Glossary:
Apoptosis: the death of cells which occurs as a normal and controlled part of an organism’s growth or development. Also called programmed cell death.
Senescence: the state that cells reach when they stop dividing but do not die.
Telomeres: bits of DNA at the end of a chromosome that protects it during the process of cell division.
Telomerase: an enzyme, often referred to as “anti-aging” that maintains telomeres, helping to keep them long.
Telomeres shorten with age and progressive telomere shortening leads to senescence and/or apoptosis. Older people with shorter telomeres have three to eight times increased risk to die from heart disease and infectious diseases, respectively. Rate of telomere shortening is therefore critical to an individual’s health and pace of aging. Smoking, exposure to pollution, lack of physical activity, obesity, stress, and an unhealthy diet increase oxidative burden and rate of telomere shortening. To preserve telomeres and reduce cancer risk and pace of aging, we may consider to eat less; include antioxidants, fiber, soy protein, and healthy fats (derived from avocados, fish, and nuts) in our diet; and stay lean, active, healthy, and stress-free from regular exercise and meditation.
Healthy foods such as tuna, salmon, herring, mackerel, halibut, anchovies, catfish, grouper, flounder flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, kiwi, black raspberries, lingonberries, green tea, broccoli, red grapes, tomatoes, olives area excellent choices. These combined with a Mediterranean type of diet containing whole grains would help protect telomeres.
Source: Telomeres, lifestyle, cancer, and aging
Current Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2011 Janurary; 14(1):28-34
A study published in 2018 looked at fiber intake and telomere length in over 5,000 U.S. adults.
Researchers found there was a significant linear relationship between fiber consumption and telomere length. The more fiber subjects consumed, the longer their telomeres tended to be.
Here’s what the authors found:
“A difference of 4.8 to 6.0 years in cell aging was found between those in the lowest compared with the highest quartiles of fiber intake. Overall, the present study highlights the risk of accelerated aging among U.S. women and men who do not consume adequate amounts of dietary fiber.”
The study reported subjects were eating an average of 13.6 grams of fiber per day before starting the study, which is less than 50% of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends the intake of 14 g of fiber per 1000 calories.
- 2000 calories per day = 28 grams of fiber
- 2500 calories per day = 35 grams of fiber
The best part is some of the most healthy and delicious foods pack the fiber.
It seems a few servings of high fiber foods per day keeps the telomere shortening at bay.
Source: Dietary Fiber and Telomere Length in 5674 U.S. Adults: An NHANES Study of Biological AgingDietary Fiber and Telomere Length in 5674 U.S. Adults: An NHANES Study of Biological Aging
FOOD, FACTS and FADS 