Daily Multivitamin Use Linked to Slower Biological Ageing in New Research
A recent study has suggested that taking a multivitamin daily for two years could help slow certain markers of biological ageing, albeit to a small degree. This research, conducted by scientists in the United States and partly funded by the confectionery manufacturer Mars, explores whether daily multivitamin supplementation might contribute to healthier ageing in older adults.
Understanding Biological Ageing and Epigenetic Clocks
While chronological age is simply the number of years a person has lived, biological age reflects the actual state of the body, often estimated through changes in DNA methylation patterns. These modifications accumulate over time and influence gene function. The theory behind this study is that by slowing biological ageing, it may be possible to prevent or mitigate age-related illnesses, potentially extending years of good health.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, involved 958 healthy participants with an average age of about 70 years. They were divided into four groups: one taking daily cocoa extract and a multivitamin, another taking daily cocoa extract and a multivitamin placebo, a third taking daily cocoa extract placebo and a multivitamin, and a final group taking two placebos daily.
Key Findings from the Two-Year Trial
Blood samples were collected from participants at the start of the trial and after one and two years. These samples were analysed for changes in five different measures of DNA methylation, known as epigenetic clocks. After accounting for factors such as age, sex, and baseline measures, the researchers found that participants who took a daily multivitamin showed a slowdown in biological ageing for two of the five epigenetic clocks, particularly those used to estimate mortality risk.
Overall, this slowdown equated to approximately four months less biological ageing over the two-year period. The effects appeared more pronounced in individuals who had faster biological ageing at the study's outset, possibly due to greater initial nutritional deficits. However, the researchers noted that the cocoa extract did not slow biological ageing for any of the clocks and did not interact with the multivitamin.
Expert Insights and Cautions
Dr. Howard Sesso, an epidemiologist at Mass General Brigham and senior author of the study, emphasised that the findings do not imply all older adults should take multivitamins. "There are no known risks for taking a multivitamin in our two large clinical trials. At the same time, we do not know for sure who benefits, and how," he stated. The authors also highlighted the need to determine the clinical relevance of these results, as it remains unclear whether the modest slowdown translates to meaningful health benefits.
In an accompanying article, experts from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health agreed, stressing that the effects observed were very small. Dr. Marco Di Antonio, a biological ageing expert at Imperial College London not involved in the work, added that the link between epigenetic clocks and practical aspects of ageing is still unclear. "I do not think that people should start taking multivitamins daily [necessarily] but these results demonstrate that having a healthy diet and lifestyle will have an effect on your biological age," he said. "Taking multivitamins daily will be pointless if there is not a healthy lifestyle associated with it, as bad habits will have a negative impact on ageing too that won't be reverted by multivitamins."
Context and Previous Research
This study contrasts with a large-scale research published last year, which found that daily multivitamins did not extend lifespan and might even increase the risk of early death. However, Sesso and colleagues pointed to their previous work, which suggested daily multivitamins were associated with improved cognition and reductions in lung cancer and cataracts.
The researchers concluded that further work is essential to explore whether the modest results seen for multivitamins relate to tangible clinical benefits, underscoring the importance of a holistic approach to health and ageing.
