New research published in Nature Aging has shown that a daily intake of one gram of omega-3 may slow down biological aging.
The study was a post-hoc analysis of the DO-HEALTH trial, which studied the effects of vitamin D, omega-3, and a home exercise program on four epigenetic measures of biological aging. The analysis included 777 people over the age of 70 years. The effects of vitamin D, omega-3, and exercise were evaluated separately and in combination, with a total of eight treatment combinations tested. The study period lasted three years, with yearly examinations to collect blood samples and phone calls conducted every three months throughout.
The results of the blood sample analysis showed that supplementation with omega-3 slowed measures of aging across all four epigenetic clocks that were tested. The results indicated that biological aging was slowed by up to four months depending on the measure used. According to one of the four epigenetic clocks, the combination of vitamin D, omega-3, and exercise was even more effective for slowing biological aging than omega-3 alone.
The authors noted that these results expand upon their earlier findings from the DO-HEALTH study, which indicated that the combination of vitamin D, omega-3, and exercise had the greatest impact on reducing cancer risk and preventing frailty in older adults. One limitation of this study was that there is no gold standard of biological aging. However, the four epigenetic clocks used in this study were the best currently validated measures of biological aging. In addition to their positive effects on aging and cancer risk, previous studies have shown that both omega-3 supplementation and a regular exercise may be useful in preventing heart disease. While most supplements have relatively minor health impacts, the results of this study and previous studies suggest that omega-3 supplementation may be valuable for preventing heart disease and promoting overall health.
Sources: Nature Aging, Science Daily