Taking a daily omega-3 supplement may slow down the ageing process—especially when combined with vitamin D and regular exercise.

A new study from the University of Zurich found that omega-3 supplements can slow biological ageing in older adults by around three months. When paired with vitamin D and strength training, the effect was even stronger.

We already know that omega-3s—healthy fats found in fish, seeds, and nuts—support brain, heart, and immune health. Now, it seems they might also help keep your body younger for longer.

What Did the Study Look At?

The research team, led by Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, studied 777 people in Switzerland aged between 70 and 91. Participants were divided into eight groups to test different combinations of:

• Omega-3 supplements (1 gram per day)
• Vitamin D (2000 IU per day)
• Strength training (30 minutes, three times a week)
• Placebo pills (for comparison)

Some people took omega-3s only. Others added vitamin D or strength training—or both. The aim was to see whether combining these healthy habits would give greater anti-ageing benefits.

“Omega-3 reduces inflammation, which plays a key role in ageing,” said Bischoff-Ferrari. “Vitamin D and exercise also help in other ways. We wanted to know if using all three together would give an extra boost.”

How Did They Measure Ageing?

To track biological ageing, the researchers used a type of test known as an epigenetic clock. This looks at small chemical tags on DNA—known as methyl groups—that tend to fade with age. These markers help scientists estimate how fast a person is ageing on a cellular level.

Participants who took omega-3 supplements aged more slowly than those who didn’t. The effect was even greater in those who also took vitamin D and exercised regularly.

Why It Matters

While ageing is a natural part of life, slowing it down—even by a few months—can lead to better health, stronger muscles, and fewer age-related illnesses.

This study suggests that a simple mix of omega-3, vitamin D, and regular movement could help keep your body younger and stronger for longer.

Key Takeaways

• A daily omega-3 supplement may slow biological ageing by around 3 months.
• Adding vitamin D and strength training boosts the effect even further.
• These simple steps work in different ways to reduce inflammation, improve muscle strength, and support healthy ageing.

Even small changes in your daily routine could help you stay healthier for longer.

By doing the same three years later, the scientists found that the participants who were told to take omega-3 only had aged by around 3 months less, on average, than those who were only given placebo pills. They accounted for factors that could affect the results, such as the participants’ actual age, sex, weight and height.

“This is the biggest trial we have today that hints that a simple supplement contributes to slowing biological ageing,” says Bischoff-Ferrari.

What’s more, those who took omega-3 along with vitamin D and did strength training aged even less, compared with people who didn’t introduce any of these habits as part of the trial. “The effect was somewhat more pronounced, almost four months of rejuvenation,” says Bischoff-Ferrari.

These effects may seem small but could be important for some, says Richard Siow at King’s College London. “For an older person, in about three months, there could be a lot of age-related decline going on, so this becomes more significant,” he says.

But epigenetic clocks are not a perfect measure of biological ageing. “Just because biomarkers on your DNA indicate that you resemble someone who is younger, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are healthier in some way,” says Siow.

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Further research should assess what the changes mean for measures such as cognition, ability to exercise and heart health, he says. Bischoff-Ferrari’s team is now analysing the participants’ data on such outcomes.

Another limitation of the study is that the participants were relatively healthy and active, and mostly not deficient in vitamin D. Further studies that involve people without these characteristics, and who are younger and live in other countries, are needed, says Bischoff-Ferrari.