A new research paper published in Volume 18 of Aging on May 29, 2026, reports that adopting a healthy lifestyle may modestly slow biological ageing in older men. The Editors’ Choice article, titled “Short-term responsiveness of DNA methylation–based ageing biomarkers to a multimodal intervention comprising exercise and dietary guidance involving daily consumption of yogurt containing Bifidobacterium longum BB536: an exploratory randomized controlled trial,” was led by first author Tatsuki Nishimura and corresponding author Yukihiro Hishida from the R&D Division of Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Japan. The findings add to growing evidence that coordinated lifestyle changes may influence molecular markers associated with the pace of biological ageing.
As interest grows in strategies to promote healthy ageing, researchers are increasingly investigating interventions that target multiple biological pathways simultaneously. Regular physical activity and a balanced diet are well established as pillars of healthy ageing, while emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may also play an important role. In this study, the researchers examined whether a 12-week intervention combining individualized exercise guidance, dietary counselling, and daily consumption of yogurt containing Bifidobacterium longum BB536 could influence DNA methylation-based biomarkers of ageing in overweight men aged 50 years and older.
The randomized controlled trial enrolled 48 participants, who were assigned either to the intervention group or to a control group that continued their usual lifestyle. Participants receiving the intervention were provided with dietary counselling to reduce overeating, exercise guidance encouraging regular walking or stepper-based activity, and a daily serving of probiotic yogurt containing Bifidobacterium longum BB536. Before and after the intervention, investigators measured several DNA methylation-based biomarkers, including DunedinPACE, an epigenetic indicator that estimates the current pace of biological ageing rather than chronological age.
The intervention group experienced a modest but statistically significant reduction in DunedinPACE compared with the control group, corresponding to an estimated 2.2% slowing in the pace of biological ageing over the 12 weeks. Exploratory analyses also identified a significant reduction in DNAmCystatinC, a DNA methylation-based biomarker associated with kidney-related physiological processes. Although most other epigenetic ageing clocks did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons, the overall findings suggest that selected molecular markers of ageing may respond to coordinated lifestyle interventions over a relatively short period.
Interestingly, the observed improvements in biological ageing markers were not significantly associated with weight loss alone, suggesting that the combined effects of exercise, dietary guidance, and probiotic supplementation may have contributed to the changes. The authors propose that improvements in metabolic regulation, inflammation, and gut microbial function may underlie these findings. They concluded that a practical, multimodal lifestyle intervention may be associated with short-term improvements in selected DNA methylation-based measures of biological ageing.
The authors caution that the study was exploratory and had several limitations, including a small sample size, a relatively short intervention period, and inclusion of only overweight Japanese men. Larger and longer-term studies involving more diverse populations will be needed to confirm these findings and determine whether changes in biological ageing biomarkers translate into lasting health benefits. Nevertheless, the study provides encouraging preliminary evidence that combining regular physical activity, healthy dietary practices, and targeted nutritional interventions may help slow aspects of biological ageing and support healthier ageing.
More information: Tatsuki Nishimura et al, Short-term responsiveness of DNA methylation–based aging biomarkers to a multimodal intervention comprising exercise and dietary guidance involving daily consumption of yogurt containing Bifidobacterium longum BB536: an exploratory randomized controlled trial, Aging-US. DOI: 10.18632/aging.206386
Journal information: Aging-US Provided by Impact Journals LLC
