Omega-3 May Slow Biological Aging
- Lidi Garcia
- May 2
- 3 min read
A large European study of older adults has shown that taking omega-3s daily can help slow down biological aging, or the actual wear and tear on the body. When combined with vitamin D and light exercise, the effect was even greater for some indicators. This suggests that small lifestyle changes can have a positive impact on aging, even in old age.
As we age, our bodies undergo changes that do not always match the number of candles on the cake. This is because so-called biological aging, the actual wear and tear on the body and organs, can occur faster or slower than chronological aging, which is measured in years.
Scientists have been looking for ways to measure this biological aging more accurately, and one of the most promising tools is the “epigenetic clock,” which analyzes chemical marks on DNA known as methylation.
These marks reflect a person’s overall health and the rate at which they are aging internally.
With this in mind, European researchers conducted a large clinical trial called DO-HEALTH, involving more than 2,000 healthy older adults over the age of 70 in five countries.
They wanted to see if three simple interventions—daily vitamin D supplementation, omega-3 intake, and a basic home exercise program—could slow biological aging over three years.
A subgroup of 777 participants had blood samples analyzed at the beginning and end of the study to measure changes in DNA methylation using different types of epigenetic clocks.
The results showed that among the treatments tested, omega-3 supplementation had the most consistent effect on slowing biological aging.
Three of the four clocks used in the study detected a slight reduction in the rate of aging among those who took omega-3.
Furthermore, when combined with vitamin D and exercise, supplementation also provided additional benefits in one of the measures analyzed, called “PhenoAge,” which is especially sensitive to changes linked to metabolic health and inflammation.
The study also analyzed blood proteins associated with chronic disease and accelerated aging.
Some of these proteins, such as leptin, PAI-1, and GDF-15, showed reduced levels in participants taking omega-3, especially when combined with the other treatments.
This suggests that the effects were not just theoretical or statistical, but may be linked to real improvements in cellular and metabolic health.
Although the observed effects are considered modest, equivalent to a “rejuvenation” of about 3 to 4 months over three years, they are scientifically relevant. This is because they represent a measurable slowdown in biological aging in an already elderly population, with simple, safe and accessible interventions.
In short, this study reinforces that healthy lifestyle choices, such as taking omega-3 regularly, maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D and exercising, can have a real impact on the way our bodies age, even in old age.
READ MORE:
Individual and additive effects of vitamin D, omega-3 and exercise on DNA methylation clocks of biological aging in older adults from the DO-HEALTH trial
Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, Stephanie Gängler, Maud Wieczorek, Daniel W. Belsky, Joanne Ryan, Reto W. Kressig, Hannes B. Stähelin, Robert Theiler, Bess Dawson-Hughes, René Rizzoli, Bruno Vellas, Laure Rouch, Sophie Guyonnet, Andreas Egli, E. John Orav, Walter Willett & Steve Horvath
Nature Aging, volume 5, pages 376–385 (2025)
Abstract
While observational studies and small pilot trials suggest that vitamin D, omega-3 and exercise may slow biological aging, larger clinical trials testing these treatments individually or in combination are lacking. Here, we report the results of a post hoc analysis among 777 participants of the DO-HEALTH trial on the effect of vitamin D (2,000 IU per day) and/or omega-3 (1 g per day) and/or a home exercise program on four next-generation DNA methylation (DNAm) measures of biological aging (PhenoAge, GrimAge, GrimAge2 and DunedinPACE) over 3 years. Omega-3 alone slowed the DNAm clocks PhenoAge, GrimAge2 and DunedinPACE, and all three treatments had additive benefits on PhenoAge. Overall, from baseline to year 3, standardized effects ranged from 0.16 to 0.32 units (2.9–3.8 months). In summary, our trial indicates a small protective effect of omega-3 treatment on slowing biological aging over 3 years across several clocks, with an additive protective effect of omega-3, vitamin D and exercise based on PhenoAge.
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