Multivitamins and Aging: Will multivitamins slow down aging? New study reveals surprising clues.

Nutrition and Aging: What all do people do to slow down aging? Let us tell you that taking multivitamins can slow down aging. Let's find out.

 

Does taking a multivitamin slow down aging?

Do Multivitamins Slow Biological Ageing: Can taking a daily multivitamin slow down the aging process? A new study has indicated this, however, scientists have advised caution, saying its effect is limited. Actually, there are two types of age, one is chronological age, that is, how many years you have lived, and the other is biological age, which reflects the actual condition of the body. It is usually measured on the basis of changes in DNA, especially DNA methylation, which keeps changing with age and affects the way genes function.

What did the research reveal?

This research, conducted in the US, found that taking a daily multivitamin may have a mild effect on some indicators of biological aging. However, whether this directly translates to significant improvements in health is unclear. The study included 958 healthy individuals with an average age of around 70 years. They were divided into four groups: some received multivitamins, some received cocoa extract, and some received a placebo. During the two-year trial, participants' blood samples were analyzed, and changes were observed in five different parameters of DNA methylation.

What was the result?

The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that people taking multivitamins showed a slight slowing of aging on two out of five epigenetic clocks, especially those that predict mortality risk. Overall, this effect was equivalent to approximately four months of slowing aging over two years. The researchers also found that this effect was slightly greater in people who initially experienced rapid biological aging. This could be due to nutritional deficiencies. However, cocoa extract had no significant effect on this process.

What do experts say?

Dr. Howard Sesso, the study's senior author, said that it's not necessary for everyone to start taking multivitamins, as it's not yet clear who benefits and how much. Experts at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health also noted that the effect is small and it's premature to attribute it to significant health benefits. Meanwhile, Dr. Marco D'Antonio, a multivitamin alone, won't be beneficial unless you have a healthy lifestyle. No supplement can completely reverse the effects of bad habits.