An Eight-Week Vegan Diet May Slow Biological Aging

Besides being environmentally friendly, eating a vegan diet appears to improve health and slow biological aging.

© by GrrlScientist for Forbes | LinkTr.ee

A vegan meal including a crepe, cabbage, and a vegan sauce. (Credit: Ula Zarosa / CC BY 2.0)

A newly published study is reporting that eating a vegan diet for just eight weeks could reduce biological aging estimations based on changes in DNA methylation. Previous studies have shown that DNA methylation, also known as the ‘epigenetic clock’, is associated with aging.

Curiously, the epigenetic effects of a vegan diet compared to an omnivore diet remain largely unexplored. Despite this, a number of studies have indicated potential positive impacts of specific components of a vegan diet, such as heightened intake of vegetables and fruits, on epigenetic aging.

But at the same time, concerns have been raised regarding potential dietary deficiencies in essential “epi-nutrients” necessary for effective epigenetic regulation. Others have pointed to dietary protein intake as a special concern, particularly as this might impact aging and frailty. However, many studies have shown the beneficial impacts of protein regardless of whether it was of animal or plant origin (ref).