Daily Multivitamin Use May Slow Biological Aging, Study Finds

In recent years, scientific research has increasingly focused on methods to slow down the aging process. New findings from the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), published in Nature Medicine, suggest that daily multivitamin intake over two years may contribute to slower biological aging.

Modest But Notable Effects

The observed effect is relatively small, equating to approximately four months of slowed aging over two years. Researchers emphasize this isn’t an “elixir of long life,” but rather an indication that nutritional interventions can influence biological mechanisms linked to age. Mass General Brigham investigators led the analysis.

Understanding Biological Age

Chronological age – the number of years lived – doesn’t always reflect an organism’s true state. Some individuals exhibit cellular and physiological conditions that are “younger” than their chronological age, while others show signs of more rapid aging. To address this, scientists use molecular indicators, analyzed through blood samples, to estimate so-called biological age. These indicators include epigenetic clocks, which assess changes in DNA methylation.

The COSMOS Study Design

The COSMOS study involved 958 healthy participants with an average age of 70. Participants were divided into four groups: cocoa extract and multivitamin, cocoa extract and placebo, multivitamin and placebo, or placebo only. Blood samples were collected at the beginning of the study, after one year, and at the finish of the two-year trial to evaluate changes in molecular markers associated with aging.

Key Findings

Participants taking a daily multivitamin experienced a slowing of biological aging compared to those taking a placebo. The effect was observed across multiple molecular parameters used to estimate biological age. Notably, the benefit was more pronounced in individuals who showed signs of accelerated aging at the study’s outset.

Specific Epigenetic Clock Changes

According to the study published in Nature Medicine, daily multivitamin supplementation modestly reduced the rate of increase of certain epigenetic clocks. Specifically, there was a between-group difference in yearly change of −0.113 years (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.205 to −0.020; P = 0.017) for PCGrimAge and −0.214 years (−0.410 to −0.019; P = 0.032) for PCPhenoAge.

Cautious Interpretation and Future Research

Researchers caution that the observed slowdown is modest and its long-term health implications remain unclear. Ongoing research will investigate whether even a small change in biological age can reduce the risk of age-related diseases, such as cognitive decline, certain cancers, or eye conditions like cataracts. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical relevance of multivitamin supplementation on epigenetic clocks.

About COSMOS and Mass General Brigham

The COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of cocoa flavanols and multivitamins on the risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system committed to solving challenging medical problems.