Daily Habit to Slow Aging: New Study Findings

A study published in Nature Medicine has found that taking a daily multivitamin may modestly slow biological aging in older adults.

Researchers from Harvard and Mass General Brigham evaluated the effects of a daily multivitamin over a two-year period, finding a slowing of cellular aging equivalent to approximately four months.

The findings are based on data from the COcoa Supplement Multivitamins Outcomes Study (COSMOS), a large-scale randomized clinical trial involving older adults.

Measuring Biological Age

Biological aging differs from chronological age, which is simply the number of years a person has been alive. Biological age measures how the body grows older on a cellular level.

To track this process, the researchers used epigenetic clocks, which estimate biological age by analyzing DNA methylation. These clocks monitor specific sites in DNA that regulate gene expression and change naturally as a person ages, serving as indicators for the pace of aging, and mortality.

The study analyzed DNA methylation data from blood samples of 958 randomly selected healthy participants who had an average chronological age of 70.

Study Design and Results

Participants in the trial were randomized into four different groups to receive varying combinations of supplements:

• Daily cocoa extract and a multivitamin
• Daily cocoa extract and a placebo
• A placebo and a multivitamin
• Placebos only

Researchers analyzed changes across five different epigenetic clocks from the beginning of the trial and at the end of the first and second years.

The data revealed that those who took a daily multivitamin experienced the slowing of biological aging. In contrast, the researchers found that cocoa flavanols had no effect on slowing the biological aging process.

The study also noted that the benefits were not uniform across all participants. Those who had a more accelerated biological age compared to their chronological age at the start of the trial experienced greater benefits from the multivitamin.

Clinical Perspectives

Howard D. Sesso, a preventive medicine specialist at Mass General and a Harvard Chan School epidemiologist, served as the senior author of the study. He noted the importance of identifying interventions that allow people to live better as they age.

It was exciting to see the benefits of a multivitamin linked with markers of biological aging. This study opens the door to learning more about accessible, safe interventions that contribute to healthier, higher-quality aging.

Howard Sesso

Sesso further stated that taking a daily multivitamin may be a viable intervention option when it comes to slowing down the biological aging process.

The results of this research were highlighted in reports dated March 9, 2026, emphasizing the potential for common supplements to support healthy aging and fill nutrient gaps in older populations.