Advanced · Cutting-edge longevity
Longevity supplements, read with a cool head.
NAD+ and its precursors, the fasting-mimicking berberine, and the telomere-support products TA-65 and Telos95. Each page has a telomere section: how it is meant to act on telomeres, what has actually been measured in people, what has not, and where the safety questions are.
Vanu Health Research Team · Updated
Cutting-edge longevity supplements
NAD+, NMN, berberine, TA-65 and Telos95: anti-aging supplements, evidence reviewed.
- NAD+ pathway
NAD+
The coenzyme every cell uses to make energy and repair DNA. Its levels are thought to fall with age, which is why NAD+ and its precursors are among the best-known longevity supplements.
SpotlightBody composition: In a 13-person, 6-week placebo-controlled crossover trial of the precursor NR, fat-free mass rose from 61.32% to 62.65% of body mass versus placebo (P = 0.02).Cell energy: NAD+ is used by the enzymes that repair DNA and regulate sirtuins.Evidence: earlyRead more - NAD+ precursor
Nicotinamide riboside (NR)
A form of vitamin B3 that the body converts to NAD+. It is one of the best-studied NAD+ precursors sold as a supplement.
Telomeres: No human telomere data foundEvidence: earlyRead more - NAD+ precursor
Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)
A molecule one step before NAD+ in the body’s main building pathway. Heavily marketed and still early in human research.
Telomeres: No human telomere data foundEvidence: earlyRead more - AMPK activator
Berberine
A plant compound that activates AMPK in lab studies. A 2020 meta-analysis found modest weight loss, but its authors say the evidence cannot firmly support it.
SpotlightWeight: About 2 kg (4.6 lb) average loss across 12 randomized trials (1,040 people), with a confidence interval of 1.05 to 3.09 kg.Mechanism: Reported to activate AMPK, a cell energy sensor, in lab studies.Longevity: Lab and animal evidence only. We found no human lifespan trial.Risk: Overactive AMPK. AMPK can switch off growth signals used for muscle building. Berberine has not been tested for this in people, so this is a caution, not a finding.Evidence: limitedRead more - Telomere support
TA-65
A plant-derived extract marketed as a telomerase activator. Its one randomized trial is small, and its authors include people linked to the maker.
Telomeres: Randomized trial (2016): low dose lengthened telomeres; high dose not significantEvidence: earlyRead more - Telomere support
Telos95
A telomere-support supplement marketed on telomere results. The reported study had no placebo group, and the material we reviewed does not list its ingredients.
Telomeres: Trade-press report, no placebo groupEvidence: earlyRead more - Polyamine
Spermidine
A polyamine linked to lower mortality in an observational study of diet. The supplement trials we read measured blood and saliva levels, not lifespan.
Evidence: earlyRead more - Flavonol
Fisetin
A flavonol studied as a senolytic, meaning a compound that may clear aged cells. The key 2018 study reported longer lifespan in mice and no human clinical outcomes.
Evidence: earlyRead more - Looking for everyday skincare?Skin Supplement DatabaseCollagen, vitamin C, zinc, omega-3, astaxanthin and more, with smart search.Search all
How to read the claims
A biomarker is not an outcome.
A higher NAD+ level in your blood, or a longer telomere in a blood cell, tells you a molecule moved. It does not tell you your skin looks younger or that you will live longer. Most human trials of these products measure the molecule, not the outcome.
Look for placebo groups, independent authors and measured outcomes. Be careful with before-and-after “biological age” scores from consumer tests, which can vary from one sample to the next. Our The Truth About Wrinkles covers what actually ages skin, and the AGE food rankings show diet’s part in it.
Telomeres and skin
Why healthy telomeres may matter for skin.
Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. They shorten a little each time a cell divides. Skin is one of the body’s busiest renewing tissues: the outer layer is replaced every few weeks, and fibroblasts in the deeper layer keep making collagen.
- When telomeres get very short, a cell stops dividing and becomes “senescent”. Fewer dividing cells can mean slower repair and a thinner outer layer.
- Senescent skin cells release inflammatory signals that, in lab studies, break down collagen and may speed visible aging.
- UV light and oxidative stress damage telomere DNA, and lab work suggests telomeres are especially vulnerable to UV. That is one reason sun protection comes first.
- Rare inherited telomere disorders affect skin, hair and nails, which shows how much these tissues depend on telomere upkeep.
The honest limit: this role is likely rather than proven for everyday skin aging. Most evidence is from cell and observational studies, telomere length in blood does not equal telomere length in skin, and no trial has shown a supplement improves skin by lengthening telomeres.
At a glance
| Supplement | What it targets | Telomere data | Best human evidence | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAD+ | Cell energy and DNA repair | Indirect: lab and animal studies only | Lab and animal studies; precursors raise blood levels in people | No human trial for skin or lifespan; IV products unproven |
| Nicotinamide riboside (NR) | Raises NAD+ | No human telomere data found | Placebo-controlled trials: blood NAD+ up about 60% at 1,000 mg a day | Muscle and metabolic outcomes small or absent |
| Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) | Raises NAD+ | No human telomere data found | Small trials: muscle insulin sensitivity in women with prediabetes | Small, short trials; regulation has changed recently |
| Berberine | AMPK, the fasting energy sensor | No human telomere data found | Meta-analysis of 12 RCTs: about 2 kg average weight loss; lower blood sugar | Lifespan gains only in worms and flies; overactive-AMPK and drug-interaction risks |
| TA-65 | Telomerase and telomere length | Randomized trial (2016): low dose lengthened telomeres; high dose not significant | A placebo-controlled trial and an open-label study report blood telomere changes | Maker-linked authors; biomarker only; theoretical cancer concern |
| Telos95 | Telomere length | Trade-press report, no placebo group | Company-reported six-month study with no placebo group | Ingredients undisclosed; no independent trial found |
| Spermidine | ||||
| Fisetin |
Questions
What counts as a longevity supplement here?
An emerging ingredient marketed to slow aspects of cellular aging, such as NAD+ and its precursors or telomere-support products. Everyday skincare supplements are in our Skin Supplement Database instead.
Do longevity supplements make skin look younger?
No controlled trial has shown that for any ingredient on this page. Studies mostly measure blood markers such as NAD+ levels or telomere length, which are not the same as skin appearance or lifespan.
Are these supplements safe?
Short trials report few side effects, but long-term safety is not established, and there are theoretical concerns for people with a cancer history. Talk to a clinician before starting.
Does Vanu Health sell these supplements?
No. This section is independent education from the Vanu Health Research Team. We sell the DermaGlass® mask and publish books.
General information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement. Read our terms.