A recent study suggests that daily multivitamin use may slow biological aging by approximately four months, particularly benefiting older adults.
Aging is an inevitable part of life, but new research indicates that a daily multivitamin could potentially slow its progression. Conducted by Mass General Brigham in Boston, the study found that daily multivitamin use slowed biological aging by about four months over a two-year period among nearly 1,000 participants.
Biological aging refers to the pace of aging at a cellular level, which can differ from chronological age. The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine and stemmed from a large randomized clinical trial involving healthy older adults with an average age of 70.
Participants in the study were divided into four groups: one group took a daily multivitamin-multimineral supplement along with a cocoa extract, another group received a daily cocoa extract and placebo, a third group took a placebo and multivitamin, and the final group received only a placebo.
The researchers analyzed blood samples collected from participants at three different points during the study, focusing on five biomarkers known as “epigenetic clocks.” These clocks measure age-related changes in DNA, providing insight into biological aging.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst at Fox News, explained that biological aging can be marked by DNA methylation, which may increase in some cells while decreasing in others. This phenomenon is part of what is described as epigenetic changes or DNA expression.
The results indicated that those who took multivitamins experienced a slowdown in biological aging across all measured biomarkers, including two specifically linked to longevity. The most significant benefits were observed in participants whose biological age was older than their chronological age.
Howard Sesso, the senior author of the study and associate director of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Mass General Brigham, expressed enthusiasm about the findings. “There is a lot of interest today in identifying ways to not just live longer, but to live better,” he said. “It was exciting to see the benefits of a multivitamin linked with markers of biological aging. This study opens the door to learning more about accessible, safe interventions that contribute to healthier, higher-quality aging.”
Dr. Siegel, who was not involved in the study, described the results as “scientific and significant,” emphasizing the need for further investigation. However, he noted that it remains unclear which specific components of the multivitamin may be responsible for the observed slowdown in aging.
“There are so many possibilities, from biotin to calcium to zinc to vitamins B, C, or D, as well as niacin and metals like magnesium and copper,” he explained. “I am personally a believer in riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamin D, but further research is needed to parse this out and determine a cause-effect relationship.”
Despite the promising findings, the research does have limitations. The effects on aging were relatively small, and it is not yet known how these changes may influence actual medical outcomes. Additionally, the study population primarily consisted of older adults of European ancestry, which raises questions about the generalizability of the results to broader populations.
The researchers did not explore the relationship between changes in the epigenetic clock and actual health outcomes, such as reduced disease risk or increased lifespan. They are planning follow-up studies to determine whether the slowdown in biological aging persists after the trial and to assess the potential impact on clinical outcomes.
Future research will also investigate other possible benefits of daily multivitamins, including their effects on cognitive function and cancer risk. “A lot of people take a multivitamin without necessarily knowing any benefits from taking it, so the more we can learn about its potential health benefits, the better,” Sesso noted. “We are fortunate and excited to build upon a rich resource of biomarker data to test how two interventions may improve biological aging and reduce age-related clinical outcomes.”
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, highlighting the importance of ongoing research in understanding the potential health benefits of multivitamins.