All topics
Frontiers and research library
NAD, mitochondria and epigenetic clocks are research concepts. Biomarker changes do not automatically establish fewer diseases or longer life; dates, study results, corrections and negative findings matter.
In-depth articles
All articles →A map of related concepts; see the entries and sources for detail.
Reference entries
Healthspan & lifespan
Healthspan concerns time in good function; lifespan concerns survival. Most ingredient trials are too short and do not measure lifespan.
Epigenetic clocks
Clocks estimate aging-related features from data such as DNA methylation. Algorithms can differ; a lower clock is not proof of fewer diseases or longer life.
NAD⁺ and its precursors
NAD⁺ supports redox and enzyme reactions. A 2026 trial increased blood NAD⁺ with NR/NMN; another challenged blood NAD⁺ as an aging marker.
The findings are compatible: changing a measurement is different from showing that it tracks aging or health benefit.
Mitophagy
Mitophagy selectively processes mitochondria. Urolithin A studies support certain cellular responses, not universal immune rejuvenation in adults.
AutophagyProject inference
Autophagy recycles cell components and depends on context. One marker rising does not establish whole-body autophagic flux or clinical benefit.
Cellular senescence & senolytics
Senescent cells can stop dividing and alter secreted signals. Claims of “zombie-cell removal” need evidence at human doses and relevant outcomes.
Nutrient sensing: mTOR, AMPK, sirtuinsProject inference
These pathways connect nutrients with growth, energy and maintenance. Simple “activate everything” or “inhibit everything” stories miss human complexity.
Multi-omics & precision nutrition
Genes, microbes, proteins and metabolites describe variation. Prediction, causal explanation and effective personalized intervention are three separate steps.
Twelve hallmarks: a research map
Genomic instability; telomere attrition; epigenetic alteration; loss of proteostasis; disabled macroautophagy; deregulated nutrient sensing; mitochondrial dysfunction; cellular senescence; stem-cell exhaustion; altered intercellular communication; chronic inflammation; dysbiosis.
This framework comes from a 2023 Cell review, not a new 2026 Nature announcement or a twelve-ingredient shopping list.
Ten microbiome research prioritiesCommentary
Nature Medicine · 2026-10-23 · Comment, not a clinical trial
Presents a strategic vision for translating microbiome research into public-health benefit.
Introductory text and references were accessible; the full ten-item text was not obtained, so no list is invented.
Cold, BH2 and proteostasisMechanistic
Nature · 2026-10-21 · Worms + human cells
Identifies a BH2–BH4 inter-tissue pathway linked to worm longevity and proteostasis.
Not a human oral trial; does not support adding BH2 to FD1 or prescribing cold exposure.
Microbial C15:0 and atherosclerosisMechanistic
Nature · 2026-10-07 · Mice + human associations
Identifies pentadecanoic acid and cholesterol-related mechanisms with reduced mouse plaque.
Cannot establish plaque reduction in people or replace lipid-lowering treatment.
Matched nutrients, different processing responsesHuman study
Nature Metabolism · 2026-10-05 · Randomized crossover; 57 healthy-weight adults
Nutritionally matched meals still produced different post-meal metabolic and brain responses.
Acute meal study; did not directly test a multi-nutrient powder or long-term disease.
Food and microbial partners shape ecologyMechanistic
Nature Microbiology · 2026-10-02 · 94 dietary components + community validation
Substrate effects depend on community partners, helping explain variable food responses.
Not advice to ingest a specific bacterium or increase Enterobacteriaceae.
Do microbiome models generalize across countries?Observational
Nature Communications · 2026-09-21 · Five countries; 1,976 participants
Diet–microbiome associations varied geographically, with limited cross-country generalization.
No Chinese sample; not a validated personalization algorithm for Chinese consumers.
Chickpea structure changes gut signalsHuman study
Nature Communications · 2026-09-15 · Randomized crossover; 10 participants
Intact and broken cell structures produced different metabolic and gut-hormone responses.
Small, acute study; neither powder equivalence nor long-term weight loss was established.
Healthy dietary patterns and epigenetic agingObservational
Nature Communications · 2026-08-29 · Rhineland + EPIC-Potsdam cohorts
Ten diet-quality scores showed distinct methylation profiles with some pathway convergence.
Dietary associations, not a supplement trial; October news coverage is not the paper’s publication date.
A polarity-aware nutrition knowledge graphComputational
npj Science of Food · 2026-08-27 · 1,309 curated abstracts
Attaches direction and provenance to diet–microbiome–health links for hypothesis generation.
Combining literature links does not validate a human causal chain or a clinical recommendation.
Anti-aging needs clinical evidenceCommentary
Nature Medicine · 2026-08-11 · Editorial
Emphasizes reliable aging markers and human safety and efficacy evidence.
Editorial viewpoint, not a treatment trial or regulatory approval.
Diet–microbiome–cancer immunotherapyMechanistic
Nature · 2026-07-08 · 12 mouse diet models + transplantation
Finds diet–microbiome interactions affecting checkpoint-treatment responses.
Does not justify weight gain for cancer treatment or probiotic cancer prevention.
Saffron: mood in a specific populationHuman study
Frontiers in Nutrition · 2026-06-17 · 86 women aged 50–70; 28 mg/day, 12 weeks
Low mood and some sleep-related daytime impairment measures improved.
Sleep disturbance and appearance did not show the same benefit; generalization is limited.
Diet + metabolomics for metabolic syndromeObservational
npj Science of Food · 2026-06-15 · 2,810 adults; metabolomics subset 400
Integrated models discriminated metabolic syndrome better than more limited dietary information.
Cross-sectional design; no proof that model-guided supplements prevent disease.
Blood NAD⁺ is not a simple aging gaugeObservational
Nature Metabolism · 2026-05-14 · Seven human cohorts and intervention data
Validated measurements found stable blood NAD⁺ across age, with response to NR supplementation.
Does not establish stability in every tissue or universal precursor ineffectiveness.
Pasteurized Akkermansia for weight maintenanceHuman study
Nature Medicine · 2026-05-13 · 90 adults; 8-week weight loss, 24-week maintenance
Weight regain was approximately 1.2 kg versus 3.2 kg during maintenance.
Specific post-weight-loss setting; not a universal weight-loss ingredient.
Record when, as well as what, people eatObservational
Nature Metabolism · 2026-04-23 · Over 20,000 adults; over 2.5 million logs
Describes large real-world variation in eating timing and diversity.
Exploratory cross-sectional data; no proof of an optimal fasting window.
Diet–microbiome links in 10,068 peopleObservational
Nature Medicine · 2026-03-23 · 10,068 participants
Maps food, species and pathway associations and explores personalized simulations.
Simulated effects are not completed human intervention outcomes.
Taurine + B vitamins and task performanceHuman study
Frontiers in Nutrition · 2026-03-11 · 44 participants; crossover; 500 mg taurine + B vitamins
Task persistence and vigilance signals appeared at some time points.
Period and learning effects and inconsistent time points limit inference; cannot isolate taurine.
Multivitamins and two aging clocksHuman study
Nature Medicine · 2026-03-09 · 958 older adults; two years
Two of five clocks shifted modestly: annual between-group differences of −0.113 and −0.214 years.
Three clocks were not significant; cocoa was null; not evidence of longer life or FD1 efficacy.
Low protein, microbes and beige fatMechanistic
Nature · 2026-03-04 · Primarily mouse and mechanistic work
Proposes bile-acid–FXR and ammonia–FGF21 signalling in fat remodelling.
Does not justify protein deficiency for fat loss in adults.
Coarse grains and blood pressure: the null mattersHuman study
npj Science of Food · 2026-01-21 · 172 participants; 12 weeks; 100 g/day coarse grains
Both groups’ blood pressure fell; microbiome and exploratory response models differed.
No significant between-group blood-pressure advantage; do not claim superiority.
NR, NMN and nicotinamide comparedHuman study
Nature Metabolism · 2026-01-15 · 65 adults; randomized open-label; 14 days
NR and NMN raised whole-blood NAD⁺ approximately twofold.
No demonstrated energy, lifespan or disease benefit; gut mechanisms include ex vivo evidence.
Oats, microbes and phenolic metabolitesHuman study
Nature Communications · 2026-01-14 · Metabolic syndrome; two randomized dietary interventions
Connects oat diets with microbial phenolic metabolites and cholesterol changes.
Whole diets, exposure and population cannot be transferred to a small blended oat extract.
Magnesium threonate: cognition and sleepHuman study
Frontiers in Nutrition · 2026-01-12 · 100 adults; 2 g preparation/day; six weeks
Some cognition and subjective daytime impairment measures improved.
Objective sleep was null; the October 15 correction fixes two-sided-test wording without changing reported results; 2 g of preparation is not 2 g elemental magnesium.
Background: UA immune-cell trialHuman study
Nature Aging · 2025-10-31 · 50 adults; 1,000 mg/day; 28 days
Some CD8 phenotypes and metabolic measures changed.
The 2026 correction is not a new trial; no proven reduction in infections or increase in lifespan.
Background: EGT memory endpoint was nullHuman study
Nutraceuticals · 2025-06-27 · 147 adults; 10/25 mg; 16 weeks
Higher blood EGT did not establish a consistent between-group memory benefit.
The primary memory endpoint lacked a significant treatment effect; within-group change is not a between-group effect.
Biomarkers and real-world benefit
Blood or cellular changes may help explore mechanisms. Better daily function, lower disease risk or longer life require separate study.