A new study reveals that an 8-week vegan diet can slow biological aging compared to an omnivorous diet. The Stanford Twin Study, which had twins on different diets, led to intriguing results.
According to research published on July 28 in BMC Medicine, the Stanford Twin Study recruited identical twins and placed them on opposing diets: a ‘healthy vegan’ diet and a ‘healthy omnivorous’ diet. The findings matched other studies on the anti-aging effects of a vegan diet.
Researchers observed that the vegan diet influenced molecular signs of aging in just eight weeks. The study involved 22 twin pairs, with one twin eating vegan and the other omnivorous. The vegan participants consumed fewer calories, lost more weight, and saw improvements in LDL cholesterol and fasting insulin levels.
In addition to these benefits, the vegan diet improved epigenetic markers related to aging. These markers act like clocks in your genes, where your biological age might differ from your actual age due to lifestyle choices. Scientists used various tests, including GrimAge and DunedinPACE, to measure biological age through DNA methylation patterns.
Dr. Varun B. Dwaraka, the study’s lead author, noted, ‘We didn’t really expect much from these clocks, which was the surprising bit because out of all the clocks that we studied, there were about 12 that showed consistent decreases in their epigenetic age,’ he said. ‘There was a significant decrease in the vegans, but there was no change in the omnivores.’
The study was conducted in two phases. For the first four weeks, meals were provided, and during the second half, participants cooked their own food. Both groups maintained a healthy diet, rich in vegetables and fiber while minimizing refined grains and sugars.
By using twins in the study, researchers eliminated genetic variability, making the results more reliable. ‘This was the perfect kind of design because essentially what you’re doing is looking at two genetically identical individuals and then allowing them to have two different diet types and then seeing what the response would be,’ Dwaraka explained.
Epigenetics refers to how behavior and environment affect gene expression without altering the DNA itself. Think of it as a computer where the same hardware can run different software, affecting how the system operates. Diet and exercise are known to influence these epigenetic changes, which can impact your health positively or negatively.
Dr. Myron Szewczuk, a biomedical sciences professor not affiliated with the study, stated, ‘Nutrition and exercise are among the most well-known environmental epigenetic factors influencing proper developmental and functional lifestyle, with potential beneficial or detrimental effects on health status.’ Chronological age is fixed, but your biological age can change based on these factors.
Despite the promising findings, the study’s authors caution against drawing long-term conclusions. ‘We cannot say anything beyond just eight weeks because, for example, one of the things that we do know is that a vegan diet without vitamin B12 supplementation can actually have disastrous effects on health,’ Dwaraka said. While short-term benefits are clear, more research is needed for long-term effects.
Clinical dietitian Alyssa Kwan remarked, ‘This is very consistent with the current knowledge that a plant-based diet is associated with benefits for biological aging and other health conditions, such as overall cardiac health.’
In summary, an 8-week vegan diet showed signs of slowing biological aging in identical twins. While more research is needed, these findings align with existing literature on the health benefits of plant-based diets.
Source: Healthline