Following a healthy diet can slow cellular aging at the molecular level, researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) concluded after studying ten popular eating plans, infohub.kz reports.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, examined the Nordic, Mediterranean and plant-based diets, as well as the DASH system and other eating plans. According to ScienceDaily, the authors demonstrated that proper nutrition helps preserve youth at the molecular level.
About 7,500 people took part in the study. The researchers first analyzed data from 6,470 participants in the Rhineland Study in Bonn, then confirmed the findings in a sample of 1,034 people from the EPIC-Potsdam study. Biological age was assessed using DNA methylation analysis at 850,000 sites across the genome. The results showed that following any of the 10 diets slowed cellular aging.
Lead author Juliana Tavares noted that more than 70% of the biological pathways linked to metabolism and cell communication were shared across all the diets studied. At the same time, individual diets showed specific effects: the DASH diet was associated with support for the cardiovascular system, while the MIND diet was linked to memory function.
The researchers stress that there is no single ideal diet, so each person can choose the option that suits them.