A Vegan Diet May Have Genetic-Level Benefits for Aging
![Vegan Food Bowl](/sites/default/files/vegan-food-bowl.jpg)
Stanford researchers behind the Twin Study have used their data to compare the effects of a vegan diet and a omnivorous diet on aging in identical twins. After only eight weeks, twins assigned to follow the vegan diet showed significant changes in certain genetic markers that indicated slower biological aging than their omnivorous, genetically identical sibling.1 The vegan twins also ate fewer calories, lost weight, and improved their LDL cholesterol and fasting insulin levels.2
References
- Dwaraka VB, Aronica L, Carreras-Gallo N, et al. Unveiling the epigenetic impact of vegan vs. omnivorous diets on aging: insights from the Twins Nutrition Study (TwiNS). BMC Med. 2024;22(301). doi:10.1186/s12916-024-03513-w
- Landry MJ, Ward CP, Cunanan KM, et al. Cardiometabolic effects of omnivorous vs vegan diets in identical twins: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(11):e2344457. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.44457