A small study of 21 pairs of identical twins found that those following a vegan diet for 8 weeks showed decreased signs of aging in their DNA, measured by reduced DNA methylation levels associated with biological aging, compared to their omnivorous twins.
The omnivorous diet in the study included 170-225 grams of meat, one egg, and one and a half servings of dairy daily.
Observational studies show favorable effects of vegan diets on health in middle age but not in older individuals.
While the study reported decreased signs of DNA aging, the short follow-up time of two months cannot predict the potential long-term damage of extended veganism on the body.
The study was published in the latest issue of BMC Medicine journal.
Independent experts cautioned that cutting out animal products from the diet could lead to nutritional deficiencies in the long term, such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, omega-3, and potential muscle loss, low bone density, and neurological disorders, especially in older vegans, which could impact their quality of life.
Sources: Internewscast, Daily Mail, Scimex, Mirror, Newstalk
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
