United States – A new study has revealed that it could make you age slower if you turn vegan.
Study Design and Findings
The effects of long-term vegan diets on aging were investigated in twins; Twins who consumed vegan diets for eight weeks were marginally younger biologically than their twin brothers who consumed a diet that consisted of meat, eggs, and dairy products, as reported by HealthDay.
The researchers “observed decreases in estimates of biological age — known as epigenetic aging clocks — in participants who ate a vegan diet, but not among those that ate an omnivorous diet,” concluded the research team led by Varun Dwaraka, head of bioinformatics with TruDiagnostic, a leading health data company.
To carry out the study, the researchers had to enlist 21 pairs of adult identical twin subjects.
One twin was given a vegan diet, and the other an omnivorous diet. For the initial four weeks, they received packaged meals, and for the next four weeks, they consumed the meals that were prepared themselves regarding the nutrition lessons.
In the end of the study, it was discovered that the vegan twins had chronologically older cells than the omnivorous twins but were biologically younger.
They also noted reductions in the years of the heart, hormone, liver, inflammatory, and metabolic systems among the participants who embraced the vegan diet.
Additional Observations and Weight Loss
The vegan twins also shed an average of more than four pounds more in comparison to their omnivorous twin during the experiment, according to the researchers. This was mostly attributable to the differences in energy density for the cooked foods consumed during the first four weeks of the research, as reported by HealthDay.
Due to these limitations, further research is recommended on the impact of a vegan diet on ageing and the general effects of a vegan diet to human health.