A daily multivitamin may leisurely biological aging, according to a new study, though the health implications of this finding remain unclear. Understanding the difference between chronological age – how long a person has lived – and biological age – the actual condition of the body – is becoming increasingly important in the pursuit of long-term health and disease prevention.
Potential for Long-Term Health Benefits
Researchers suggest that slowing the rate of biological aging could potentially prevent or lessen the impact of age-related illnesses, offering individuals more years of good health. The study, conducted by U.S.-based researchers and partially funded by confectionery manufacturer Mars, indicates that a daily multivitamin could help slow certain markers of biological aging.
Dr. Howard Sesso, an epidemiologist at Mass General Brigham Department of Medicine and lead author of the study, emphasized that these findings do not necessarily mean all older adults should begin taking multivitamins. “This proves essential to determine the clinical relevance of our findings,” he stated.
“There are no known risks associated with taking a multivitamin in the two large clinical trials. At the same time, we don’t know for sure who benefits and how,” Dr. Sesso added.
While a large study published last year showed that daily multivitamins do not extend lifespan and may even increase the risk of premature death, Sesso and his colleagues noted that previous research suggested daily multivitamin use was associated with improved cognitive function and a reduced risk of lung cancer and cataracts.
Published in the journal Nature Medicine, the study followed 958 generally healthy participants with an average age of around 70, divided into four groups: multivitamin + daily cocoa extract; placebo multivitamin + daily cocoa extract; daily multivitamin + placebo cocoa extract; and two placebos daily. Researchers collected blood samples at the beginning of the study and after one and two years, analyzing five different measures of DNA methylation, referred to as “epigenetic clocks.” These clocks are changes that accumulate with age and affect how genes function.
Study Results
After adjusting for age, sex, and participants’ initial values, researchers found that, compared to the placebo group, those taking a daily multivitamin experienced a slowing of biological aging for two of the five epigenetic clocks – specifically those used to estimate the risk of mortality. This finding suggests a potential link between multivitamin supplementation and a measurable impact on biological age.
this equates to roughly four months less biological aging over the course of two years. The findings could inform future research into preventative health strategies.
The effects appeared more pronounced in individuals who had a faster rate of biological aging at the start of the study, possibly as they had greater initial nutritional deficiencies. “Nutritional status may partially explain the results, but these epigenetic clocks could also reflect other age-related risk factors,” Sesso explained.
Researchers added that cocoa extract did not slow biological aging for any of the five clocks and did not interact with the multivitamin. Further studies are needed to determine whether the modest effects observed with multivitamins translate into significant clinical benefits.
Experts from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York, cited in an accompanying article, agreed and emphasized that the observed effects were very small.
Dr. Marco Di Antonio, an expert in biological aging at Imperial College London, who was not involved in the study, stated that the connection between epigenetic clocks and practical aspects of aging remains unclear.
“I don’t think people should automatically start taking daily multivitamins, but these results do demonstrate that diet and lifestyle have an effect on biological age, as direct changes in diet can influence epigenetic clocks,” he said.
“Taking multivitamins daily is pointless if it’s not accompanied by a healthy lifestyle, because unhealthy habits have a negative impact on aging, and multivitamins can’t compensate for that.”
Dr. Pilar Guallar Castillón, an associate professor at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, added that the clinical trial associated with the research did not show any effect of multivitamin consumption on major causes of mortality and morbidity.
“My personal recommendation is to stop taking multivitamins, whether in pill or gummy form. Eat a healthy and varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables [the main natural source of vitamins and minerals], and don’t waste your money on nutritional supplements. There are huge commercial interests in their consumption and a lack of clinical evidence.”
