If you've ever considered including a multivitamin in your daily regimen, now might be the perfect time to start.

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Key Points

  • A new study connects taking a multivitamin with slowed epigenetic aging.
  • Many adults fall short of getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals through diet alone.
  • Before starting a new supplement, it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider.

There’s no shortage of expensive products promoted online promising to slow the aging process. But supporting healthy aging may not be as pricey or complicated as social media has led you to believe. Oftentimes it comes down to the basics: getting quality sleep, staying physically active and eating a balanced diet that provides the nutrients your body needs to age well.

That may sound easy enough, but getting enough of these key nutrients through a healthy diet alone can be challenging. Many adults miss out on the recommended amounts of important vitamins and minerals due to factors like busy schedules, changing appetites and natural shifts in nutrient absorption that occur with age. And while that might not sound like a big deal, these nutrients are hugely important for maintaining quality of life as we age, helping us stay active, cognitively sharp and able to continue enjoying the activities we love.

To explore how common nutrient gaps—or lack thereof—may affect the aging process, researchers conducted a study published in Nature Medicine to see whether a simple daily supplement habit could make a difference. The study examined daily use of both a multivitamin, a commonly used supplement that provides a combination of essential vitamins and minerals, and cocoa extract, which has shown potential benefits for age-related health measures in previous research.

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How Was the Study Conducted?

To evaluate the effects of both multivitamin and cocoa supplementation, researchers conducted a substudy within a much larger randomized controlled clinical trial called the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS). A smaller subset of participants—958 adults out of the 21,442 enrolled in COSMOS—participated in this recent analysis. The average age of men and women included was 70 years old.

At baseline, researchers collected blood samples from participants and used them to measure several “epigenetic clocks”—biological markers that can estimate a person’s biological age and how quickly their body might be aging. Epigenetic clocks are increasingly being used in research to study aging and predict risk for age-related disease.

Next, participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups and were asked to take their assigned supplements daily for two years:

  • Group One: Participants took both a multivitamin and cocoa extract
  • Group Two: Participants took a multivitamin but placebo cocoa extract
  • Group Three: Participants took cocoa extract but placebo multivitamin
  • Group Four: Participants took both placebo multivitamin and placebo cocoa extract

This study design allowed researchers to examine the effects of multivitamins, the effects of cocoa extract and whether the two interacted.

Participants were followed for two years, with additional blood samples collected after one and two years to evaluate changes in the epigenetic clocks, otherwise known as aging markers, measured at the start of the study.

What Did the Study Find?

The findings revealed clear differences between the groups. When researchers analyzed changes in epigenetic clocks over the two-year period, participants who took a daily multivitamin showed a modestly slower rate of increase in some signs of aging compared to those taking a placebo multivitamin.

Notably, researchers found that this observation was stronger among participants who showed signs of accelerated biological aging at the beginning of the study. This is important because it suggests that people whose bodies were aging faster at baseline may have experienced the greatest benefit from a daily multivitamin.

Interestingly, daily cocoa extract supplementation did not appear to slow biological aging, as no meaningful effect on any of the epigenetic clocks was observed in this study.

It’s important to note that adherence rates to the daily supplements were very high, with about 92% of participants consistently taking the multivitamin as instructed. This suggests that the results likely showcase the effects of regular supplementation rather than inconsistent use.

While these findings are promising, researchers emphasized that more research is needed to determine whether these changes that were observed translate into meaningful, long-term health benefits.

How Does This Apply to Real Life?

The findings from this study suggest that a daily multivitamin is a safe, relatively low-cost, accessible intervention that could support—and even modestly slow down—the aging process.

In addition to their potential effects on aging biomarkers, multivitamins can play an important role in helping people meet their daily nutrient needs. Even with a healthy diet, it’s not uncommon for adults to fall short on important vitamins and minerals. 

If you’ve never taken a multivitamin before, the sheer number of options available at a grocery store or pharmacy can feel overwhelming. The key is finding a product that fits your needs and that you will take consistently. A few things to consider when choosing a multivitamin include:

  • Look for nutrients you may fall short on. For example, vitamin B12 is commonly low in those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. If you’re not sure what nutrients you need more of, consider making an appointment with a healthcare professional to get their advice and potentially have bloodwork done.
  • Check the label for nutrient amounts. A multivitamin that provides 100% of the recommended daily value of certain nutrients is generally safe and sufficient for most people.
  • Choose a reputable brand. Look for products that have been third-party tested for quality to ensure they are free from contaminants like heavy metals.
  • Pick a form you’ll actually take. Multivitamins come in capsules, gummies and liquid forms. The best option is the one that you tolerate well, that fits easily into your routine and that you’ll remember to take regularly.

While multivitamins are considered safe for most people, it’s always a good idea to talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement, especially if you take medications or have underlying health conditions.

Our Expert Take

For many adults, it can be difficult to get the recommended amount of various vitamins and minerals through diet alone. A daily multivitamin is an affordable, accessible way to make sure you’re covering your bases. And while it isn’t a magic solution for healthy aging on its own, when paired with a balanced diet, regular physical activity, quality sleep and other healthy lifestyle habits, a multivitamin may be one supportive tool to help maintain overall health as we age.

Read the original article on EatingWell