A Natural Product Telomerase Activator Lengthens Telomeres in Humans: A Randomized, Double Blind, and Placebo Controlled Study

Laura Salvador, Gunasekaran Singaravelu, Calvin B Harley, Peter Flom, Anitha Suram, Joseph M Raffaele, Laura Salvador, Gunasekaran Singaravelu, Calvin B Harley, Peter Flom, Anitha Suram, Joseph M Raffaele

Abstract

TA-65 is a dietary supplement based on an improved formulation of a small molecule telomerase activator that was discovered in a systematic screening of natural product extracts from traditional Chinese medicines. This study summarizes the findings on telomere length (TL) changes from a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study of TA-65 over a 1 year period. The study was conducted on 117 relatively healthy cytomegalovirus-positive subjects aged 53-87 years old. Subjects taking the low dose of TA-65 (250 U) significantly increased TL over the 12 months period (530 ± 180 bp; p = 0.005), whereas subjects in the placebo group significantly lost TL (290 ± 100 bp; p = 0.01). The high dose of TA-65 (1000 U) showed a trend of improvements in TL compared with that of the placebo group; however, the improvements did not reach statistical significance. TL changes in the low-dose group were similar for both median and 20th percentile TLs. The findings suggest that TA-65 can lengthen telomeres in a statistically and possibly clinically significant manner.

Keywords: Astragalus; TA-65; placebo controlled trial; randomized; telomerase; telomere length.

Conflict of interest statement

Author Disclosure Statement L.S. as clinical investigator of the study was supported by funding from T.A. Sciences, Inc. G.S. and A.S. are employees of T.A. Sciences, Inc. C.B.H., P.F., and J.M.R. consult for T.A. Sciences, Inc.

Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Baseline median TL. Least squares fit method is used to generate the linear regression model. Each bubble indicates a subject. Solid line indicates 95% confidence limits and broken line indicates 95% prediction limits. R2 is 0.056. The cross-sectional rate of change by age is −50 ± 21 (SE) bp/year. SE, standard error; TL, telomere length.
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Change in the median TL compared with TL at baseline in placebo group, low-dose TA-65 (250 U) group, and high-dose TA-65 (1000 U) group. ΔTL represents change in TL compared with TL at baseline.
FIG. 3.
FIG. 3.
Change in the 20th percentile TL compared with TL at baseline in placebo group, low-dose TA-65 (250 U) group, and high-dose TA-65 (1000 U) group. ΔTL represents change in TL compared with TL at baseline. *Indicates outliers.

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Source: PubMed

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