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Multivitamins may help women live longer by preventing parts of their DNA from shortening. Researchers speculated that preventing this shortening could protect new cells and thus reduce the effects of aging.

“This study provides the first epidemiological evidence that multivitamin use is associated with longer leukocyte telomeres among women,” said lead researcher Dr. Honglei Chen, head of the Aging & Neuroepidemiology Group. “It is not yet clear if this association is causal.”

“Most recent studies of vitamin supplements have yielded discouraging results,” said Dr. David Katz from the Yale University School of Medicine, “This study clearly goes the other way, suggesting that a multivitamin may help protect our chromosomes, and thus ourselves, from aging.”

[via: Supplement Genius]

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