Diets can significantly increase life expectancy

Research: Diet can extend life
Diets can slow down biological aging, as US researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia found out in an extensive work. In this case, the clock of the biological clock can be demonstrably slowed down. The researchers proved the success with the help of an evaluation of special changes in the genetic material. The findings were published in the scientific journal "Nature Communications".

As part of the studies, monkeys were dietally fed. The animals got the same food as before, but the amount was reduced. The researchers then used blood samples to examine how epigenetic changes in the genomes of the animals took place. It thereby small substances attached to the DNA and block the gene activity. The experimental animals on diet showed less epigenetic changes in old age. Because the more changes accumulate on the DNA, the less life expectancy.

A diet slows down the ticking of the lifetime clock. (Image: Syda Productions / fotolia.com)

"The researchers have found a biomarker for age in one of the closest human relatives," commented Oliver Hahn from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging in Cologne. "It is the first study that systematically deals with the question of how nutrition can influence the speed of aging in mice, monkeys and humans," explained Holger Bierhoff, head of the working group "Epigenetics of Aging" at the University of Jena.

It has been known for some time that so-called caloric restrictions lead to increased life expectancy. However, it should not be kept too much diet. It is important not to exceed a certain limit, as the researchers remind us. "There is more and more evidence that reducing calories in humans has a positive 'anti-aging' effect," says Bierhoff.

Eating less can protect against aging
In another study, scientists from Cologne and the UK have already found in mice that older animals have a certain epigenetic change in some genes: Such a so-called DNA methylation could be prevented when the mice consumed fewer calories: A 40 percent reduced food intake prolonged the lifetime by 30 percent. According to the researchers, episodes of epigenetics, which control the metabolism of lipids, are turned off when food intake is reduced.

This increased degradation of fats protects the body from age-related increased fat deposition in the liver and ultimately from the development of insulin resistance, a typical feature of diabetes. "Eating less can partially protect against aging-induced changes in the methylation pattern, while boosting fat metabolism. That seems to trigger beneficial changes in the body, "explains Oliver Hahn, Ph.D. student in the Partridge department at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging. Wolf Reik of the Babraham Institute adds: "The influence of the epigenome on lipid metabolism shows how important epigenetics is for the aging process."

Change of diet instead of permanent diet
To slow the ticking of the life clock, not necessarily permanent diet must be kept. For example, it would be sufficient to change the food composition. So it makes sense to reduce significantly less simple sugars, such as those contained in sweets, and instead to eat complex carbohydrates, as found in vegetables. Epigeneticist Steve Horvath of the University of California at Los Angeles generally advises more vegetables, fish and not too much alcohol. Effective is also short-term fasting, as Bierhoff advises. For short-term fasting you take 16 hours no food. "This has the same positive effect as long-term fasting," said Bierhoff. (Sb)