A new study published in the journal Nature Aging on February 3 suggests that taking omega-3 and vitamin D supplements may help slow biological aging in older adults. The research found that daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids slowed age-related changes in genetic material, offering a modest impact on the biological aging process.
The study included 777 Swiss participants aged between 70 and 91 years, who were divided into eight groups. One group was instructed to take one gram of algae-based omega-3 every day. Researchers utilized molecular biology tools known as epigenetic clocks to measure the impacts of omega-3 supplementation on aging. Three different clocks indicated that omega-3 slowed aging and age-related changes in genetic material, according to Nature.
Epigenetic clocks are based on analyzing molecular changes in the genome, specifically DNA methylation patterns that correlate with aging in various organs and influence health and biological age. These clocks provide an overall indicator of health and longevity and are among the most used tools today to measure the deterioration of the organism over time, reported Science Focus.
Scientists found that participants who took one gram of omega-3 daily aged three months less than those who did not, as measured by biological markers, indicating a moderate slowdown in biological aging processes.
"Three to four months' slowing of biological ageing sounds small, but this can translate to important public health benefits such as a reduction in the prevalence of some age-related health conditions," said Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, a clinician-scientist at the University of Zurich, according to Nature.
The study is part of the DO-HEALTH trial, a multicenter randomized controlled trial that enrolled 2,157 generally healthy and active adults aged 70 years and older across five countries in Europe. The trial aimed to examine the impact of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and a home exercise program on healthy aging, as reported by Women's Health. Participants were randomized into different groups, with some receiving a vitamin D supplement with 2,000 IU, an omega-3 fatty acid supplement with one gram, or participating in a 30-minute exercise program three times a week.
Blood samples were collected at the start and end of the study, and the researchers used four biological clocks to determine the rates of aging. "The effects of omega-3 fatty acids can be measured by the pattern of DNA methylation and thus gene activity," according to Nature.
The study also found that the combination of omega-3, vitamin D, and exercise lowered the risk of entering pre-frailty by 39% and reduced invasive cancers by 61%. "Each intervention works through different but related mechanisms, and when combined, they reinforce each other, creating a stronger overall effect," the authors suggest, as reported by The Sun.
Despite the promising findings, the study acknowledges important limitations, including a lack of established scientific protocol to measure biological aging and the Eurocentric nature of the trial participants. All participants in the study were from Switzerland, which constitutes a limitation as they were relatively healthy and active, and mostly not deficient in vitamin D. The research team emphasizes that the Swiss participants are not representative of all people worldwide over 70 years old, according to Science Focus.
"We cannot draw conclusions from this study," said Gustavo Duque, a geroscientist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, as quoted in Nature. Similarly, Professor Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics at the Open University, expressed caution. "We can't say whether the effect on biological ageing clocks will continue after three years, because that wasn't studied," he said. "This study is an interesting start, but there's so much that it can't tell us," he added, according to Science Focus.
The researchers acknowledged that further studies involving people without these characteristics, who are younger and live in other countries, are needed. "It must also be investigated whether the findings can be applied to people from other countries," said Bischoff-Ferrari, as reported by New Scientist.
"Clearly, these interventions are not the cure against ageing. However, the findings reinforce my commitment to taking a low-dose omega-3, vitamin D, and exercising regularly, all in moderation," said Steve Horvath, a geroscientist at biotechnology company Altos Labs in Cambridge, UK, who co-authored the study, according to The Guardian.
While previous work has signaled health benefits from consuming omega-3, one recent study reported that fish oil supplements might only reduce the risk of serious heart problems in those with cardiovascular disease, noted The Guardian. Not all experts agree on the usefulness of the early trial results. "This study detects a small difference in age-associated DNA methylation in the 'younger' direction for elderly people assigned to vitamin D, omega-3, and exercise in a three-year randomized trial. Sadly, this doesn't show that they have been made younger," said Leonard Schalkwyk, a professor of human genetics at Essex University, as quoted in The Guardian.
"While the study was focused on healthy and active older adults, and led to a relatively small improvement in their ageing-biological-clocks, it adds to the growing evidence that these simple and fairly low-cost interventions are beneficial and, based on this and previous existing research, worth engaging in for adults as they get older," said Dr. Mary Ni Lochlainn, a post-doctoral research fellow in geriatric medicine at King's College London, according to The Sun.
The researchers conclude that even small changes in biological aging, "if sustained, can have relevant effects on population health," as reported by newatlas.com.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq