Intel stock extends gains after report of possible U.S. government stake
Investing.com -- New research highlighted by Bernstein analysts points to emerging strategies that may slow biological aging, with a focus on omega-3 supplements, exercise patterns and evolving scientific frameworks.
Omega-3 fatty acids, already known for cardiovascular benefits, may also play a role in delaying the aging process at the cellular level.
A 2024 study in Nature Aging analyzed data from a three-year trial of more than 700 participants, assessing three interventions: daily vitamin D (2,000 IU), omega-3 supplements (1 gram), and a basic home exercise routine.
Omega-3 alone showed the strongest effect in slowing DNA methylation clocks, a widely used measure of biological age.
Researchers noted delays equivalent to 2.9 to 3.8 months over the study period. Vitamin D and exercise added an incremental benefit when combined with omega-3.
Bernstein analysts said the findings support broader use of omega-3 beyond heart health.
The World Health Organization recommends 250 to 500 milligrams daily for general cardiovascular protection, and up to 2 grams for high-risk individuals. The new data may influence those thresholds in the future.
Exercise also continues to show protective effects against age-related disease. Two recent studies examined how frequency and intensity affect outcomes.
One, involving more than 10,000 people in Mexico City, found that “weekend warriors,” those who exercised once or twice weekly, had a 25% lower risk of mild dementia.
This was slightly stronger than the 11% reduction seen in those who exercised more regularly.
A larger U.K. study of over 70,000 participants echoed the results. As long as individuals met the weekly target of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, it did not matter how the time was distributed.
Weekend warriors and regularly active individuals showed similar reductions in risks for dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and mood disorders.
Bernstein analysts also pointed to new developments in the scientific understanding of aging. The “Hallmarks of Aging,” a widely cited framework first published in 2013, has been revised twice in the last two years.
The list originally included factors such as DNA damage and cellular senescence. Recent updates have added chronic inflammation, gut microbiome imbalance, and most recently, changes in the extracellular matrix and psychosocial isolation.
The inclusion of social isolation reflects growing evidence that behavioral factors may directly affect biological aging pathways.
Drug development has followed suit. Senolytic agents, which aim to eliminate damaged, non-dividing cells, are now in early clinical trials.
Bonerge Lifescience is studying natural compounds such as Fisetin and Urolithin A in a 108-person trial.
Rubedo Life Sciences has begun dosing patients with a GPX4 modulator targeting senescent cells linked to skin and inflammatory diseases.
Other companies are targeting previously inaccessible biological pathways. In January, CCM Biosciences announced the discovery of SIRT3 activators, a class of enzymes critical for mitochondrial health.
The findings mark progress toward drugs that could one day intervene directly in cellular aging.
Bernstein analysts say these studies signal a shift in aging research, with interventions now spanning lifestyle, nutritional, and pharmaceutical strategies.