A randomized clinical trial found that daily multivitamin – multimineral supplements slightly slowed some DNA-based markers of biological aging in older adults.
A daily multivitamin – multimineral supplement – may do more than fill nutritional gaps.
In a study of 958 older adults, researchers found that two years of daily supplementation modestly slowed changes in certain DNA-based markers linked to biological aging.
The findings, published in Nature Medicine, do not show that multivitamins stop aging or extend life. But they do suggest that nutrition may subtly influence some of the molecular patterns scientists use to track how the body ages over time.
Understanding biological age
Biological aging refers to the changes that occur in the body over time, and can differ from a person’s chronological age. In other words, two people of the same age in years may show different levels of biological aging.
Scientists often estimate biological aging using “epigenetic clocks,” which measure patterns of chemical modifications on DNA in blood samples. These patterns can provide clues about how quickly a person’s body is aging and may help predict health risks.
Many older adults do not obtain sufficient amounts of essential vitamins and minerals from their diets, including nutrients such as vitamin B12. Previous clinical trials have suggested that multivitamin–multimineral supplements may reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. However, their potential influence on biological aging has remained uncertain.
Testing multivitamins in clinical trial
Howard Sesso and colleagues measured five DNA-based markers of biological aging in blood samples from 958 participants with an average age of about 70 years.
In a pre-specified analysis of a randomized clinical trial, participants were assigned to take either a daily multivitamin–multimineral tablet, a cocoa extract supplement, or a placebo. The trial followed participants for two years.
The researchers found that people taking the multivitamin–multimineral supplement showed a slower yearly increase in two epigenetic clocks associated with mortality risk: PCPhenoAge and PCGrimAge. The rate of increase was reduced by about 2.6 months for PCPhenoAge and 1.4 months for PCGrimAge.
Among participants who showed faster-than-average biological aging at the start of the study, the slowing effect was greater. In this group, the PCGrimAge clock slowed by about 2.8 months.
The multivitamin – multimineral supplement – did not significantly affect the other three epigenetic clocks that were measured.
Meanwhile, cocoa extract showed no measurable effect on biological aging across any of the five clocks examined.
Overall, the findings suggest that daily multivitamin–multimineral supplements may provide a modest benefit for biological aging, particularly for individuals whose DNA-based aging markers indicate faster-than-average aging.
However, the researchers emphasize that the study has limitations. Most participants were non-Hispanic white, which means the results may not apply equally to more diverse populations.
Professor Luigi Fontana, Professor of Medicine and Nutrition at the University of Sydney, said the trial was well conducted but warned against overinterpreting the results. “The study reports that a daily multivitamin slightly slowed two of five DNA-based ‘epigenetic clocks’ used as markers of biological aging in older adults,” he said.
“However, the magnitude of the effect is extremely small, and the effect was not consistent across all the aging measures tested.”
Fontana also noted that epigenetic clocks remain research tools rather than proven clinical endpoints, meaning it is not yet clear whether small shifts in these biomarkers translate into meaningful reductions in disease risk, disability, or mortality.
Gunton, likewise, cautioned against assuming more supplementation is better. “It is important to note that more is probably not better — for some vitamins, excess doses are harmful,” she said, pointing to vitamin B6 as one example where high doses can cause nerve damage.
The authors note that further studies involving larger and more diverse groups, as well as longer follow-up periods, will be needed to determine whether multivitamin–multimineral supplements can meaningfully influence long-term biological aging.