A review combining data from 51 human intervention studies has found that following a healthy diet, taking regular exercise, and certain prescription medicines were linked to measurable shifts in epigenetic aging biomarkers, while over-the-counter supplements showed little to no measurable effect. The review, led by Raghav Sehgal and senior author Albert Higgins-Chen at Yale, was published in Nature Medicine on 21 August 2026 and analysed more than 110 DNA methylation biomarkers across 16 epigenetic clocks. Mediterranean, low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets, plus regular exercise, were the lifestyle interventions linked to reduced biomarker age. Prescription drugs including metformin, semaglutide and anti-TNF therapies showed the largest measured effects across the biomarkers studied, according to Yale News.
Supplement evidence called weak, drug results not a green light
Evidence for supplements including green-based formulas, folic acid and nicotinamide riboside was described as limited and inconsistent. Sehgal said many anti-aging claims are ahead of the evidence for people who are otherwise healthy, per Medical News Today. Şebnem Ünlüişler, an expert not involved in the review, cautioned the drug findings should not be read as evidence that healthy people should take these medicines. The authors also noted epigenetic clocks remain research tools rather than validated clinical endpoints, and a biomarker shift does not by itself prove slower aging or better long-term health.
What this means for your supplement routine
This review does not establish that any supplement slows biological aging, and it does not change what is authorised to be claimed about any ingredient on the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register. It is a useful reality check on anti-aging marketing generally, a category worth reading about in Perqen's FAQs on how membership pricing works before comparing any product's claims against the evidence.
How Perqen members save
Perqen members pay £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year for discounted pricing across the catalogue. Details are on the Perqen membership page.
This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.