Biological aging markers are feasible in a pilot diet trial
In a four-week trial of 34 adults with metabolic syndrome, diet adherence exceeded 95 percent and participants showed no significant changes in epigenetic aging.
34 adults, non-randomized trial, controlled, sample size calculated, registered NCT04361617
Limit: Dietary adherence relied on self-reported diaries rather than objective intake biomarkers
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In a pilot trial, 34 adults aged 48 to 81 years (59% female) with metabolic syndrome consumed one ounce of tree nuts and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil daily for four weeks. Researchers randomized participants to receive education about epigenetic aging or no such education. They tested the feasibility of tracking blood-based aging measures derived from chemical tags on DNA.
Adherence exceeded 95%, and 33 participants completed the study. At baseline, all participants had a faster-than-average pace of biological aging as estimated by DunedinPACE, a blood-based measure. After four weeks, researchers found no statistically significant changes in epigenetic aging measures. Most participants reported willingness to join a similar three- to four-year trial. Among respondents to the exit questionnaire in the education group, 77% said they “very much” wanted to know their biological age.
Why it matters
Adults with metabolic syndrome face higher risks of age-related cardiometabolic diseases and accelerated biological aging. Testing the feasibility of biological age tracking helps researchers design longer studies to evaluate whether specific diets can slow the rate of aging.
Caveats
This pilot study lacked an untreated control group, lasted only four weeks, and was not powered to detect intervention effects. It also enrolled just 34 participants and excluded people with insulin-dependent diabetes or a body mass index above 40.
From the paper
- Participants
Of 54 individuals who attended in-person screening, 53 provided informed consent, and 34 (63%) met eligibility criteria for metabolic syndrome and were enrolled.
Results, Participant enrollment and baseline characteristics
- Who took part
Eligible participants were ≥ 35 years of age and met criteria for metabolic syndrome, defined as the presence of at least three of the following: waist circumference > 102 cm in men or > 88 cm in women; triglycerides > 150 mg/dL or treatment for hypertriglyceridemia; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol < 40 mg/dL in men or < 50 mg/dL in women or treatment for reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; systolic blood pressure > 130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure > 85 mm Hg or antihypertensive treatment; fasting glucose > 100 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c > 5.6% or use of oral hypoglycemic medications …
- Ages
Participants ranged in age from 48 to 81 years [mean ± standard deviation (SD): 68 ± 9 years] and were randomized to either an epigenetic aging education arm or an active comparator arm.
Results, Participant enrollment and baseline characteristics
- Sex
The majority of participants were female (59%), White (56%), and non-Hispanic (100%).
Results, Participant enrollment and baseline characteristics
- Duration
Participants meeting eligibility criteria were enrolled in a 4-week dietary intervention involving daily supplementation with tree nuts and extra virgin olive oil.
- Epigenetic aging
On average, both DunedinPACE and AgeAccelGrim values decreased modestly from baseline to the end of the 4-week intervention; however, these changes were not statistically significant.
Results, Exploratory changes in epigenetic aging and metabolic measures
- DunedinPACE
At baseline, participants exhibited advanced biological aging as measured by DunedinPACE, an estimate of the pace of aging.
Quoted word for word from the full text on PubMed Central.
- Tree nuts + extra virgin olive oil
- DNA methylation
- Epigenetic regulation of gene expression
- Metabolic syndrome
- Epigenetic aging
- Humans
The paper
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
GeroScience, Jul 29, 2026, Open access