Carmen Romero Ferreiro
Doctor of Biology and Vice Dean of Research at Francisco de Vitoria University
This study examines whether daily supplementation with a multivitamin complex or cocoa extract can influence biological ageing as measured by epigenetic clocks. These clocks are biomarkers based on patterns of DNA methylation (small chemical modifications that regulate how genes are expressed) and allow researchers to estimate a person’s biological age, that is, how ‘aged’ their cells are compared with their chronological age.
The research is based on a randomised clinical trial involving more than 900 adults followed over a two-year period, which represents a robust methodological design for assessing the potential effects of these nutritional interventions.
The results show that multivitamin supplementation is associated with a slight reduction in the rate of biological ageing according to some of the epigenetic clocks analysed. However, this effect is not observed across all the markers evaluated, and its magnitude is small. In fact, the detected changes correspond to roughly a few months’ difference in the estimated biological age.
With regard to cocoa extract, the study finds no evidence that supplementation has a protective effect on these ageing markers.
This finding is noteworthy because cocoa and flavanols have been associated in other research with cardiovascular benefits, yet these effects do not necessarily appear to translate into detectable changes in the epigenetic biomarkers of ageing examined in this study.
As with any research, several limitations should be considered. The follow-up period was two years, which is relatively short for assessing processes as complex and cumulative as biological ageing. In addition, although epigenetic clocks are promising tools for estimating biological age, they remain indirect biomarkers. It is still being investigated to what extent changes observed in these indicators translate into clinically meaningful improvements in health or longevity.
Overall, this work provides evidence on the potential role of multivitamin supplementation in biological ageing, although the effects observed are limited. Within the broader context of diet and lifestyle, these results suggest that its impact would likely be complementary within wider strategies for promoting health and healthy ageing, rather than a stand-alone intervention with a decisive effect.