Aging could slow down with one common daily habit: 'Live longer and better'

Aging can't be stopped, but a daily pill could slow it down, according to new research led by Mass General Brigham in Boston.

Biological aging refers to the pace of aging on a cellular level, which is often different from chronological age.

"Aging at the cellular level can be marked by DNA methylation, where in some cells it decreases and in some it increases," Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital. "This is also described as epigenetic changes - or DNA expression."

The biggest benefit was seen in those who already had a biological age that was older than their chronological age, the researchers found.

"There is a lot of interest today in identifying ways to not just live longer, but to live better," said senior author Howard Sesso, associate director of the Division of Preventive Medicine in the Mass General Brigham Department of Medicine, in the press release. 

Siegel, who was not involved in the study, described the results as "scientific and significant," agreeing that they should be studied further.

It's not clear which part of the multivitamin might be responsible for the aging slowdown, the doctor noted.

"There are so many possibilities, from biotin to calcium to zinc to vitamin B, C or D … to niacin and to metals like magnesium and copper," he told Fox News Digital. "I am personally a believer in riboflavin, thiamine and vitamin D, but further research is needed to parse this out and determine a cause-effect relationship."

The research also did not explore the relationship between epigenetic clock changes and actual health outcomes, such as lower disease risk or greater lifespan.

"A lot of people take a multivitamin without necessarily knowing any benefits from taking it, so the more we can learn about its potential health benefits, the better," said Sesso. "We are fortunate and excited to build upon a rich resource of biomarker data to test how two interventions may improve biological aging and reduce age-related clinical outcomes."

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.