Eating vegan for just 8 weeks can turn back your biological clock, according to research

Research shows that eating vegan for eight weeks can lower your biological age.

It was found that a short-term plant-based diet reduces chemical changes in DNA known as methylation, which are an indicator of a person’s “biological performance.”

As we age, the methylation process increases, subtly changing the expression of our genes. This is known as epigenetic modification.

By measuring the traces left by the body, a good estimate can be made of the natural deterioration of the body.

The American researchers put half of 21 identical twins, with an average age of 40, on a vegan diet for eight weeks.

DNA methylation tests show how much special molecules called methyl groups have attached to the DNA in your cells. These have been described as barnacles attaching to the hull of a ship and slowing it down

The other twin in each pair was allowed to eat their normal omnivorous diet, including at least 170 grams of meat, one egg, and one serving of dairy products per day.

Analyzing blood samples throughout the study, the authors observed a “significant” decrease in biological age in participants following a vegan diet.

They also noted a decrease in the ‘age’ of their heart, hormones, liver, and inflammatory and metabolic systems by measuring inflammation.

Writing in the diary BMC Medicine: ‘We saw significant changes using epigenetic age clocks in healthy monozygotic twins, suggesting that a low-calorie vegan diet has short-term beneficial effects on the aging process compared to an omnivorous diet.’

However, they pointed out that the benefits they noted may have been “mainly due to the greater weight loss in the vegan group” rather than any intrinsic quality of the plant-based diet itself.

The vegan group lost an average of 2 kg (4.5 lb) more than their meat-eating siblings.

Vegans who don’t take vitamin supplements may also develop vitamin B12 deficiency, the researchers said. This can lead to “dysfunctional methylation,” which can lead to heart disease and stroke in the long term.

They say more research is needed to assess the long-term benefits of a vegan diet.

The researchers work for TruDiagnostric, a company based in Lexington, Kentucky, that makes and sells DNA methylation test kits.

Epigenetics is a field that has been around for a long time. Dozens of companies produce their own saliva and blood clock tests.

However, questions have been raised about whether they can be used to recommend lifestyle changes, and they do not necessarily provide an accurate prediction of an individual’s lifespan.

The traditional view of aging is that it is caused by a slow buildup of damage at the cellular level. It is difficult to put a number on this.

DNA methylation testing simply shows how much special molecules called methyl groups have attached to the DNA in your cells.

They are described as barnacles that attach themselves to the hull of a ship and slow the ship down.

The first epigenetic tests took place after German geneticist Professor Steve Horvath developed an aging clock at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2011.

He measured specific epigenetic patterns associated with aging.

This allowed him to develop a model that could estimate a person’s biological age based solely on methylation levels.

In addition to a possible vitamin B12 deficiency, vegan foods pose other potential health risks.

Some experts warn that some vegan foods are still unhealthy and extremely processed, and in some cases may even be linked to an increased risk of heart disease.