Excessive consumption of added sugar, found in sweets like doughnuts, can speed up the aging process of cells. (Image credit: LauriPatterson via Getty Images)
New research suggests that a diet rich in nutrients and low in added sugar may slow biological aging in women.
In a new study published Monday (July 29) in the journal JAMA Network Open, researchers found that middle-aged women who ate more foods rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants had “younger-looking” cells compared with those whose diets were less nutritious.
The researchers assessed the youth of the cells by analyzing chemical tags called methyl groups on the surface of DNA molecules. These tags alter the activity of certain genes without affecting the underlying DNA code, a process known as epigenetic modification. The structure of these methyl groups changes with age, which is thought to lead to accelerated aging of cells.
While nutrient-rich diets were linked to slower aging, added sugar appeared to weaken this effect.
In the study, women who consumed more added sugars showed signs of accelerated cellular aging compared with others, even if they ate a healthy diet, the researchers found. “Added sugars” refers to sugars that are added to foods during manufacturing, such as sweetened beverages and baked goods, as opposed to the natural sugars found in milk, fruits and vegetables.
The new study is one of the first to show a link between added sugar consumption and so-called epigenetic aging, the authors say. It is also the first to examine the link in middle-aged black and white women, they note. The participants' average age was 39.
“We knew that high levels of added sugar were associated with poor metabolism and early disease, perhaps more than any other aspect of diet,” said study co-author Elissa Epel, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.
“We now understand that accelerated epigenetic aging underlies this association, and this is likely one of many ways in which excessive sugar consumption limits healthy longevity,” she added.
Epel and her colleagues analyzed the food records of 342 women over three nonconsecutive days. The team then scored each participant’s diet based on how closely it matched various established diets. These include the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in plant foods, whole grains, and unsaturated fats and low in red meat, saturated fat, and sugars. Another similar diet, known as the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, specifically highlights foods and nutrients thought to reduce the risk of chronic disease.
The researchers also developed a new metric of nutrient intake called the Epigenetic Nutrient Index. It includes nutrients associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory processes in the body, as well as DNA maintenance and repair. For example, it covers vitamins A, C, B12, and E, as well as folate and magnesium.
In addition to analyzing the participants’ diets, the team assessed how much added sugar the women consumed — between 0.1 and 11 ounces (2.7 and 316 grams) of added sugar per day. The team calculated the participants’ epigenetic age by analyzing the DNA methylation of cells in their saliva samples.
These data revealed a link between diet and cellular aging, but they only represent a snapshot.
The results of the study support the idea that
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