United States: Researchers at UC San Francisco have discerned a correlation between adhering to a diet replete with vitamins and minerals, particularly one devoid of excessive added sugar, and exhibiting a more youthful biological age at the cellular level.
The investigation examined how three distinct indices of nutritional health influenced an “epigenetic clock”—a biochemical assay that approximates both health and lifespan—and discovered that superior dietary habits corresponded with younger cellular appearances. Even within the confines of a wholesome diet, each gram of added sugar ingested was linked to an increase in epigenetic age, according to medicalxpress.com.
“The dietary patterns we scrutinized are consistent with existing guidelines for disease prevention and health enhancement, underscoring the significance of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients,” stated Dorothy Chiu, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health and principal author of the study, which was published on July 29 in JAMA Network Open, as noted by medicalxpress.com.
“From a lifestyle medicine perspective, it is encouraging to observe how adhering to these guidelines can foster a cellular age that is younger relative to chronological age.”
This study is among the pioneering research studies to establish a connection between added sugar and epigenetic aging and the first to explore this association in a diverse cohort of women, encompassing both Black and white participants in midlife. Previous studies in this domain predominantly involved older white individuals.
The research enhances our comprehension of why sugar is so harmful to health, remarked study co-senior author Elissa Epel, PhD, a UCSF professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
“We were aware that elevated levels of added sugars are associated with deteriorated metabolic health and premature disease, arguably more so than any other dietary component,” Epel noted. “Now, we recognize that accelerated epigenetic aging underpins this relationship, likely representing one of many mechanisms through which excessive sugar intake curtails healthy longevity,” as per medicalxpress.com.
Participants in the study reported an average daily intake of 61.5 grams of added sugar, though the range was broad: from 2.7 to 316 grams of added sugar daily. A milk chocolate bar contains approximately 25 grams of added sugar, whereas a 12-ounce can of cola has about 39 grams. The US Food and Drug Administration advises adults to consume no more than 50 grams of added sugar per day.
Nutrient-Focused Approach
In this cross-sectional study, researchers scrutinized dietary records from 342 Black and white women, with a mean age of 39 years, residing in Northern California. Subsequently, they juxtaposed their diets with epigenetic clock measures derived from saliva samples.
Researchers evaluated the women’s diets against a Mediterranean-style diet abundant in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods and a diet associated with a reduced risk for chronic disease.
Ultimately, they assessed the women’s diets using a measure they developed called the “Epigenetic Nutrient Index (ENI),” based on nutrients (not foods) linked to anti-oxidative or anti-inflammatory processes and DNA maintenance and repair. These nutrients include Vitamins A, C, B12, and E, folate, selenium, magnesium, dietary fiber, and isoflavones.
Reportedly, adherence to any of these diets was significantly correlated with a lower epigenetic age, with the Mediterranean diet exhibiting the strongest association.
The researchers separately analyzed sugar intake and found that consuming foods with added sugar was associated with accelerated biological aging, even within an otherwise healthy diet.
“Considering that epigenetic patterns appear reversible, eliminating 10 grams of added sugar daily could be akin to reversing the biological clock by 2.4 months if maintained over time,” stated co-senior author Barbara Laraia, PhD, RD, a UC Berkeley professor in the Food, Nutrition, and Population Health program. “Emphasizing foods high in key nutrients and low in added sugars might be a novel approach to motivate individuals to adopt healthier eating habits for longevity.”