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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Researchers analyzed 51 longevity studies and found that next-generation epigenetic clocks — especially those predicting mortality or pace of aging — are the most reliable markers of biological change. Pharmacological and lifestyle interventions produced the strongest effects on DNA methylation biomarkers. But scientists caution: responsiveness alone doesn't prove an intervention actually slows aging.
A new study published in Nature Medicine compared 51 human longevity intervention studies to figure out which epigenetic aging biomarkers best detect biological change. The verdict? Second-generation and newer DNA methylation (DNAm) clocks — particularly those trained to predict mortality or the pace of aging — consistently outperformed older, chronological-age-focused clocks.
Pharmacological and lifestyle interventions drove the biggest biomarker shifts. Notably, metformin and TNF-targeting therapies (used in arthritis and IBD) produced some of the largest changes in epigenetic aging scores, pointing to inflammatory and metabolic pathways as key levers. The Mediterranean diet also meaningfully moved the needle in healthy individuals.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Reliable epigenetic biomarkers could dramatically shorten aging trials — potentially from decades to years — but researchers stress that biomarker changes still need to be tied to real-world outcomes like healthspan and lifespan before they can be used as clinical trial endpoints.
