Polyphenols-rich Supplements and Shortening of Telomeres: A Nutritional Approach to Slowing Cellular Aging

The fast-ticking biological clock comes with an array of aging signs. Grey hair, tiny crow feet near eyes, wrinkles, and saggy skin, are all visible superficial signs of getting older. However, there is much more that happens on the inside of your body at a cellular level. Cellular aging as we call it, is a time-dependent process that gradually takes your body's cells towards cell death. Cell death is further linked to several diseases related to neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, and almost all body systems that may undergo pathological changes due to cellular aging and death (Ahmad and Anderson 2021).

Cellular aging is marked by physiological changes of epigenetic and genetic origin, alterations in cellular communications, faulty absorption of nutrients, and shortening of telomeres. Telomeres are present at the end of chromosomes. They are responsible for maintaining genome stability. Every cell division is responsible for the shortening of the telomeres and every shortening of the telomere accelerates the aging process. Hence, slowing down the process of telomere shortening offers a target to slow down cellular aging (D'Angelo 2023).

Several factors contribute to telomere shortening. Our dietary choices, lifestyle, exposure to stress, unhealthy habits such as smoking, inflammatory diseases, and lack of physical exercise physically affect our health. However, at a cellular level, these factors are responsible for telomere shortening. (da Costa et al. 2016; Verma et al. 2022) The food we eat has a considerable role in the cellular functions and mechanisms that include oxidative stress and inflammation. Hence a nutritional approach to slow the process of cellular aging gets significant consideration (D'Angelo 2023). Some published research work says that polyphenol-rich food protects against aging with the help of its constituents, thus helping you to defend against age-related disorders. Polyphenols also influence the process of telomere shortening and thus may slow down the aging process (Maleki et al. 2020, Meccariello and D'Angelo 2021, D'Angelo 2023).

Let us delve deeper to know telomeres, their length, how their shortening affects aging, and how polyphenol-rich supplements may be our answer to slow down the aging process by their involvement in slowing the telomere shortening.

Telomere length: A hint to the aging process

Longevity with good health is everybody’s dream. It thus becomes a driving force in anti-aging research. Aging is a gradual degenerating process at a cellular level that involves several hallmarks including telomere shortening. Telomeres are DNA sequences that are present at the terminals of chromosomes. They maintain integrity and act as protective caps on the chromosomes. During cell divisions, the telomeres function to avoid the loss of DNA base pairs.  However, with time, the caps shorten and are unable to protect the loss of DNA pairs. Eventually, with time, the telomeres become so short that the cell is unable to divide and ultimately cell death occurs. The reproductive and growth cells in our body synthesize a telomerase enzyme that helps to prevent the shortening of telomerase by avoiding friction between the ends of chromosomes at every cell division. However, as we age, the cells produce less telomerase. As a result, there is more friction and shortening of telomeres. Thus, telomere shortening is a sign of aging (Zole and Ranka 2018, D'Angelo 2023).

Researchers have hypothesized that targeting the telomere shortening process and slowing it can ultimately also slow cell death. Eventually, this will result in slowing cellular aging. There is currently a lot of research in the field of cellular aging, since progress in this field can increase longevity. Some researchers have found an association between plant-based diets and cellular aging (D'Angelo 2023).

Polyphenolic diet: A key to prevent telomere shortening

The research on aging has shown that delaying the aging process and aging-related disorders can be achieved by choosing the right type of food. According to certain studies, longevity may be linked to specific dietary patterns. Most clinical research studies link plant-based, low-meat, and low-fat diets with increased longevity and reduced telomere shortening. Polyphenols are secondary metabolites that are synthesized by plants and have a positive effect on health as they are powerhouses of health-promoting molecules. Polyphenol-rich foods are potential entities to deal with metabolic diseases associated with aging. Research shows that several age-related disorders can be prevented or controlled using polyphenol-rich food (Sharma and Padwad 2020, Di Lorenzo et al. 2021, D'Angelo 2023, Liu et al. 2024).

What makes polyphenols so special?

Based on their chemical structure, there are around 8000 different polyphenols.The presence of an aromatic ring and hydroxyl group forms the main structure of any polyphenol. Depending on the placement of other groups, there are several types of polyphenols such as flavonoids, flavones, anthocyanins, and so on. 

Polyphenols are great for your health. They are typically present in brightly colored vegetables, fruits, some whole grains, berries, roots, seeds, dried bark, legumes, herbs, and tea. The plant extracts rich in polyphenols can be active against cellular damage caused by certain oxidative stress (Santhakumar et al. 2018, D'Angelo 2023). The Mediterranean diet enriched with colored and polyphenol-rich plants is also associated with prompting fewer cardiovascular diseases and enabling better longevity (Meccariello and D'Angelo 2021).

Polyphenols can be an answer to fight aging-related diseases and extend the life span and they do so by their powerful antioxidant activity.

Polyphenols: the heroes in the war against oxidation 

Oxidation processes result in the formation of free radicals that result in cellular damage and aging. The high antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory activity of polyphenols help them scavenge free radicals. They also slow down the process of telomere shortening through the expression of a telomerase enzyme (Luo et al. 2021). Researchers have put forth the following antioxidant mechanisms of polyphenols that help achieve telomere shortening (Luo et al. 2021, D'Angelo 2023).

• Packed with antioxidant potential, the polyphenols scavenge the reactive-oxidation species (ROS) directly and stop the oxidation process. 
• Additionally, polyphenols regulate the production of antioxidant enzymes and thereby exert antioxidant activities. 
• They are also involved in the mediation of several cellular pathways that regulate the expression of detoxifying enzymes. 
• Polyphenols are also known to act through the microRNAs (i.e., small, single-stranded RNA molecules that regulate gene expression in cells) to counteract the ROS.

You can use the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of polyphenols to fight cellular aging by slowing the telomere shortening process. Green tea which is rich in polyphenols has proven anti-inflammatory effects (Farhan 2022). Research carried out in animals has shown the effectiveness of extracts of polyphenols in slowing the telomere-shortening process. Grape seed polyphenols that consist of mixture of gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, and polymerized procyanidins have shown an effect on telomere length in mice (Thomas, Wang et al. 2009). Similarly, a study in human aortic smooth muscle cells has shown the effect of polyphenols on the activation of a telomerase enzyme (Huang, Riordan et al. 2015). Researchers have shown that long-term use of resveratrol along with mineral copper for approximately one year significantly alleviated several biological indicators of aging in brain cells, including telomere attrition. Resveratrol has been shown to improve blood biochemistry by reducing blood glucose, cholesterol, and C-reactive protein levels (Pal et al. 2022). Additionally, a few clinical studies in patients have demonstrated beneficial effects of resveratrol on maintaining health functioning of the human body (Timmers et al. 2011, Magyar et al. 2012). Conclusively resveratrol is an interesting bioactive phytoconstituent for promoting telomere maintenance and healthy aging. Polyphenolic extract from bergamot fruit has shown an effect in photoaging by acting on telomere shortening (Nisticò, et al. 2015). 

Many such studies carried out in animals or cell lines prove the potential of polyphenols as powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. The inclusion of a polyphenol-rich diet in your daily food routine can contribute to slowing the cellular aging process. The same can be harnessed in polyphenol-rich supplements like resveratrol. A complete age renewal complex containing a powerful blend of carefully selected polyphenols like fisetin, curcumin, and quercetin along with essential mineral zinc is also a good option. A longevity complete formula is also a potential alternative as it provides berberine and resveratrol along with essential vitamins.

Aging is a natural and biological process that shows several cellular changes. Mitigating this process by use of polyphenol-rich supplements can improve life span. Moreover, the studies prove the capability of polyphenols as powerful antiaging molecules that can avoid the telomere-shortening process. They can modulate the telomere length, slow the shortening process, and are thus key players in slowing cellular aging. The ongoing research in cellular aging and nutrition-based strategies provide compelling opportunities to make use of polyphenol-based supplements in cellular aging. Supplements made from natural polyphenolic extracts are important options to use in the nutrition approach towards slowing the cellular aging process.

Here at Pristine’s, we care about your health. Therefore, Pristine’s recommends that you consult with your doctor before embarking on any significant alterations in your eating habits, nutritional supplement intake, or exercise routine. Our blogs are not able, nor intended, to substitute for professional, personalized medical advice. We ask that you discuss any points of interest raised in these blogs with a trusted medical professional.

We wish you optimal longevity and health.

Legal Disclaimer