One of the important benefits of the Terminalia chebula extract in Triphala is that it prevents the shortening of telomeres, which is a major process in the aging of cells.

Telomeres are the parts of chromosomes that act like the plastic cap on a shoestring, preventing DNA from unraveling, which will cause the cell to die.

As people age, their telomeres progressively shorten, mainly due to the damaging effects of free radicals.

Diseases associated with high levels of free radicals — such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, hypertension, exposure to toxic metals (aluminum, lead, cadmium, mercury), autoimmune diseases and high levels of stress — cause rapid shortening of these telomeres, and shortening of lifespan.

As noted, Triphala has demonstrated powerful antibacterial benefits against some of the worst human pathogens.

A recent study found the extract to be effective against bladder infections, one of the more common antibiotic-resistant types of infection.

Triphala may also be an effective and safe way to treat H. pylori infections of the stomach — a major cause of stomach ulcers and stomach cancer, and a major contributor to atherosclerosis.

One of the components of Triphala (Terminalia belerica) has been shown to prevent stress-related stomach ulcers. It also prevented damage to the stomach lining by aspirin.

Another important benefit of the Emblica officinalis component of Triphala is protecting the testes from damage by a commonly used organophosphate pesticide called chlorpyrifos.

Chlorpyrifos has been found to damage male reproductive organs, reducing testosterone levels and lowering sperm counts to the point of causing infertility.

When given at the same time as exposure to the pesticide, Emblica officinalis prevented testicular damage.

This could eliminate one of the most likely causes for male infertility, which is on the rise.

Recent studies also found that Emblica officinalis protects the liver and immune system from damage by arsenic, which is a growing problem in an increasingly toxic world.

In addition, interest has been generated by the finding that Emblica protects the liver from fructose-induced fatty liver disease, a rapidly growing problem in developed countries caused by the use of high fructose corn syrup in so many foods and drinks.53

Emblica also shields against fructose-induced insulin resistance while significantly lowering total cholesterol levels.

The combination of insulin resistance and very high cholesterol increases atherosclerosis, thus increasing a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke.