Multivitamin may slow biological aging in older adults

An analysis of randomized trial data found that taking a daily multivitamin for two years was associated with about four months less biological aging on five epigenetic clocks, with larger effects in participants who were biologically older than their chronological age.

Researchers analyzed data from a large randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether a daily multivitamin influences biological aging. Biological age here refers to cellular measures estimated by DNA methylation at specific sites, known as epigenetic clocks, which can differ from chronological age. The analysis used blood samples from the COSMOS trial and tracked five epigenetic clocks over two years. Results are reported in Nature Medicine and involved collaboration among Harvard, Mass General Brigham, and the Medical College of Georgia. Key findings: - The analysis included 958 randomly selected healthy participants with an average chronological age of 70. - Participants were randomized to combinations of daily multivitamin and cocoa extract or matching placebos across four groups. - DNA methylation was measured at baseline, year 1, and year 2 to calculate five epigenetic clock measures. - Compared with the placebo-only group, the multivitamin group showed slowing on all five clocks and statistically significant slowing on the two clocks predictive of mortality. - The observed changes equated to about four months less biological aging over the two-year period, and gains were larger among those who were biologically older than their chronological age at the start of the trial. - The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health and lists Howard Sesso and Yanbin Dong among the authors and collaborators. Summary: The analysis indicates a small slowing in DNA methylation–based measures of biological aging associated with daily multivitamin use over two years, especially for participants who were biologically older than their chronological age. The research team plans follow-up studies to determine whether the observed changes in epigenetic clocks persist after the trial ends.