A new study from researchers at Mass General Brigham suggests that taking a daily multivitamin may help slow down biological aging in older adults. The study is published in the journal Nature Medicine.Scientists found that people who used a multivitamin for two years showed signs of slower aging at the cellular level. The effect was strongest in participants who appeared biologically older than their actual age when the study began. Biological age is different from chronological age.
Chronological age is the number of years a person has lived. Biological age measures how old the body seems based on changes inside cells and DNA. Some people may be 70 years old in reality but have a younger or older biological age depending on their health and lifestyle.
The research team used information from a large clinical trial called the COSMOS Trial. The study included healthy older adults with an average age of about 70 years. Researchers wanted to see if taking a multivitamin every day can change biological aging over time. They tested blood samples from 958 people. Scientists looked at special DNA markers called methylation patterns. These markers help show how fast the body is aging.
These small chemical changes help control how genes work. Scientists often use them in tools known as “epigenetic clocks.” These clocks estimate biological age and can predict health risks linked to aging. Participants in the study were divided into four groups. One group took both a cocoa extract supplement and a multivitamin every day. Another group received cocoa extract and a placebo instead of a multivitamin.
A third group took a multivitamin with a placebo cocoa capsule. The final group received only placebos. Researchers checked blood samples at the start of the study and again after one and two years. They looked at five different epigenetic clocks to track aging changes. The results indicated that people taking multivitamins experienced slower biological aging across all five clocks compared with those taking only placebos.
The two clocks displayed particularly significant results due to their strong correlation with mortality risk. According to the researchers, the overall slowing was equal to about four fewer months of biological aging over the two-year period. The benefits were even larger for people who had faster biological aging at the beginning of the study.
In other words, participants whose bodies appeared older than expected for their age gained the greatest improvement from taking the daily supplement. Senior researcher Howard Sesso said many people today want not only longer lives but also healthier ones. He explained that the findings are encouraging because multivitamins are widely available, inexpensive, and generally safe for most people.
The scientists believe the study could lead to more research on simple ways to support healthy aging. They now want to learn whether the effects continue after people stop taking the supplements. Researchers are also interested in understanding how slower biological aging may connect to better overall health.
Previous findings from the COSMOS trial already suggested that daily multivitamins may help improve memory and thinking in older adults. Researchers also found possible links to lower risks of cancer and cataracts. Future studies are expected to clarify the relationship between these benefits and slower biological aging, according to scientists. Co-author Yanbin Dong said the team plans to continue studying epigenetic clocks and other aging markers in future research.
The goal of this study is to better understand how these changes affect long-term health and disease prevention. Although the study findings look promising. Researchers assert the necessity for further studies. Scientists do not recommend relying solely on supplements for healthy aging. Good nutrition, regular exercise, proper sleep, and avoiding smoking remain important factors for maintaining health as people grow older. Still, the findings provide new evidence that a simple daily multivitamin could play a small but meaningful role in supporting healthier aging. For many older adults, that possibility alone is attracting growing interest among scientists and the public alike.
