Can a multivitamin slow down aging?
Listen to the story (American accent)
Scientists cannot stop people from getting old. But a new study says a pill might help.
Researchers in Boston did a study. They gave a multivitamin pill to many adults every day. These people were around 70 years old. The test lasted for two years.
The scientists looked at the blood of the people. They checked the cells. Cells are tiny parts of the body. Some cells grow old fast. Other cells grow old slow. This is called biological age. This age is different from how many birthdays you have.
The study found that the daily pill helped. The people who took the vitamin had younger cells. Their bodies stayed young longer. It was a small change of four months. The pill worked best for people who were already very old.
Vocabulary16 words
- Scientist
- a person who works in science; a person who studies how things work 👨🔬
- Get old
- to age; to have more birthdays; to grow older over time
- Study
- a test to find facts; a report; a piece of research
- Pill
- a small piece of medicine; a tablet; something you swallow to stay healthy 💊
- Might
- maybe; possibly; it could happen; perhaps
- Researcher
- a person who looks for new information; someone who does a study or test
- Multivitamin
- a pill with many different vitamins inside; a mix of healthy things for the body
- Adult
- a grown-up person; a man or a woman; someone who is not a child
- Last
- to continue for a time; to go on; the length of time something happens
- Blood
- the red liquid inside your body; the juice in your heart and veins 🩸
- Check
- to look at something carefully; to test; to make sure something is correct
- Cell
- a very tiny part of the body; the smallest "building block" of a person 🔬
- Biological age
- how old your body or cells feel; the health of your body inside
- Find
- to learn something new; to discover; to see a result 🔎
- Doctor
- a person who helps sick people; a medical expert 🩺
- Brain
- the part inside your head; the part you use to think and learn 🧠
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Scientists cannot _____ people from getting old. But a new _____ says a pill might help.
Researchers in Boston _____ a study. They gave a multivitamin pill to _____ adults every day. These people were around 70 years old. The test _____ for two years.
The scientists looked _____ the blood of the people. They checked the _____ . Cells are tiny parts of the body. Some cells grow old _____ . Other cells grow old slow. This is called biological _____ . This age is different from how many _____ you have.
The study found that the _____ pill helped. The people who took the vitamin had _____ cells. Their bodies stayed young longer. It _____ a small change of four months. The pill _____ best for people who were already very _____ .
Doctors do not know _____ vitamin is the best yet. It could be Vitamin D or calcium. _____ need to do more tests. They want to see if the pills _____ the brain too.
Discussion questions
- Do you take a multivitamin every day? Why or why not?
- Do you want to live to be 100 years old or older?
- Would you like to know your "biological age"?
- What is the best way to stay healthy? Is it pills, good food, or exercise?
- Do you think scientists will find a way to stop aging? Is this a good idea for the world?
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