Aging can't be stopped, but a daily pill could slow it down, according to new research led by Mass General Brigham in Boston.
Among people who took a multivitamin every day for two years, biological aging slowed down by about four months, found the study, which was published in Nature Medicine.
Biological aging refers to the pace of aging on a cellular level, which is often different from chronological age.
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The findings came from a large randomized clinical trial of nearly 1,000 healthy older adults averaging 70 years of age. The participants were divided into four groups - one took a daily multivitamin-multimineral supplement along with a cocoa extract, one took a daily cocoa extract and placebo, one took a placebo and multivitamin, and one took just a placebo, according to the study press release.
The researchers analyzed blood samples taken from the participants at three points during the study, looking at five biomarkers known as "epigenetic clocks" that measure age-related changes to DNA.
"Aging at the cellular level can be marked by DNA methylation, where in some cells it decreases and in some it increases," Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital. "This is also described as epigenetic changes - or DNA expression."
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Those who took multivitamins showed a biological aging slowdown across all biomarkers, including the two that are linked to longevity.
The biggest benefit was seen in those who already had a biological age that was older than their chronological age, the researchers found.
"There is a lot of interest today in identifying ways to not just live longer, but to live better," said senior author Howard Sesso, associate director of the Division of Preventive Medicine in the Mass General Brigham Department of Medicine, in the press release.
"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."
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Siegel, who was not involved in the study, described the results as "scientific and significant," agreeing that they should be studied further.
It's not clear which part of the multivitamin might be responsible for the aging slowdown, the doctor noted.
"There are so many possibilities, from biotin to calcium to zinc to vitamin B, C or D … to niacin and to metals like magnesium and copper," he told Fox News Digital. "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."
There were some limitations of the research, including that the aging effects were small, and it's not yet known how they might affect actual medical outcomes.
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The study population was also limited to mostly older ages and those of European ancestry, which could mean it wouldn't be generalized to larger groups.
The research also did not explore the relationship between epigenetic clock changes and actual health outcomes, such as lower disease risk or greater lifespan.
The researchers are now planning follow-up research to explore whether the slowdown of biological aging continued after the trial, as well as the impact these improvements may have on clinical outcomes.
Additional studies will also look at other potential benefits of daily multivitamins, such as cognitive function and reduced 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," said Sesso. "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."
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The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
