Mediterranean diet has helped "healthy aging"

Mediterranean diet has helped "healthy aging"
Mediterranean diet has helped "healthy aging"
Anonim

Scientists tested the impact of different dietary systems on the health of 612 elderly people aged 65 to 79 years living in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK. The health status of the participants was tested before the start of the experiment and immediately after the end. Of these, at first 28 people were described as weak, 151 - as being on the verge of a weakened state and 433 - as healthy enough. They were divided into two groups, and during the year one group (289 people) ate the usual way they were previously used to, and the second (323 people) ate a Mediterranean diet adapted for the elderly.

Previous research suggests that one of the causes of poor health in old age is related to inflammation in the gut. They develop against the background of a general decrease in body functions and disturbances in the balance of intestinal bacteria.

Restrictive diets and undernutrition - frequent companions of older people, especially those with underlying medical conditions or hospital care - reduce the diversity of the gut microbiome. This, in turn, allows the bacteria that cause inflammation to invade new territories and worsen the general condition of the person, accelerating the onset of weakness.

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest eating regimes available today. It includes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, olive oil and fish, and low in red meat and saturated fat. The diet may help maintain the gut microbiome, reducing the development of physical weakness and slowing cognitive decline in old age, scientists have suggested. The research article was published in the journal Gut.

Testing after a year of following the diet has shown that this diet does indeed increase the gut bacteria associated with "healthy" aging, while reducing bacteria that cause harmful inflammation. Compared to the control group, those who ate the Mediterranean type of diet showed a prevention of loss of bacterial diversity and an increase in the number of "good" bacteria.

These bacteria have previously been significantly associated with several indicators of decreased weakness, such as walking speed and grip strength, improved brain functions such as memory, and decreased production of potentially harmful inflammatory chemicals.

The relative numbers of bacteria that produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids have increased, and there are fewer bacteria involved in the production of certain bile acids, overproduction of which is associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer and insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and cell damage.

The bacteria that multiplied well under the conditions of the Mediterranean diet were characterized by scientists as "key" species - critical for a stable "intestinal ecosystem". In doing so, they effectively displaced those microbes that are associated with indicators of weakness.

The changes were largely due to an increase in dietary fiber and associated vitamins and minerals, in particular C, B6, B9, copper, potassium, iron, manganese and magnesium.

The results were independent of factors affecting the composition of the microbiome, such as age or a person's BMI. In addition, despite some differences between the participants at the time of the start of the experiment, depending on the region from which they were, the response to the Mediterranean diet after 12 months was the same and consistent for all.

Despite the clear benefits of the Mediterranean diet for the elderly, it is necessary to individually approach the appointment of the diet. Such a diet may be contraindicated or need modification for various diseases, including allergies or diseases of the digestive system, as well as for problems with chewing food or swallowing. In addition, more research is needed to better understand the interactions between the microbiome, host, and diet.

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