health span Archives - Health Tips From The Professor

Does Vitamin D Help You Live Longer?

July 15, 2025 by Dr. Steve Chaney

What Are Telomeres And Why Do We Care?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Ponce de Leon landed in Florida to search for the mythical “Fountain of Youth” in 1513. He never found it, but people have been searching for the Fountain of Youth ever since.

The more recent searches for the Fountain of Youth have involved potions and pills that promised to turn back the years. None of them worked either.

So, when I saw recent headlines proclaiming that vitamin D supplementation could reduce our biological age, I was skeptical. But then I read further, and discovered that the proposed mechanism involved slowing the rate of telomere shortening, I decided it was worth investigating the study (H Zhu et al, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, in press, May 5, 2025) behind the headlines.

But before I discuss the study, I should probably share another Biochemistry 101 nugget – “What are telomeres and why do we care?” (Once a professor, always a professor!)

What Are Telomeres And Why Do We Care?

Let’s start at the beginning.

The genetic information that controls every cell in our body is stored in our DNA.

DNA exists as a double-stranded helix that is organized into discrete chromosomes.

- If you had the pleasure of taking a biology class, you also know that the genetic information in DNA is transcribed into RNA molecules and is translated into cellular proteins. But you don’t need to know that information for this article.

It is an amazing system, but it has an Achilles heel.

Our cells are full of enzymes called nucleases that can attach to the ends of chromosomes like little Pac Men and chew them up.

And once these little Pac Men have chewed through essential genes, the chromosome becomes useless, and the cell dies.

Fortunately, there is a protective end on each chromosome called a telomere that is resistant to nucleases. You can think of it as analogous to the tip on the end of a shoelace (more about that analogy later).

In more precise scientific terms, telomeres contain a very specific DNA sequence that causes them to loop back on themselves and form a quadruplex DNA structure (4 strands of DNA bound together) rather than the duplex (double helix) structure found throughout the rest of the chromosome. This makes telomeres resistant to nucleases, and each telomere contains multiple quadruplex structures.

Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever – even telomeres.

When we are young, our telomeres are long – between 2,000 and 10,000 nucleotides in length.

But every time a cell divides, the telomeres get a little shorter.

- You can think of that like a biological clock – clicking off a few weeks or months of your life with each cell division.

And for non-dividing cells, telomeres are also damaged by UV radiation and free radicals. This damage makes them sensitive to nucleases, which also shortens them.

Here is where the analogy with the tips on the end of shoelaces comes into play. If you’ve ever lost the tip at the end of a shoelace, you know the shoelace is worthless from then on.

It’s the same with our chromosomes:

Once the telomere is gone, our chromosomes are susceptible to cellular nucleases and are rapidly degraded.

When that happens, the cell dies because it no longer has genetic information to make essential proteins.

And as more cells die our organs don’t work as well, our immune system weakens, and we become more susceptible to chronic diseases. We call this aging.

Previous studies have measured the average telomere length of people at various ages.

If your telomeres are longer than average for your age, you are said to have a biological age that is less than your chronological age and vice versa.

This is a simplistic explanation of a complex process, but it provides you with enough information to understand the theory behind the current study.

How Was This Study Done?

The investigators used a subset of the vitamin D data from a study called VITAL (Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial). The VITAL study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (the gold standard of clinical studies) comparing the effect of supplementation with 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D versus a placebo.

The study enrolled adults in their mid-fifties or older (average age = 65) with no previous history of cancer or cardiovascular disease and followed them for 5.3 years.

The participants filled out a yearly questionnaire to measure adherence to the study design. From these questionnaires the investigators reported that 80% of the participants in the VITAL study consumed at least two thirds of the capsules they were provided.

The original VITAL study was designed to look at the effect of vitamin D supplementation on cancer and cardiovascular disease. The “Cliffs Notes” version of the results are:

Vitamin D reduced cancer deaths, but not the number of new cancer cases.

Vitamin D did not have a significant effect on cardiovascular disease in this study.

The telomere study was based on a subset of 1054 participants in the VITAL study. These participants provided blood samples at the beginning of the study and at year 2 and year 4 for determination of telomere length.

Does Vitamin D Help You Live Longer?

The study found that:

Telomeres shortened by 140 base pairs over the 4-year period in the control group receiving the placebo.

- The investigators estimated that this was equivalent to about 5 years of chronological age.

In contrast, no significant shortening of telomeres was seen in the group receiving 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D.

The authors concluded, “In the VITAL telomere study, vitamin D₃ supplementation reduced telomere attrition and preserved telomere length, supporting an anti-aging cellular effect of vitamin D…Future independent large-scale RCTs [randomized controlled trials] are warranted to replicate our findings…”

What Are The Strengths And Weaknesses Of This Study?

Strengths:

This is the largest and longest study on the effect of vitamin D supplementation on telomere length publish to date.

It is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial – the gold standard for clinical trials.

It is supported by several smaller studies that have come to the same conclusion.

It has a couple of weaknesses that actually strengthen the conclusions of the study.

The investigators reported that only 80% of participants took two thirds or more of their vitamin D capsules. That makes the effective dose closer to 1,500 IU than 2,000 IU.

The investigators did not measure blood levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, the active form of vitamin D, and there is significant individual variation in our ability to convert supplemental vitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.

- For example, we know that obesity and cholesterol medications interfere with our ability to convert vitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.

- So, the investigators looked at participants who were obese or taking cholesterol medication and reported no effect of vitamin D on telomere shortening as expected. That suggests that the effect of vitamin D on telomere shortening might be even greater in individuals who were not obese and no taking cholesterol drugs.

Weaknesses:

There is a lot we don’t know about telomeres and telomere shortening.

- For example, we don’t know why vitamin D affects telomere shortening. We have hypotheses. But none of them have been proven.

Right now, all we have are associations.

- Telomere shortening is associated with aging. Does that mean we can increase our life span by preventing telomere shortening? We don’t know.

- Telomere shortening is associated with the onset of chronic diseases. Does that mean we can reduce our risk of chronic diseases by preventing telomere shortening? We don’t know.

What Does This Study Mean For You?

At the beginning of this article I asked the question, “Does Vitamin D help you live longer?”

We know telomere shortening is associated with aging.

The study I just reviewed shows that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduces telomere shortening.

Does that mean the answer to the question I posed is, “Yes”? Probably not. A more correct answer would be. “Maybe”.

The problem is that there are many causes of aging and there are many causes of chronic diseases. So, the question becomes, “Is telomere shortening…

…The villain who pulls the trigger… (In this scenario, when your telomeres are gone, you are gone).

…or an innocent bystander?” (In this scenario, it’s something else that pulls the trigger, and you die with your shortened telomeres intact).

We don’t know the answer to this question. But we do know that optimal vitamin D levels are important for:

Healthy bones.
A strong immune system.
Neuromuscular health.
Reduced risk of some chronic diseases.

If it also helps you live longer, count that as an unexpected benefit.

The Bottom Line

A recent study showed that vitamin D supplementation slowed the rate of telomere shortening, which may help you live longer.

For more information on this study, the relationship between telomere shortening and aging, and what this study means for you, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.

My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

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About The Author

Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years. Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”. Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading Biochemistry textbooks for medical students.

Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.

For the past 53 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.

Are Our Healthy Years Getting Shorter?

December 10, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

What Does This Mean For You?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

If you’ve ever traveled the subway system in London, you can’t have missed the “Mind the Gap” signs warning not to put your foot in the gap between the subway and the platform.

That warning is more important than ever in an age where people look at their cell phones rather than where they are walking. Of course, if they are looking at their cell phones, they might miss the sign and…

But today’s “Health Tip” is not about subway gaps. It’s about a far more important gap – the gap between our healthspan (how many years we enjoy good health) and our lifespan (how many years we live).

A recent study (L Gimeno et al, The Journals of Gerontology, Series B, 79(8), gbae113, 2024) suggesting that our healthy years are getting shorter caught my attention.

All of us imagine that our golden years will be ones of vibrant health. We’ll travel to exotic places. We’ll take long walks in the mountains. We’ll play with our grandchildren. Life will be wonderful.

But if this study is correct, none of that will happen for many young Americans. They will be too frail and sick to enjoy their golden years. They will be surviving rather than thriving.

So, in today’s “Health Tips From the Professor” I will review the study and tell you what it means for you.

How Was The Study Done?

The investigators used data on 114,526 adults >50 (average age = 63) from developed countries (the United States, England, and continental Europe). Specifically, they used data from people who participated in the Healthy and Retirement Study (26,939 people in the United States), the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing (14,992 people in England), and the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement (72,595 people in continental Europe) between 2004 and 2018.

These surveys collected data on health-related outcomes every 2 years. The outcomes measured were:

Six activities of daily living (ADLs) such as eating, bathing, and walking.

Four instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) related to essential tasks such as grocery shopping or preparing a hot meal.

Seven measures of mobility difficulties and motor coordination tasks such as walking one block, lifting 10 pounds, or picking up a small coin from a flat surface.

The assumption was that the severity of limitations was ADL > IADL > mobility difficulties. This is based on previous research showing that a person with ADL limitations is likely to have IADL limitations and mobility difficulties. And a person with IADL limitations is likely to have mobility difficulties. Based on this assumption, they classified participants in this study into 4 disability categories:

Mild disability: ≥1 IADL limitations and any number of mobility difficulties.

Moderate disability: 1-2 ADL limitations with any number of IADL limitations and mobility difficulties.

Severe disability: ≥3 ADL limitations with any number of IADL limitations and mobility difficulties.

The study also measured the prevalence (percent of the population) with:

Obesity
Heart disease.
Diabetes
Cancer
Lung disease.
High blood pressure.
High cholesterol.

Finally, the study also measured grip strength because loss of grip strength is considered an indicator of future disabilities.

The unique feature of this study is it compared the health and disability of people who were at the same age when tested but were born in different decades ranging from 1925 to 1955.

Because of the rapid change in diet and lifestyle following World War II, the health and disability of people born in the 1936-1945 decade encompassing World War II was used as the standard to which all other decades were compared.

Are Our Healthy Years Getting Shorter?

Some of you may have skipped over the previous section, so I will repeat the way these data were analyzed because it is crucial to your understanding of the study.

“The unique feature of this study is it compared the health and disability of people who were at the same age when tested but were born in different decades ranging from 1925 to 1955.

When looking at data from the United States, there were two distinct patterns.

The vertical line in the center of the graph represents the health and disability status of people born during World War II because all comparisons in this study were to people born in the decade encompassing World War II. A worsening of health and disabilities is indicated in red and an improvement in health and disabilities is shown in green.

Pattern A was characteristic of a constant worsening of health and disabilities from people born in the decade starting in 1925 to people born in the decade starting in 1955.

This pattern was seen for:

Obesity
Heart disease.
Diabetes
Lung disease.
High blood pressure.
High cholesterol.
Severe disabilities.
Reduction in grip strength.

Remember, this study is measuring health and disability of people at the same age. The only difference is when they were born. It tells us people in their 50s, 60s, or 70s born in 1955 or later are in poorer health than people of the same age who were born in 1925.

And it’s not just the United States. For obesity and health parameters the pattern was the same for England and Europe. For severe disabilities the pattern was the same for England but was not as clear for Europe.

Two things should be noted for this pattern:

The worsening of health and the increase in severe disabilities comes despite the vast improvements in the health care systems in these countries and improved understanding of the causes of these diseases.

Obesity is likely a major driver of our declining health and increased disability. However, it is not the only driver. If the investigators had graphed the percentage of highly processed foods in the diet or the decline in regular exercise, the pattern would have been similar.

Pattern B shows an improvement in the period leading up to World War II and a deterioration in the period after World War II. The authors interpreted the improvement prior to World War II as due to improvements in health care and the deterioration after World War II as due to changes in diet and lifestyle.

This is the pattern seen for mild and moderate disabilities in the United States. The pattern for mild and moderate disabilities was not as clear for England and Europe.

The authors concluded, “In all regions, we found evidence for worsening health across cohorts [groups of people born in successive decades], particularly for those born after 1945.”

What Does This Study Mean For You?

I don’t want to overinterpret this study. This study breaks new ground, but it has some limitations that I would characterize with three statements:

It is a very difficult study to do perfectly.

There are several factors that could affect the interpretation of the data and the outcome of the study.

The authors made a valiant effort to correct for any factors that could have affected the outcome.

For more details about the factors that might affect the outcome of the study and how the authors corrected for them, read the study.

However, this is the first study to use this approach to gauge the decrease in healthy years (healthspan) in developed countries over the past 40 years. It has its flaws, but it is consistent with several other studies documenting declining health in the current generation of young adults. For example, in a recent issue of “Health Tips From the Professor” I reviewed a study showing that colon cancer rates are increasing at an alarming rate for young adults in this country.

At the beginning of this article, I talked about the gap between our healthspan (how many years we enjoy good health) and our lifespan (how many years we live).

This study suggests that the onset of significant health issues and disabilities is occurring at a younger age today than for people born before World War II. In short, it suggests that our healthspan (the number of healthy years) is getting shorter.

This study did not look at lifespan, but numerous studies show that our lifespan is still increasing. So, the gap between healthspan and lifespan appears to be getting larger. In simple terms this means that when today’s young adults reach their “golden years”, they may spend more of those years in poor health than those of us born in the 1940’s.

But, what does this mean for you? The take home lesson should be, “This doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to be frail and sickly in your golden years. We know how to prevent this.”

It starts with a healthy diet – a whole food, primarily plant-based diet with lots of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Add in a regular exercise program with a mixture of aerobic and resistance exercises.

Include an individualized supplement program.

You notice I didn’t list weight control as one of the top three prevention strategies. That’s because I don’t recommend fad diets and rapid weight loss programs. If you do the first three things well, your weight will come off naturally – a little bit at a time.

And once you have mastered all four things, you will increase your healthy years and narrow the gap between your healthspan and your lifespan. You can look forward to golden years filled with vitality and adventure.

The Bottom Line

A recent study used an innovative approach to quantify the deterioration in health and the physical ability to function well in daily activities as we age. The unique feature of this study is it compared the health and disability of people who were at the same age when tested but were born in different decades ranging from 1925 to 1955.

The study found a constant worsening of health and disabilities from people born in the decade starting in 1925 to people born in the decade starting in 1955 for:

Obesity
Heart disease.
Diabetes
Lung disease.
High blood pressure.
High cholesterol.
Severe disabilities.

The authors concluded, “We found evidence for worsening health across cohorts [groups of people born in successive decades], particularly for those born since 1945.”

In short, people born in recent years have fewer healthy years (a shorter healthspan) than people born before World War II. And since our lifespans are getting longer, this means the gap between our healthspan and our lifespan is increasing.

But if this study is correct, none of that will happen for many of today’s young adults. They will be too frail and sick to enjoy their golden years.

For more details about this study and how you can increase your healthy years, narrow the gap between your healthspan and your lifespan, and look forward to golden years filled with vitality and adventure, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

______________________________________________________________________________

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

_______________________________________________________________________

About The Author

For the past 45 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.

Do Optimists Live Longer?

June 25, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

What Does This Study Mean For You?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

You have probably heard the statement that optimists live longer before. In fact, you have probably heard so many times you assume it must be true. But is it a myth or is it the truth?

This question is important because it can affect how people feel about themselves. If you are a natural optimist, statements like this support your feeling of self-worth. But if you are naturally pessimistic, statements like this provide one more reason to feel bad about yourself.

For example, a recent article on the topic in WebMD starts with the statement, “Want to live longer? You might want to try improving your outlook on life.” I am mostly optimistic, so I find this statement to be positive and encouraging.

But I am not sure I would feel about this statement if I were pessimistic or depressed and had tried for years to be more optimistic.

Because of this it is important to ask, “How good is the evidence supporting this claim?”

There are several published studies supporting this claim (For example). However,

Most of these studies have been performed with white, high-income participants. It is not clear whether these same results would apply to other racial and ethnic groups.

There is also the “chicken versus egg” conundrum. The studies claiming that optimists live longer are all association studies. Simply put, that means optimism is associated with longevity, but does not prove cause and effect. That is important because:

- Some studies show that both a healthy diet and exercise improve mood.

- Other studies show that optimists tend to take better care of themselves, and that includes both diet and exercise.

- So, it’s hard to know which comes first – a healthy lifestyle, which creates optimism, or optimism, which creates a healthy lifestyle.

Because of this “chicken versus egg” conundrum, it is not clear whether it is a healthy lifestyle or optimism that is the primary cause of greater longevity.

The study (HK Koga et al, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 70: 2793-2804, 2022)) I will review today was designed to answer both questions. Specifically, this study was designed to ask:

Is higher optimism associated with a longer lifespan and exceptional longevity across diverse racial and ethnic groups?

To what extent do lifestyle factors influence this association?

How Was The Study Done?

The data for this study was obtained from the Women’s Health Initiative which enrolled 161,808 postmenopausal women of diverse racial and ethnic groups from 40 medical centers within the United States between 1993 and 1998. The women were aged 50-79 (average = 63.5) at enrollment and were followed for an average of 26 years.

Optimism was assessed at enrollment into the program using the 6-item Life Orientation Test Revised. For each item on the questionnaire, participants were asked to report the degree they agreed with each statement on a scale of 1 = “strongly agree” to 5 = “strongly disagree”. Their responses were summed to create scores ranging from 6 to 30, with 30 being the highest optimism rating.

Lifestyle was assessed on a questionnaire measuring diet quality, physical activity, BMI (a measure of obesity), smoking status, and alcohol consumption. If participants met predefined “healthy standards in each of these categories, they were given a score of 1. Otherwise, their score was 0. Scores from each category were summed to create a composite lifestyle score ranging from 0 (least healthy) to 5 (most healthy).

Longevity was based on survival compared to national averages using the National Death Index (Yes, “Big Brother” is watching you even when you die) to identify and confirm deaths. Deaths of participants were monitored through March 1, 2019. Exceptional longevity was defined as survival to age 90 or older. Overall, 64,301 women (40.3%) died over the 26 years of follow-up.

Finally, women who died within the first 2 years of follow-up were excluded from the data analysis “to mitigate concerns that health status might affect the reporting or experience of optimism levels.” In plain English, people who are within 2 years of dying are often very sick and feel lousy. Even the most optimistic individuals find it hard to maintain an optimistic outlook in those circumstances. This left 159,255 women in the database.

Do Optimists Live Longer?

When comparing women in the highest to women in the lowest quartile of optimism:

Longevity was increased by 5.4%, which corresponds to an additional 4.4 years. When this was broken down by race and ethnicity, longevity was increased by:

- 1% for Non-Hispanic White women.

- 6% for Black women.

- 4% for Hispanic women.

- 5% for Asian women. However, this may have been an underestimate because of the small sample size of this population in the Women’s Health Initiative database.

Exceptional longevity (survival ≥ 90 years) was increased 10%.

When the authors used a complex statistical method to assess the contribution of lifestyle to the increase in longevity, they found:

Lifestyle contributed to 24% of the increased longevity. When this was broken down by race and ethnicity, lifestyle contributed:

- 25% for Non-Hispanic White women.

- 10% for Black women.

- 24% for Hispanic women.

- 43% for Asian women.

The authors concluded, “We found that higher levels of optimism were associated with longer lifespan and greater likelihood of achieving exceptional longevity across racial and ethnic groups, suggesting the health benefits of optimism may hold across these groups.”

“The contribution of lifestyle to these associations was evident but modest.”

“As prior work has demonstrated that optimism is modifiable, it may be a novel target for interventions that aim to extend lifespan across diverse racial and ethnic groups.”

What Are The Strengths And Weaknesses Of This Study?

This is not the first study to suggest that optimists live longer. But it is the best study to date because:

It was larger (159,255 participants) than most previous studies.

It followed the participants far longer (26 years) than previous studies.

It included a more racially and ethnically diverse group of participants than previous studies.

It addressed the “elephant in the room” for studies of this type, namely that optimists tend to actively seek a healthier lifestyle, so the “benefits” of optimism could be due to a healthy lifestyle rather than a state of mind. The study employed statistics to estimate that a healthy lifestyle contributed around 25% to the longevity experienced by optimists.

However, the study did have some weaknesses. In my opinion, the most important weaknesses were:

Optimism and lifestyle were only assessed at the beginning of the study. No effort was made to determine whether either of these important variables changed during the 26-year study.

The relative influence of lifestyle and optimism on longevity was based on a complex statistical analysis. As Mark Twain said, “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.” Simply put, statistics can sometimes give misleading answers. I would like to see this very important part of the study confirmed using a different method of analysis.

What Does This Study Mean For You?

As I shared above, I have some misgivings about this and other studies claiming that optimists live longer. But let’s assume this claim is true. What does that mean for you?

A 5.4% increase in lifespan might not sound like much, but it added 4.4 years to the lives of the women in the study. What would you do with an extra 4.4 years?

And, as the authors of the study pointed out, that’s equivalent to the gain in lifespan for adults engaged in a regular exercise program. Are those benefits addible? We don’t know, but it is possible that an optimist who exercised regularly and had a healthy diet might experience more than a 4-year gain in lifespan.

The authors said, “Although optimism is partly heritable (23-32%), experimental research has demonstrated that optimism is modifiable…”

Let me share a few things that have helped me maintain a more optimistic outlook:

Affirmations and visualizations of a positive future.

I start my daily prayers by listing the things I am grateful for. For others, a gratitude journal works equally well.

Accept positive input. You can accept compliments with humility by simply thanking the person for the compliment. But in your mind, use the compliment to overcome your inner doubts of self-worth.

Question negative input. Ask if each critic is the kind of person you want to become. If so, ask if what they said is really true.

Create a support network. These are family and friends who will support you when you need it and will give you a gentle kick in the …. when you need that.

Trust in a higher power. I know from experience that it is only God who can give me the “peace that passes all understanding” in my most difficult circumstances. And while I am Christian, I think this is a cornerstone of most religions.

Finally, I know that many people are predisposed to depression and pessimism, so I don’t want to be like the author of the WebMD article and tell you, “Want to live longer? You might want to try improving your outlook on life.”

We know that a healthy lifestyle is associated with longevity. And you don’t have to be an optimist to choose a healthy diet, exercise regularly, avoid smoking and excess alcohol intake, and get regular health check-ups.

We also know these things are associated with a longer healthspan which, simply put, is the number of years you live in good health.

So, whether you are a pessimist or an optimist you can live healthier longer.

The Bottom Line

You have probably heard that optimists live longer, but is it true? In the article above I describe the latest study on this topic. It is better than most previous studies on this topic because:

It was larger (159,255 participants) than most previous studies.

It followed the participants far longer (26 years) than previous studies.

It included a more racially and ethnically diverse group of participants than previous studies.

It addressed the “elephant in the room” for studies of this type, namely that optimists tend to actively seek a healthier lifestyle, so the “benefits” of optimism could be due to a healthy lifestyle rather than a state of mind. The study employed statistics to estimate that a healthy lifestyle contributed around 25% to the longevity experienced by optimists.

When the study compared women in the highest to women in the lowest quartile of optimism:

Longevity was increased by 5.4%, which corresponds to an additional 4.4 years.

Exceptional longevity (survival ≥ 90 years) was increased by 10%.

Lifestyle contributed to 24% of the increased longevity.

“As prior work has demonstrated that optimism is modifiable, it may be a novel target for interventions that aim to extend lifespan across diverse racial and ethnic groups.”

For more details on this study and what it means for you, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

______________________________________________________________________________

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

______________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.