Who says you need to spend millions like Bryan Johnson, huh?
A team of scientists studied the impact of two supplements and exercise on biological age measurement clocks.
The scientists have now unveiled the study’s results, exploring how specific supplements might slow the aging process.
The objectives
The study, published last month in Nature under the title Individual and Additive Effects of Vitamin D, Omega-3, and Exercise on DNA Methylation Clocks of Biological Aging in Older Adults from the DO-HEALTH Trial, explored the impact of these interventions on biological aging.
According to the study, “The goal of our analysis was to test the hypothesis that vitamin D supplementation, omega-3 supplementation, and a simple home exercise program (SHEP), individually and in combination, would slow biological aging in a larger clinical trial.”
The DO-HEALTH trial, which included 2,157 participants, initially found that taking omega-3 alone reduced the rate of infections by 13% and the rate of falls by 10%.
Furthermore, a combination of omega-3, vitamin D, and exercise demonstrated a significant additive benefit, reducing prefrailty by 39% and the incidence of invasive cancer by 61% over a three-year follow-up period.
From this trial, a total of 777 participants were selected for a study focused specifically on longevity.
The study
The DO-HEALTH Bio-Age trial included 777 of the 2,157 DO-HEALTH participants who had DNA methylation (DNAm) measurements at both baseline and after three years. The original DO-HEALTH trial enrolled 2,157 generally healthy and active adults aged 70 and older across five European countries.
The study examined the effects of daily supplementation with 2,000 IU of vitamin D, one gram of omega-3, and participation in a simple home exercise program (SHEP) for 30 minutes, three times per week. These interventions were tested both individually and in combination over a three-year period.
Each participant took part in quarterly phone check-ins, as well as annual examinations and blood work. Additionally, DNA was extracted and “biobanked” each year throughout the study.
To assess the effects of the supplements on biological aging, scientists utilized four DNA methylation (DNAm) metrics:
- PhenoAge: Estimates biological age based on health and other factors.
- GrimAge: A DNA-based biomarker predicting lifespan and healthspan.
- GrimAge2: Related to mortality and the risk of developing diseases or medical conditions.
- DunedinPACE: Measures the pace of biological aging.
Outcomes
Omega-3 supplementation demonstrated the strongest evidence of slowing aging in three out of four DNAm measures.
The DO-HEALTH interventions had a modest impact on DunedinPACE, reducing the pace of aging by about 1%. However, PhenoAge and GrimAge2 showed greater reductions of 2.9–3.8 months over three years. Even minor changes in biological aging, if sustained, could significantly impact population health.
Additionally, the study found that participants with lower initial omega-3 levels experienced more significant improvements after supplementation, highlighting the benefits of personalized approaches to supplement intake.
Omega-3 supplementation alone slowed the DNAm clocks PhenoAge, GrimAge2, and DunedinPACE, while the combination of omega-3, vitamin D, and exercise provided additional benefits specifically on PhenoAge.
The trial concluded that omega-3 treatment offers a small protective effect in slowing biological aging over three years across multiple clocks, with standardized effects ranging from 2.9 to 3.8 months.
However, researchers acknowledge the study’s limitations, emphasizing that there is no definitive gold standard for measuring biological aging. They also note that focusing on DNA-based measures and conducting the study over just three years introduces uncertainties, particularly regarding the long-term impact of these interventions on survival.
The study concluded: “In sum, our analysis provides evidence supporting the geroprotective benefits of omega-3 supplementation and also suggests the benefits of additive combinations of omega-3 supplementation with vitamin D supplementation and exercise.”
