A team of researchers from the University of California- San Francisco report finding a link between following a healthy diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals while being especially low in added sugars and having a younger biological age at the cellular level.
Healthy eating and added sugars
The study published in JAMA Network Open investigated how 3 different measures of healthy eating affected an epigenetic clock. The findings suggest that among those who ate healthy, the better they ate, the younger their cells were. Even among those who ate healthy, each gram of added sugars they consumed was associated with an increase in their epigenetic age.
“The diets we examined align with existing recommendations for preventing disease and promoting health, and they highlight the potency of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients in particular,” said Dorothy Chiu, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health and first author of the study, which appears July 29 in JAMA Network Open. “From a lifestyle medicine standpoint, it is empowering to see how heeding these recommendations may promote a younger cellular age relative to chronological age.”
“We knew that high levels of added sugars are linked to worsened metabolic health and early disease, possibly more than any other dietary factor,” said study co-senior author Elissa Epel, PhD, a UCSF professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “Now we know that accelerated epigenetic aging is underlying this relationship, and this is likely one of many ways that excessive sugar intake limits healthy longevity.”
Comparing healthy diets
The 342 women with a mean age of 39 years old in this cross-sectional study reported consuming an average of 61.5 grams of added sugar per day, though the range was large: from 2.7 to 316 grams of added sugar daily. A bar of milk chocolate has about 25 grams of added sugar, while a 12-ounce can of cola has about 39 grams. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends adults consume no more than 50 grams of added sugar per day.
The participant’s diets were analyzed and the researchers compared their diets with epigenetic clock measures which were derived from salvia samples. Their diets were also scored to see how they compared to a healthy Mediterranean-style diet rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as comparing their diet to another diet that is linked to a lower risk for chronic disease. Lastly, the women’s diets were scored against a measure the researchers created called the “Epigenetic Nutrient Index (ENI),” which is based on nutrients (not foods) that have been linked to anti-oxidative or anti-inflammatory processes and DNA maintenance and repair such as vitamins A, C, B12 and E, folate, selenium, magnesium, dietary fiber, and isoflavones.
Effects of added sugar on epigenetic age
The analysis revealed that adherence to any of the healthy diets was significantly associated with lower epigenetic age, with the Mediterranean diet having the strongest association. Sugar intake was examined separately and this revealed that consuming foods with added sugar was associated with accelerated biological aging, even in the presence of an otherwise healthy diet.
“Given that epigenetic patterns appear to be reversible, it may be that eliminating 10 grams of added sugar per day is akin to turning back the biological clock by 2.4 months, if sustained over time,” said co-senior author Barbara Laraia, PhD, RD, a UC Berkeley professor in the Food, Nutrition and Population Health program. “Focusing on foods that are high in key nutrients and low in added sugars may be a new way to help motivate people to eat well for longevity.”
This article was written by T.J.W. at the WHN News Desk
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Content may be edited for style and length.
References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/07/428121/healthy-diet-less-sugar-linked-younger-biological-age
