to see what the human race accomplishes over the next 200 years or so! Berberine plays a role in this goal by maintaining the length of my telomers during programmed cell death and replacement. A telomere is a special DNA sequence at the end of a chromosome that protects it from deterioration. Each time a cell divides, its telomeres shorten, which eventually limits the cell's ability to keep dividing—a process linked to the physical aspects of aging. The exact dose in mg per kg of body weight hasn't been fine-tuned yet by research. Currently I'm taking a single dose of 2000mg per day, based on testimonials of others trying to slow down their aging.

But it turns out berberine isn't the only easily accessible compound that protects telomers. Research has just been published on a five-year aging study on 1,054 people in their early 50s. Half were given a placebo, and the other half were given vitamin D3 (2,000 IU/day) and omega-3 fatty acid (1 g/day) supplementation. Telomer lengths were measured at the beginning and end of these five years, revealing an amazing effect. The telomers of those taking the vitamin D/omega 3 supplements had only shortened the amount that would occur over two years, not five! Those taking the placebo suffered normal telomer loss. Age-related infirmities, including cancers, was also significantly lower in those who's telomers remained longer. This is huge, folks!

If you want to stay young you better be getting your vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids. While vitamin D supplements are good, sunlight is my preferred choice for D.  Here in Houston, I need approximately 5 to 15 minutes of sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in June/July to synthesize 2,000 IU/day. The farther north you live, the longer exposure you need. If you're north of the 37th parallel, you'll need to take vitamin D3 supplements after the Autumnal equinox, Sept. 22nd.

Omega 3 fatty acids are generally acquired in fish oils and animal fats, but also flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts. The wild summertime "weed" purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is another good source of these critical fatty acids. Like vitamin D, most people don't get enough omega 3s from their foods. Make the effort!

Important note - no one has found a way to increase the length of telomers, and it's extremely unlikely such a thing is possible. This means you can't make yourself younger, you can only slow down your future aging. Also, this won't help if you have an unhealthy lifestyle of bad foods, no exercise, poor sleep, etc.

The Research Paper

Vitamin D3 and Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation and Leukocyte Telomere Length: 4-Year Findings from the VITAL Randomized Controlled Trial, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.003

Medicine Man Plant Co.

I currently don't have a product specifically designed to protect your telomers, but daily dose of The Liver Pill does contain 800mg of flaxseed. This gives about 10% of the recommended omega 3 fatty acid, which is a strong start. Click HERE to get my liver supplement and save 15%. Do it fast as this offer ends July 1st, 2025!

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