A randomised controlled trial published in the journal Aging in 2021 found that an 8-week dietary and lifestyle intervention reduced biological age as measured by the Horvath epigenetic clock by an average of 3.23 years compared to a control group, with no change in the control group. The intervention included a diet high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, with specific attention to DNA methylation-supporting nutrients including folate, vitamin B12, and polyphenols.
What Epigenetic Clocks Measure
Epigenetic clocks measure the pattern of DNA methylation at specific sites across the genome. This methylation pattern changes predictably with age and is used to calculate biological age, the functional age of cells and tissues that may differ from chronological age. Dietary habits, smoking, stress, sleep, and exercise all affect DNA methylation patterns. A whole food diet rich in methyl donors including folate, choline, betaine, and B12 supports the methylation patterns associated with younger biological age.
Inflammatory Marker Changes with Diet
CRP, interleukin-6, and TNF-alpha are the most consistently measured inflammatory markers in ageing research. All three are elevated in populations with high ultra-processed food consumption and low vegetable, fruit, and whole grain intake. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated that shifting to a Mediterranean dietary pattern for 8 to 12 weeks produces statistically significant reductions in all three markers. Inflammageing, the chronic low-grade inflammation that drives most age-related disease, is substantially diet-driven and substantially diet-responsive.