Multimicronutrient and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation reduces low-grade inflammation in older participants: An exploratory study

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 140; pp. 46 - 58
• Main Authors: Kerlikowsky, Felix, Krüger, Karsten, Hahn, Andreas, Schuchardt, Jan Philipp
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2025
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Biomarkers - blood; Calcifediol - blood; Cholecalciferol - administration & dosage; Cholecalciferol - blood; Dietary Supplements; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Docosahexaenoic Acids - blood; Double-Blind Method; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - administration & dosage; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - blood; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - blood; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - pharmacology; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - therapeutic use; Female; Folic Acid - administration & dosage; Folic Acid - blood; Healthy aging; Humans; Inflammation - blood; Inflammation - drug therapy; Inflammation - prevention & control; Inflammatory score; Low-grade inflammation; Male; Micronutrient supplements; Micronutrients - administration & dosage; Micronutrients - blood; Nutritional Status; Omega-3-Index; Vitamin B 12 - administration & dosage; Vitamin B 12 - blood; CRP; O3I; FM; GLM; GLR; SD; INFLA score; Micronutrient supplements; DBS; PLT; WBC; SPSS; Healthy aging; BMI; RBC folate; n-3 PUFA; LGI; MMN; Omega-3-Index; ARA; Low-grade inflammation; Inflammatory score; MetS; 25-(OH)D; EPA; DHA; E-DII; holoTC
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2025.06.005

•The aggregated inflammatory (INFLA) score captures low-grade inflammation.•Older participants showed undesirable long-chain-omega-3 fatty acid status.•Multimicronutrients + long-chain omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammaging.•Beneficial effects were stronger in subjects eating a proinflammatory diet.•Beneficial effects were more pronounced in older participants of higher age. Aging is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, while the status of anti-inflammatory (INFLA) micronutrients such as long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), vitamin D, folate, and cobalamin is often low in older people. We hypothesized that n-3 PUFA and certain micronutrients reduce low-grade inflammation in older participants. To test this hypothesis the aim of this randomised, double-blinded, 12-week intervention study involving 112 healthy and physically active older participants (75.6 ± 3.9 years) was to investigate the effect of a multimicronutrient and n-3 PUFA supplementation in physiological doses (i.e., 400 µg folic acid, 100 µg cobalamin, 50 µg cholecalciferol, and 1000 mg eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid per day) on INFLA biomarkers, which were aggregated in the INFLA score. Dietary intake data were converted into the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII). A significant increase in the nutrient status biomarkers Omega-3 Index, serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, red blood cell folate, and holotranscobalamin was observed in the intervention group compared to the placebo group (all P < .001). In a multiadjusted model (age, sex, body mass index, E-DII, Omega-3 Index), the intervention significantly decreased the INFLA score compared to placebo (P = .036). Participants with a more pro-INFLA E-DII at baseline and higher age showed a greater decrease in the INFLA score than those with a more anti-INFLA E-DII (P = .028) and lower age (P = .043). An effect of multimicronutrient + n-3 PUFA supplementation seems to be more pronounced in older participants with higher age and those with a pro-INFLA background diet. Trial registration: This study is officially recorded in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00021302, registration date: 23.04.2020). This randomized, double-blinded, 12-week study with 112 older participants (≥70 years) investigated the effects of MMNs and n-3 PUFAs on inflammatory biomarkers, aggregated in the INFLA score. Supplementation (i.e., 400 µg folic acid, 100 µg cobalamin, 50 µg cholecalciferol, 1000 mg n-3 PUFAs) significantly reduced the INFLA score vs placebo, with greater reductions in older participants and those with a proinflammatory diet. Abbreviations: INFLA score, inflammatory score; MMN, multimicronutrient; n-3 PUFAs, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. [Display omitted]