In a randomized clinical trial of older adults, researchers found that taking multivitamins for two years modestly slowed epigenetic markers of aging — equivalent to roughly four months less biological aging compared with a placebo.
Li et al. evaluated the two-year effect of daily multivitamin-multimineral supplements and cocoa extract (500 mg cocoa flavanols per day, including 80 mg epicatechin) on five DNA methylation measures of biological aging among 958 participants (482 women and 476 men) in the COSMOS study. Image credit: Ri Butov.
Epigenetic clocks estimate biological aging based on tiny changes in our DNA.
These clocks look at specific sites in our DNA that regulate gene expression and change naturally as we get older, helping track with mortality and the pace of aging.
“There is a lot of interest…