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Daily Multivitamin Linked to Slight Slowdown in Biological Aging in COSMOS Trial

The Nature Medicine analysis detected a small epigenetic‑clock change over two years with uncertain clinical meaning.

Overview

  • Researchers analyzed blood samples from 958 randomly selected older adults in a COSMOS randomized sub‑study and found that daily Centrum Silver for two years was associated with about four months less biological aging versus placebo.
  • The slowing was statistically significant on two of five DNA methylation–based epigenetic clocks that are linked to disease and mortality risk, highlighting variability across measures.
  • Cocoa extract showed no effect on any of the five epigenetic clocks tested in the same trial.
  • Participants who were biologically older than their chronological age at baseline appeared to see the greatest slowing with multivitamin use.
  • Investigators and outside experts emphasized the modest magnitude, limited generalizability, disclosed industry involvement (Haleon and Mars) alongside NIH support, and the need for follow‑up to test persistence and ties to clinical outcomes.