Veganism could ‘reverse biological ageing’

Eight weeks of a plant-based diet could decrease the age of your heart, liver and metabolic systems, study finds

A vegan diet may reduce a person’s biological age, research suggests.
After eight weeks of a plant-based diet, there were also decreases in the ages of the heart, hormone, liver and inflammatory and metabolic systems, the study found. However, these changes were not seen in those whose diet included meat, eggs and dairy.
Those who ate a vegan diet also lost two kilogrammes more on average than those who did not, due to them consuming 200 fewer calories through the meals provided during the initial four weeks of the study.
The weight loss could have contributed to the observed differences in biological age between both groups.
Some experts suggest that long-term, a vegan diet may result in nutritional deficiencies and may not suit all ages, while others say the differences could have been down to the weight loss.
The findings are based on a small study of 21 pairs of identical twins aged 39. One sibling ate a vegan diet, while the other ate an omnivorous diet, which included between 170 and 225 grams of meat, one egg, and 1.5 servings of dairy each day.
Participants had an average body mass index (BMI) of 26 kilos per metre squared and 77 per cent of them were women.
For the first four weeks of the study, participants ate meals that had been prepared for them and for the second four weeks, participants ate meals that they had prepared themselves, after receiving nutrition classes.
The researchers investigated the impacts of diet on levels of DNA methylation by analysing blood samples collected from participants at the outset, week four and week eight of the study.
By the end of the study, the researchers observed decreases in biological age estimations based on levels of DNA methylation – a type of chemical modification of DNA that is used to estimate biological age.
Biological ageing refers to the decline in the functioning of tissues and cells in the body, as opposed to chronological age.
Previous research has reported that increased DNA methylation levels are associated with ageing.
However, Varun Dwaraka, of epigenetic testing company TruDiagnostic Inc, and Christopher Gardner of Stanford University, California, said it is unclear how much the differences between the pairs can be attributed to diet.
Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between diet, weight and ageing, as well as the long-term effects of vegan diets, they add.
Tom Sanders, professor emeritus of Nutrition and Dietetics at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study, said the research found some difference in terms of ageing for vegans but does not consider the fact that vitamin and mineral deficiencies often take years to appear.
Research also suggests a vegan diet may not be good for the health of older people, he added.
Prof Sanders said: “Although observational studies indicate that vegan diets may have favourable effects on health in middle age (such as a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes), this is not the case in older vegans who seem more likely to suffer from muscle loss, low bone density and neurological disorders which have a significant impact on the quality of life.
“Indeed, life expectancy does not differ in vegans compared with those who select mixed diets.” 
Dr Duane Mellor, dietitian and spokesman for the British Dietetic Association said that the vegan group were asked to eat twice the number of portions of vegetables, more fruit and more legumes, nuts and seeds than the omnivore group, which also could in part explain the differences reported.
Participants had an average body mass index (BMI) of 26 kilos per metre squared and 77 per cent of them were women.
For the first four weeks of the study, participants ate meals that had been prepared for them and the second four weeks participants ate meals that they had prepared themselves, after receiving nutrition classes.
The researchers investigated the impacts of diet on levels of DNA methylation by analysing blood samples collected from participants at the outset, week four, and week eight of the study.
The findings were published in the BMC Medicine journal.