Taking a daily multivitamin may reduce brain aging and modestly slow epigenetic clocks.

noli's read

This advice is based on the COSMOS-Mind study and associated epigenetic analyses (RCT, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and JAMA Network Open). It is accurate that participants taking a multivitamin showed a modest cognitive improvement, equivalent to approximately two years of slowing cognitive aging, which is robust evidence in the short/medium term. Regarding the epigenetic clock (Horvath clock), the reported effect is statistically significant but clinically modest. It is important to note that these benefits seem primarily to concern individuals with initial nutritional deficiencies or less diverse diets, which nuances the idea of a universal benefit. The extrapolation suggesting that these small gains add up linearly over decades is an interesting theoretical hypothesis, but it remains to be confirmed by very long-term studies. In summary, the statement does not claim a miracle effect, but highlights a potential utility where mainstream research often considered these supplements completely ineffective.

the sources

1. 1Horvath S 2013
2. 2Belsky DW, Caspi A, Corcoran DL, et al. 2022