What Yale scientists reveal about what really slows aging—and what doesn’t, based on 51 clinical studies

Comparing aging interventions

The study’s lead author, Raghav Sehgal, and colleagues set out to identify existing approaches that produce reliably measurable changes in aging. Sehgal is an associate research scientist in psychiatry at Yale and specializes in computational biology and bioinformatics.

The team reviewed 51 clinical studies covering strategies including supplements, medications, lifestyle changes, and medical procedures. It examined more than 110 DNA methylation biomarkers, including 16 major epigenetic clocks.

What the tests measure

The researchers relied mainly on blood-based epigenetic clocks. These tools analyze chemical patterns attached to DNA, including methyl groups, which change as people age. Algorithms use these patterns to estimate biological age, which can differ from chronological age. By comparing readings before and after interventions, the researchers assessed whether an approach was associated with a lower biological-age estimate.

Medications and lifestyle changes

The analysis found measurable effects for certain prescription medications and lifestyle interventions. The researchers said earlier work had not provided enough data to establish that these biomarkers responded consistently to particular interventions.

The over-the-counter supplements included in the review generally showed little evidence of meaningful reductions in biological age. The study therefore distinguished between approaches with measurable effects and those without comparable evidence in the studies examined.

Limits of biological-age findings

The researchers cautioned that shifts in biological-age markers do not necessarily mean a person will live longer or avoid diseases associated with aging. Sehgal’s work examines whether some aspects of biological aging can be reversed, while recognizing that eliminating aging remains beyond reach.