May 20, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 4, on April 17, 2025, titled “Dietary associations with reduced epigenetic age: a secondary data analysis of the methylation diet and lifestyle study.”
In this study, researchers led by first author Jamie L. Villanueva from the University of Washington and the National University of Natural Medicine, along with corresponding author Ryan Bradley from the National University of Natural Medicine and University of California, investigated how diet influences epigenetic aging. They found that certain plant-based foods containing natural compounds called methyl adaptogens were associated with a decrease in epigenetic age. This effect was measured using DNA methylation, a marker that reflects how the body ages at the cellular level. The findings suggest that targeted food choices may help slow the aging process.
Read the full article:
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1084488
Open Access Paper:
Dietary associations with reduced epigenetic age: a secondary data analysis of the methylation diet and lifestyle study
The omnivorous but plant-centered diet regimen was formulated to include foods containing vitamins and polyphenolic compounds, shown in preclinical studies, that act as cofactors or substrates in DNA methylation pathways [14–18]. Participants were also instructed to avoid added sugar, trans-fats, grains, legumes, dairy, and alcohol. At the end of the trial, the intervention group was, on average, 2.04 years younger than their baseline epigenetic age (p = 0.043). The control group was, on average, 1.10 years older than their baseline measurements (p = 0.191), leading to a between-group difference of 3.14 years (p = 0.018) favoring the intervention [13].