What the DO-HEALTH trial reveals about aging better and health expectancy: key takeaways inside

Summary 

• This year at Vitafoods Europe, one theme dominated conversations across the show: healthy longevity—with dietary supplement brands clearly shifting focus from helping people live longer (lifespan) to living better (healthspan).
• At the event, dsm-firmenich shared findings from the landmark DO-HEALTH study, which gave scientific weight to this new direction and reinforced that “aging better” is no longer theoretical, but measurable.
• Discover key takeaways from the groundbreaking trial and learn how dsm-firmenich is helping turn longevity science into credible, scalable, consumer-ready solutions.

A defining moment for healthy longevity science  

The DO-HEALTH study is not just another nutrition trial.¹ It represents a major milestone in measurable aging science and a significant turning point in the healthy longevity conversation. Recognized as Europe’s largest healthy aging trial, DO-HEALTH followed more than 2,100 adults aged 70 and older across seven clinical research centres in Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, and Portugal over a 36-month period. The study investigated whether a simple daily regimen—just two capsules a day of omega-3 (life’s®OMEGA 60) and vitamin D (Quali®-D), alongside regular exercise—could influence the pace of aging, both individually and in combination. Published in Nature Aging, the findings provide compelling evidence that targeted nutritional and lifestyle interventions can meaningfully shape how we age over time.

What makes the DO-HEALTH study such a landmark in healthy longevity research?  

What did the DO-HEALTH study find?

The trial examined how nutrition and exercise influence biological age, which provides a more accurate reflection of how the body functions at a cellular level, rather than simply how many years someone has lived. Researchers measured biological aging using advanced epigenetic clocks and molecular tools, including DNAm PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPACE.

The results were striking. One of the study’s most groundbreaking findings was that participants experienced an estimated 2.9–3.8 months reduction in biological age over the three-year period. Most notably, dsm-firmenich’s life’s®OMEGA 60 supplementation, alone or combined with Quali®-D (another dsm-firmenich ingredient) and regular exercise, achieved something previously thought impossible: slowing biological aging at the molecular level.

Importantly, the combination delivered a stronger effect than either ingredient alone, and the benefits were observed even among already healthy, active senior adults. In practical terms, this is equivalent to gaining almost an additional season’s length of time every three years—reinforcing that even relatively small daily interventions can deliver meaningful impact over time.

What does the DO-HEALTH study reveal about the future of healthy aging?

“DO-HEALTH provides some of the first clinical proof that chronological age is more responsive to targeted nutritional intervention than previously understood. This reframes nutrients from simply supporting general health to playing a more active role in extending health expectancy—and highlights a clear opportunity for brands to turn emerging science into solutions that meet rising consumer demand for healthy longevity supplements.” 

—Anneleen Spooren, SVP Innovation, R&D & Regulatory, dsm-firmenich HNC

Click here to connect with one of our experts and learn more about the DO-HEALTH study or explore healthy longevity solutions.

Turning longevity science into real-world solutions

While longevity science is advancing rapidly, many supplement brands face a new challenge: translating complex biology into solutions consumers can understand, trust, and incorporate into everyday life. This is where dsm-firmenich aims to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world application.

We believe lasting health starts at the cellular level. By bringing together high-quality ingredients, formulation expertise, end-to-end scientific support, and application knowledge, we are bringing aging science to life through an ecosystem built specifically for the healthy longevity space. Rather than focusing on isolated benefits alone, this approach considers the interconnected hallmarks of aging, including cellular senescence, chronic inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Addressing these aging pathways together creates opportunities for more holistic, systems-based innovation—helping consumers not just add years to their lives, but life to their years.

Introducing Age Slower

One example of this approach in action is Age Slower—our market-ready concept leveraging the hero ingredients used in the DO-HEALTH study: life’s®OMEGA 60 and Quali®-D. Designed to make healthy longevity innovation tangible for both brands and consumers, Age Slower is proven to slow aging at the molecular level and reverse biological aging markers.

As interest in healthy aging supplements continues to rise, concepts like Age Slower demonstrate how robust science can move beyond the laboratory and into scalable, consumer-relevant innovation.