Does Sugar Accelerate Aging?
New research results point in this direction and prove the negative impact of sugar
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We all know that too much sugar isn't good for your waistline. But what if he also the aging process Our body speeds up? The latest research shows how our diet, in particular our sugar consumption, can influence so-called “epigenetic aging.” This type of aging is about more than wrinkles and gray hair—it's about how quickly our cells age on a molecular level.
What is epigenetic aging?
Epigenetic aging refers to changes that occur in our cells over time and affect the way our genes are read. You can think of DNA like a book: While the text (the genetic code) remains the same, the way it is read and interpreted can change due to various factors, including environment, lifestyle, and especially diet. One important process is DNA methylation, which is the process of attaching chemical tags to DNA that affect the activity of genes without changing the underlying genetic code. Over time, these changes can accelerate cell aging.
What is the role of sugar in aging?
A new study has shown a clear link between sugar consumption and accelerated epigenetic aging. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, studied a group of women to find out how their diet affected their biological age. The result was astonishing: women who ate larger amounts of added sugar had a higher biological age than women who ate healthier.
Dr. Dorothy Chiu, one of the lead researchers, explained: “Our results show that even moderate sugar consumption can have a significant effect on cell aging, regardless of other healthy eating habits.
Who was tested?
The study looked at a group of middle-aged women aged between 40 and 50 with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in the United States. This heterogeneous group enabled researchers to study how diet and sugar consumption affect epigenetic aging in different population groups.
Participants were asked to provide detailed information about their diet, including their intake of added sugars. The researchers then analyzed their DNA to biological age with the help of a sophisticated instrument, the Grimage2 clock. This watch is a second-generation epigenetic aging marker that allows a particularly accurate prediction of mortality and disease risk.
What did the researchers find?
The study showed that women who ate more added sugar had a higher epigenetic age than women who ate healthier diets. In particular, a diet high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and other nutrient-rich foods was associated with a younger biological age. Even more interestingly, the harmful effects of sugar were observed even when the rest of the diet was generally healthy.
Even in a healthy diet, sugar is an important factor that accelerates the aging process at cell level.
So even if there are lots of vegetables and whole grains on the menu, the daily sugary snack or drink cannot compensate for this and make you age faster than you think.
How diet affects ageing in the wider sense
The study was not limited to sugar, but also examined how overall diet quality affects epigenetic aging. It is not surprising that healthier dietary patterns such as mediterranean food, which is rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts and olive oil, is associated with slower epigenetic aging. This diet is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help protect cells from aging damage.
Dr. Barbara Laraia, another key figure in the study, emphasized that “the Mediterranean diet, with its focus on plant-based foods and healthy fats, has been shown to slow cell aging and improve overall health.”
Risk of hidden sugar
One of the study's most disturbing findings is how easy it is to overlook the sugar content in our diet. Added sugar is everywhere — in soft drinks, snacks, and even in seemingly healthy foods such as yogurt, granola or granola bars. The study highlights the need to raise awareness of hidden sugar and its long-term effects on our health.
“People may not even be aware of how much sugar they consume on a daily basis,” says Dr. Laraia. “This study suggests that even small amounts of added sugar can help accelerate cell aging.
What conclusions can we draw from this?
If we want to slow down the aging process, it is not only important to eat healthily, but also to pay attention to our sugar consumption. Even if you eat healthily in general, restricting your sugar intake could be one of the most effective ways to keep your cells—and your body—young for longer.
Dr. Chiu summarizes: “These research results underline the importance of nutrition for the aging process and in particular the need to reduce sugar consumption. It is not just about controlling weight, but also about maintaining youth at a cellular level.
References
Chiu DT, Hamlat EJ, Zhang J, Epel ES, Laraia BA. Essential Nutrients, Added Sugar Intake, and Epigenetic Age in Midlife Black and White Women: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program. JAMA Netw Open. 2024; 7 (7) :e2422749. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22749
Publiziert
15.10.2024
Kategorie
Health
Experte
Scientific Terms
Genetics
Science of heredity and genetic variation.
DNA
Abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that encodes the information that a cell needs to function or a virus needs to replicate. Forms a double helix that resembles a twisted ladder, similar to a zipper. The bases, abbreviated as A, C, T, and G, are on either side of the ladder or strand that run in opposite directions. The bases exert an attraction on each other so that A sticks to T and C to G. The sequence of these letters is known as the genetic code.
DNA Methylation Clock
Changes in the number and locations of DNA methylation marks on DNA can be used to predict lifespan and mark the time from birth. When an organism is epigenomically reprogrammed or cloned, the methyl labels are removed, reversing the age of the cell.
Biological Age
Biological age is the age of cells in the body, which is determined by various properties and biomarkers that correlate with aging and decay in research.
Epigenetics
From ancient Greek π epi 'to, moreover, 'and genetics
Refers to changes in a cell's gene expression that do not involve a change in the DNA code. Instead, the DNA and histones around which the DNA is wrapped are “marked” with removable chemical signals (see demethylation and deacetylation). Epigenetic tags tell other proteins where and when to read the DNA. This is comparable to a post-it on a book page that says “Skip.” A reader will ignore the page, but the book itself hasn't been changed.
Gene
A section of DNA that encodes the information needed to make a protein. Each gene is a set of instructions for making a specific molecular machine that helps a cell, an organism, or a virus to function.
Cell
The basic unit of life. The number of cells in a living organism ranges from one (e.g. in yeast) to quadrillion (e.g. in a blue whale). A cell consists of four important macromolecules that enable it to function: proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Cells can build and break down molecules, move, grow, divide and die, among other things.
We all know that too much sugar isn't good for your waistline. But what if he also the aging process Our body speeds up? The latest research shows how our diet, in particular our sugar consumption, can influence so-called “epigenetic aging.” This type of aging is about more than wrinkles and gray hair—it's about how quickly our cells age on a molecular level.
What is epigenetic aging?
Epigenetic aging refers to changes that occur in our cells over time and affect the way our genes are read. You can think of DNA like a book: While the text (the genetic code) remains the same, the way it is read and interpreted can change due to various factors, including environment, lifestyle, and especially diet. One important process is DNA methylation, which is the process of attaching chemical tags to DNA that affect the activity of genes without changing the underlying genetic code. Over time, these changes can accelerate cell aging.
What is the role of sugar in aging?
A new study has shown a clear link between sugar consumption and accelerated epigenetic aging. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, studied a group of women to find out how their diet affected their biological age. The result was astonishing: women who ate larger amounts of added sugar had a higher biological age than women who ate healthier.
Dr. Dorothy Chiu, one of the lead researchers, explained: “Our results show that even moderate sugar consumption can have a significant effect on cell aging, regardless of other healthy eating habits.
Who was tested?
The study looked at a group of middle-aged women aged between 40 and 50 with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in the United States. This heterogeneous group enabled researchers to study how diet and sugar consumption affect epigenetic aging in different population groups.
Participants were asked to provide detailed information about their diet, including their intake of added sugars. The researchers then analyzed their DNA to biological age with the help of a sophisticated instrument, the Grimage2 clock. This watch is a second-generation epigenetic aging marker that allows a particularly accurate prediction of mortality and disease risk.
What did the researchers find?
The study showed that women who ate more added sugar had a higher epigenetic age than women who ate healthier diets. In particular, a diet high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and other nutrient-rich foods was associated with a younger biological age. Even more interestingly, the harmful effects of sugar were observed even when the rest of the diet was generally healthy.
Even in a healthy diet, sugar is an important factor that accelerates the aging process at cell level.
So even if there are lots of vegetables and whole grains on the menu, the daily sugary snack or drink cannot compensate for this and make you age faster than you think.
How diet affects ageing in the wider sense
The study was not limited to sugar, but also examined how overall diet quality affects epigenetic aging. It is not surprising that healthier dietary patterns such as mediterranean food, which is rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts and olive oil, is associated with slower epigenetic aging. This diet is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help protect cells from aging damage.
Dr. Barbara Laraia, another key figure in the study, emphasized that “the Mediterranean diet, with its focus on plant-based foods and healthy fats, has been shown to slow cell aging and improve overall health.”
Risk of hidden sugar
One of the study's most disturbing findings is how easy it is to overlook the sugar content in our diet. Added sugar is everywhere — in soft drinks, snacks, and even in seemingly healthy foods such as yogurt, granola or granola bars. The study highlights the need to raise awareness of hidden sugar and its long-term effects on our health.
“People may not even be aware of how much sugar they consume on a daily basis,” says Dr. Laraia. “This study suggests that even small amounts of added sugar can help accelerate cell aging.
What conclusions can we draw from this?
If we want to slow down the aging process, it is not only important to eat healthily, but also to pay attention to our sugar consumption. Even if you eat healthily in general, restricting your sugar intake could be one of the most effective ways to keep your cells—and your body—young for longer.
Dr. Chiu summarizes: “These research results underline the importance of nutrition for the aging process and in particular the need to reduce sugar consumption. It is not just about controlling weight, but also about maintaining youth at a cellular level.
Experte
Referenzen
Chiu DT, Hamlat EJ, Zhang J, Epel ES, Laraia BA. Essential Nutrients, Added Sugar Intake, and Epigenetic Age in Midlife Black and White Women: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program. JAMA Netw Open. 2024; 7 (7) :e2422749. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22749
Publiziert
15.10.2024
Kategorie
Health
Wissenschaftliche Begriffe
Genetics
Science of heredity and genetic variation.
DNA
Abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that encodes the information that a cell needs to function or a virus needs to replicate. Forms a double helix that resembles a twisted ladder, similar to a zipper. The bases, abbreviated as A, C, T, and G, are on either side of the ladder or strand that run in opposite directions. The bases exert an attraction on each other so that A sticks to T and C to G. The sequence of these letters is known as the genetic code.
DNA Methylation Clock
Changes in the number and locations of DNA methylation marks on DNA can be used to predict lifespan and mark the time from birth. When an organism is epigenomically reprogrammed or cloned, the methyl labels are removed, reversing the age of the cell.
Biological Age
Biological age is the age of cells in the body, which is determined by various properties and biomarkers that correlate with aging and decay in research.
Epigenetics
From ancient Greek π epi 'to, moreover, 'and genetics
Refers to changes in a cell's gene expression that do not involve a change in the DNA code. Instead, the DNA and histones around which the DNA is wrapped are “marked” with removable chemical signals (see demethylation and deacetylation). Epigenetic tags tell other proteins where and when to read the DNA. This is comparable to a post-it on a book page that says “Skip.” A reader will ignore the page, but the book itself hasn't been changed.
Gene
A section of DNA that encodes the information needed to make a protein. Each gene is a set of instructions for making a specific molecular machine that helps a cell, an organism, or a virus to function.
Cell
The basic unit of life. The number of cells in a living organism ranges from one (e.g. in yeast) to quadrillion (e.g. in a blue whale). A cell consists of four important macromolecules that enable it to function: proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Cells can build and break down molecules, move, grow, divide and die, among other things.
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