- The question of how to prolong not just human life but human health span is the topic of an increasing number of studies.
- Some of the most recent research names diet as a crucial factor in ensuring long and healthy lives.
- One study suggests that unhealthy diets speed up biological aging, while eating healthy foods may help slow it down.
- Other research adds to the existing evidence indicating that exercise — both on its own and in conjunction with certain dietary supplements — could help slow down aging and prolong lifespan.
- A further study highlights the importance of a molecule synthesized from vitamin B3 to aging processes at the cellular level.
Humans are on a constant quest to boost not just longevity but also our quality of life by prolonging our health span — namely, how long we can live in good health.
Over the years, research has pointed to a diversity of lifestyle changes that could help us live longer, healthier, happier lives.
Recently, two factors have kept emerging as key to slowing down biological aging processes and maintaining our health as we grow in age: diet and exercise.
A study first published in December 2024 in the journal Clinical Nutrition adds to the evidence regarding the importance of diet to aging processes.
The research, which was conducted by a team of researchers from institutions in Finland and Switzerland, found that young adults who followed diets high in processed foods and sugary beverages — including processed red meat and soda — and low in fruit and veg content appeared to experience faster biological aging.
The study involved 826 adults aged 21–25, and it looked at their dietary patterns, as well as the individuals’ rates of DNA methylation — a process linked with aging at cellular level.
In brief, the findings suggested that “diets emphasizing higher consumption of fruits and vegetables and lower intakes of meat, fast food, and sugar-sweetened beverages were associated with slower biological aging.”
While this link may not come as a surprise, it further stresses the importance of our dietary choices — even early in life — when it comes to preserving our health and youth for longer.
Suvi Ravi, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, and one of the study authors, also noted that the findings were not unexpected.
Ravi also hypothesized that switching to healthier foods might help reverse some of the biological aging to which diets high in processed ingredients contribute.
“There is also evidence to support my thoughts,” she pointed out, noting that “some
Furthermore, a review of recent evidence — published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in January 2025 — suggested that a regular exercise routine could boost longevity.
The review indicates that moderate exercise for no more than 150 minutes, or around 2 hours and a half, per week is linked to a 31% lower risk of death from any cause in older adults.
That may be because exercise can boost strength and thus reduce frailty and the risk of incidents such as falls as we age.
Speaking to MNT about the conclusions outlined in this review, Ryan Glatt, MS, CPT, NBC-HWC, senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA, who was not involved in this analysis, pointed out that:
“Exercise provides systemic benefits, including a reduction in all-cause mortality, fall prevention, and cognitive and mental health improvements. It is safer and less invasive than medications or surgeries, with fewer side effects.”
Since both exercise and diet are crucial factors when it comes to health, it only stands to reason that the right combination of physical activity and dietary interventions could help slow down biological aging.
Research published in
The study analyzed data on more than 700 participants aged 70 or older. Those who took omega-3 and vitamin D supplements regularly over three years appeared to have a slower rate of biological aging.
Participants who both took these supplements and undertook regular exercise saw an even greater benefit.
First author Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, MD, MPH, DrPH, from the University of Basel’s Department of Aging Medicine FELIX PLATTER, and the University of Zurich’s Department of Geriatrics and Aging Research, detailed to MNT that:
“In our prior studies in the same trial (DO-HEALTH) of generally healthy adults age 70 and older, we found [that] omega-3 lowered the rate of falls by 10%, and reduced the rate of infections by up to
13% , while omega-3, vitamin D and exercise combined lowered the risk of pre-frailty by 39% and invasive cancer by 61%.”
“Our [most recent] findings [further] provide a strong signal that omega-3 supplementation (1 [gram per day] algae-based) slows biological aging in humans, and that the combination vitamin D and exercise may make this effect even stronger. Biological age was slowed by 3–4 months in 3 years,” she advised.
Maintaining healthy levels of key nutrients to slow down aging appears to be a salient point in recent research Another study — published in
It found that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), a molecule synthesized from vitamin B3, and which plays an important role in DNA repair, depletes from mitochondria — the “powerhouses” of the cells — as we age.
The question is: Could supplementing NAD via diet help counteract that depletion?
Manisha Parulekar, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD, director of the Division of Geriatrics at Hackensack University Medical Center and co-director of the Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, who was not involved in this study, explained for MNT that “NAD+ (the oxidized version of NAD) is a crucial coenzyme involved in hundreds of metabolic reactions, particularly those related to energy production, DNA repair, and cell signaling.”
She cautioned that certain questions still remain unanswered: “While significant progress has been made in understanding the role of NAD+ in aging and disease, several key areas require further research. Could supplementing NAD precursors halt this process, what is the optimal dose for different age groups and health conditions?”
Still, she noted, while they may not completely reverse NAD depletion, supplements could help mitigate its impact on aging processes:
“Strategies [to counteract NAD depletion] may include consuming foods rich in NAD+ precursors like dairy products, fish, poultry, [and] green vegetables.”
Parulekar also emphasized the importance of physical activity, noting that “daily exercise can also help stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and increase energy demand.”
In summary, this and other recent studies only add to the existing proof that lifestyle choices have a profound impact on both life span and health span.
