Ergothioneine from Blue California may help preserve telomere length, says new study

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A recent study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements¹ found that a branded ergothioneine from Blue California (Rancho Santa, CA) called ErgoActive helped preserve telomere length and reduced the rate of telomere shortening under oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is considered a major contributor of telomere shortening, and antioxidants may help mitigate these effects. Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring amino acid with potent antioxidant properties. Telomeres are complex protein structures located at the end of each DNA strand, protecting chromosomes from becoming damaged. When DNA strands are frayed or worn down, cells are challenged with performing specialized functions.

In the in vitro study, researchers cultured primary human fibroblasts under standard and oxidative conditions, then treated cells with 0.04, 0.1, 0.3, or 1.0 mg/ml ergothioneine for 8 weeks. Results showed that under oxidative conditions, following ergothioneine treatment, median telomere length and 20th percentile telomere length was significantly longer, and the percentage of short telomeres was significantly reduced for all treatment concentrations after 8 weeks.

“Our results suggest that ergothioneine as part of a healthy diet could potentially mitigate the negative effects of oxidative stress and support healthy aging by helping to preserve telomere length and reduce the rate of shortening,” said Blue California’s chief science officer, Priscilla Samuel, PhD, in a press release.

Reference

1. Samuel P et al. “Ergothioneine Mitigates Telomere Shortening under Oxidative Stress Conditions.” Journal of Dietary Supplements, Published online ahead of print on December 7, 2020