Many people hope to delay or even stop aging.
While calorie restriction has shown benefits in slowing aging, and vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids have shown promise in animal studies, it was unclear whether these benefits extended to humans.
Now, a new analysis from the Swiss DO-HEALTH study offers fresh insights.
The DO-HEALTH study, led by Professor Heike Bischoff-Ferrari from the University of Zurich, previously found that vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and regular physical activity reduced infections, falls, and cancer risk in older adults. Motivated by these results, researchers tested whether these interventions directly impact biological aging.
Biological aging was assessed using epigenetic clocks, which track DNA methylation to measure differences between biological and chronological age. This is the first study to evaluate how such markers respond to targeted treatments like supplements and exercise.
The study included 777 Swiss participants over age 70. Eight different groups were assigned to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, 1 gram of algae-derived omega-3, and/or perform 30 minutes of strength training three times per week. The interventions lasted three years.
The most notable result: omega-3 fatty acids alone slowed biological aging by up to four months, as measured by multiple epigenetic clocks. The combined intervention (omega-3 + vitamin D + exercise) was even more effective on one of the clocks, supporting the additive benefits of these interventions.
The study currently includes only Swiss participants. The next phase will extend to participants in Germany, France, Austria, and Portugal to increase diversity. The study also emphasizes the need for a gold standard in measuring biological age.
DO-HEALTH involved 2,157 participants randomized into eight groups to test combinations of vitamin D3, omega-3s, and home-based exercise. Participants were monitored through regular phone calls and annual assessments.
The trial is the largest of its kind in Europe and is supported by the EU’s Seventh Framework Program and the Swiss National Science Foundation.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about why beetroot juice could help lower blood pressure in older adults, and potassium may be key to lowering blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about rosemary compound that could fight Alzheimer’s disease, and too much of this vitamin B may harm heart health.
The study is published in Nature Aging.
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