NMU 355 – Multivitamins Reduce Disease Risk and Slow Biological Aging

Nutrition/Natural Medicine Update No 355 (April 9, 2025)

with Dr. James Meschino

Topic: Multivitamins Reduce Disease Risk and Slow Biological Aging

Source: Medscape April 9, 2025

I’ve seen many media reports telling the public that the use of a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement has not been shown to provide any significant health benefits. I don’t know why these reports keep surfacing, as we have seen in recent years that several large human studies, including randomized, placebo-controlled studies, have shown very impressive health benefits in people taking a daily multivitamin. For instance, The Physicians Health Study II and the US Preventive Services Task Force 2022 review reported that invasive cancer was reduced with multivitamin supplementation. We also saw a reduced risk of developing cataracts in the Physicians Health Study II in subjects taking a daily multivitamin and the COSMOS study showed that daily use of multivitamin significantly slowed age-related memory loss (in three placebo-controlled sub-studies).

In 2025 a study was presented at the American Heart Association conference that showed that multivitamin use slowed biological aging in a randomized human clinical trial. Biological aging can be measured by looking at epigenetic changes to our DNA (mainly patterns of methylation). The study involved approximately 950 men and women over the age of 60 who had baseline blood tests done and then they were followed for 2-years. The group given the daily multivitamin showed a 10-20% slowing of the body’s epigenetic clock, compared to the placebo group. Because age-related changes in our DNA also encourage the development of various degenerative diseases, anything that slows biological aging at the cellular DNA level also tends to decrease risk of various age-related diseases.

This report is truly eye-opening, prompting researchers to state that authorities “should begin to consider disease-prevention guidelines that include the use of a multivitamin”, in addition to current recommendations around diet and exercise. In my view, the multivitamin you take should be enriched with higher levels of antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium etc.) as well as containing a B-50 complex (50 mg of most B-vitamins), 500 mg of calcium, 1000 IU of vitamin D, along with lycopene and lutein (to help protect your eyes, prostate gland, cervix and breast tissue). I have included a link to the Medscape article, which reviews the studies showing the health benefits of multivitamins in human studies.

Reference:

Multivitamins Slow Biological Aging in Large Trial. Medscape. April 9, 2025. JoAnn E. Manson MD, DrPH Multivitamins Slow Biological Aging in a Large Trial

Eat Smart, Live Well, Look Great,
Dr. Meschino