Does Plant Protein Slow Your Aging? | 69 - Longevity This Week #12
We recently came across a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition that examined between the relationship between plant and animal protein intake and measures of biological aging. The study, which uses data from the UK Biobank, a long-term database of biological data from half a million participants in the United Kingdom, found that a higher plant protein intake inversely correlates with biological aging. Matt takes us through the study and gives us his take on the results and potential reasons behind them as well as on the validity of the biological age measures used, the complexities of nutrition research, and core principles of healthy eating.
Check out the links below for further information and/or reading about some of the things we discussed in this podcast episode. Note that we do not necessarily endorse or agree with the content of these readings, but present them as supplementary material that may deepen your understanding of the topic after you listen to our podcast. This list is in no way exhaustive, but it’s a good start!
Association between plant and animal protein and biological aging: findings from the UK Biobank
This is the paper Matt discusses in the episode. Using data from nearly 80,000 UK Biobank participants, researchers investigated the relationship between plant and animal protein intake and various biological aging measurements: higher Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age (HKDM-BA), higher PhenoAge (HPA), higher allostatic load (HAL), and longer telomere length. They found an inverse association between plant protein and biological age.
The UK Biobank is a globally accessible database of genetic and health data from half a million participants in the United Kingdom. Between the years 2006 and 2010, participants aged 40 to 69 provided biological samples such as blood, urine, and saliva and completed questionnaires about their lifestyles. Researchers then conducted long-term follow-ups of participants' health through their medical records.
A new approach to the concept and computation of biological age
Matt references this 2006 paper in the podcast, noting that the following quote remains true today: "The lack of exact definition of the concept of biological age (BA) is a typical feature of works concerning [biological age]. That is why comparison of results of various published methods makes little sense and eventual proof of their optimality is impossible." In the podcast, Matt notes that biological age continues to mean different things in different papers, creating confusion and noise in the field.
In this study, researchers found an inverse association and a positive association with mortality in plant and animal protein intake respectively. The association between animal protein intake and mortality was weak, however, and both associations disappeared among participants without unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking, high alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity.
Plant Protein and Animal Proteins: Do They Differentially Affect Cardiovascular Disease Risk?
This review emphasizes the inconclusive and nuanced nature of the evidence around the effects of plant and animal protein, and notes the challenges of distinguishing the individual impacts of specific proteins.
