Experts advise not to rush to give up meat just yet
A new study claims that going vegan can make you «biologically younger,» but independent experts advise not to give up meat just yet.
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Eating only plant foods may reduce a person's biological age, at least one study suggests.
Researchers at Stanford University in California who tested pairs of twins found that those who followed a vegan diet for two months had fewer signs of aging in their DNA than those who followed an omnivorous diet.
But, writes the Daily Mail, independent experts have warned that the results may not be what they seem, and that giving up animal products could lead to you facing a range of disadvantages in the long term. They have highlighted a number of factors and shortcomings in the study that could explain or influence the results.
It is important to note that other studies have shown that vegans do not live longer than omnivores, the Daily Mail points out.
Professor Tom Sander, an expert in nutrition and dietetics at King's College London, was one of the experts who pointed out problems with the study's findings that veganism reduces biological ageing.
He noted that the relatively short follow-up period of the study, just two months, could not explain the impact that long-term veganism could have on the body.
«For example, if a vegan diet is not supplemented with vitamin B12, they develop vitamin B12 deficiency, which causes chronic and often insidious damage to the nervous system,» he said. «Long-term observational studies of vegans have also found adverse effects on bone density, which is likely due to very low calcium and inadequate protein intake.»
Vitamin B12 is needed to maintain healthy blood and the nervous system, the Daily Mail explains. It is found in abundance in meat, fish and dairy products, so most people don't need to worry about it, but vegans may be at risk of deficiency.
On the other hand, calcium, of which dairy products are a rich source, is vital for maintaining healthy bones and teeth, and a lack of it can lead to brittle bones.
Professor Sander added that vitamin deficiencies are of particular concern to older vegans, who may suffer serious health problems as a result of poor diet.
«While observational studies suggest that a vegan diet may have beneficial health effects in middle-aged people, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, this is not the case for older vegans, who appear to be more likely to suffer from muscle loss, low bone density and neurological disorders, which have a negative impact on health and a significant impact on quality of life,» he said.
He added that other studies had shown that vegans did not appear to gain any benefit in overall lifespan compared to omnivores. «The lifespan of vegans is no different to that of those on a mixed diet,» he said.
Dr Dwayne Mellor, a nutritionist and spokesman for the British Dietetic Association, added that it was important to remember that other aspects of the study could be behind the reduction in biological support seen in participants on a vegan diet.
«While the study compared a vegan diet with an omnivorous diet, the diets were not completely the same, with the vegan participants consuming on average around 200 calories less per day, resulting in an average weight loss of 2kg,» he said. «It is possible that the reduction in energy intake could have potentially influenced the participants' DNA changes. Another important factor was that the vegetarian group was asked to eat twice as many vegetables, fruits and legumes, nuts and seeds as the omnivorous group. This was partly to replace meat, eggs and dairy, but it would mean that fibre intake, as well as vitamins and minerals, would likely be different between the groups, which could also partly explain the differences noted.»
The expert added that the omnivorous group of study participants were also asked to eat a significant amount of meat, which could potentially have exacerbated the differences. The omnivores were asked to eat 6-8 ounces (175-225 grams) of meat per day, which seems high compared to the UK recommendations, although this was whole meat, not just red meat — 70-90 grams per day.
Overall, Dr Mellor notes that the changes observed in the participants' DNA are «theoretical» and are not directly linked to increased life expectancy. The scientist advised: «The key to any diet with or without animal products is that it includes a wide range of foods, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, peas and lentils, with the addition of whole grains, as well as, if you want to eat them in moderation, meat and dairy If you do not want to consume animal products, then you need to include alternative sources of nutrients in your diet, including iodine, iron, calcium, vitamins B12 and D, and omegas. 3 fatty acids.»
The new study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, is based on a small study of 21 pairs of identical twins aged 39 years. One pair of twins in each group followed a vegan diet, while the other followed an omnivorous diet. By the end of the study, the researchers saw a decline in biological age estimates based on DNA methylation levels, a type of chemical modification of DNA that is used to estimate biological age.
Biological aging refers to the deterioration in the functioning of the body's tissues and cells, or in other words, how the body looks. This is in contrast to chronological age, which is determined by how old a person is.
Previous studies have shown that increased levels of DNA methylation are associated with aging.
The authors of the new study, Varun Dwarka of epigenetic testing company TruDiagnostic Inc and Christopher Gardner of Stanford University in California, and their colleagues also acknowledged that their findings have some limitations. They said it was unclear how much of the difference between the couples could be explained by differences in diet.
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