Short-Term Vegan Diet Linked to Epigenetic Age Benefits and Lower Calorie Intake, Study Finds

USA: An article published in BMC Medicine revealed that a brief vegan diet can lead to epigenetic age improvements and a decrease in calorie consumption.

The application of epigenetic biomarker proxies (EBPs) underscores their promise in evaluating dietary effects and enabling personalized nutrition approaches for promoting healthy aging, the researchers wrote. 

Geroscience aims to develop interventions that counteract the molecular changes linked to aging. While lifestyle changes, medications, and social factors can influence the aging process, the intricate molecular mechanisms involved necessitate a thorough examination of the epigenetic landscape. The precise effects of a vegan diet on the epigenetic clock and aging predictors, compared to an omnivorous diet, have not been extensively studied, despite their potential impact on aging outcomes.

Varun B. Dwaraka, TruDiagnostic, Inc, 881 Corporate Dr, Lexington et. al. conducted a study to determine the effects of an 8-week plant-based or healthy omnivorous diet on blood DNA methylation in twins. They also aimed to evaluate age-related risk factors and health biomarkers. The uniqueness of this study lies in its twin-pair design, which controls for genetic, age, and sex differences while focusing on diet-induced methylation changes. Notably, this is the first study to examine the impact of epigenetic measures using a twin-pair study design, specifically investigating whether diet influences these measures.

For this study, researchers examined the effects of an 8-week entirely plant-based or healthy omnivorous diet on blood DNA methylation in twin pairs. They assessed various measures of epigenetic age acceleration, including PC GrimAge, PC PhenoAge, and DunedinPACE, alongside system-specific effects on inflammation, heart, hormone, liver, and metabolic functions. Additionally, methylation surrogates for clinical, metabolite, and protein markers were analyzed to identify diet-specific changes.

The main highlights of the research are as follows:

• The vegan group experienced significant decreases in overall epigenetic age acceleration, aligning with the anti-aging benefits of plant-based diets.
• Diet-specific changes in methylation surrogates were observed, highlighting the impact of diet on complex trait prediction through DNA methylation markers.
• An epigenome-wide analysis identified differentially methylated loci unique to each diet, offering insights into the affected pathways.

The researchers concluded that a short-term vegan diet is linked to epigenetic age benefits and reduced calorie intake. The use of epigenetic biomarker proxies underscores their potential for evaluating dietary impacts and aiding in personalized nutrition strategies for healthy aging. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of vegan diets on epigenetic health and overall well-being, emphasizing the importance of adequate nutrient supplementation.

Reference

Dwaraka, V.B., Aronica, L., Carreras-Gallo, N. et al. Unveiling the epigenetic impact of vegan vs. omnivorous diets on aging: insights from the Twins Nutrition Study (TwiNS). BMC Med 22, 301 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03513-w