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Gut Health Boost: Mediterranean Diet Can Make Your Gut Younger and Aid Brain Health in One Year, Study Reveals

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • A European study found that elderly individuals (65+) who followed a Mediterranean diet for one year showed changes in their gut microbiota, leading to positive health signals.
  • These positive signals included a lower risk of frailty and inflammation, along with improved cognitive function and health aging indicators.
  • The Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and fish, helps promote beneficial gut bacteria that support gut barrier stability, anti-inflammation, and brain health.

Adopting a Mediterranean diet for a year can significantly alter the gut microbiota in individuals over 65, potentially improving cognitive function and promoting healthier aging, according to a large European study. The research, part of the NU-AGE project, involved 612 participants aged 65 and older from five European countries: the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Poland.

The gut microbiota of older adults changes as they age.

— Lao GuNutritionist Lao Gu explained the natural changes in the gut microbiome with age.

Researchers observed that participants who consistently followed the Mediterranean diet experienced changes in their gut microbial composition. Specifically, certain beneficial bacteria increased, correlating with several positive health markers. These included reduced inflammation, a lower risk of frailty, and better cognitive performance.

European large-scale research found that elderly people over 65 who follow a Mediterranean diet for a year will have their gut microbiota changed, and certain bacteria will significantly increase, bringing positive signals for health.

— Lao GuNutritionist Lao Gu summarized the findings of the European study on the Mediterranean diet and gut health in the elderly.

The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, olive oil, and fish, while limiting red meat and saturated fats. The study found a direct relationship between adherence to this diet and the increase of specific gut bacteria. These bacteria play crucial roles in producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate.

The more compliant the Mediterranean diet, the more certain bacteria in the subjects' intestines will significantly increase; and these bacteria are related to many health signals, including lower risk of frailty and inflammation, as well as better cognitive function and health aging indicators.

— Lao GuNutritionist Lao Gu detailed the specific health benefits linked to increased gut bacteria from the Mediterranean diet.

These SCFAs are vital for maintaining gut barrier integrity, regulating the immune system, and supporting overall metabolic and brain health. Furthermore, the diet helped inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and reduce the production of metabolites linked to gut imbalance, offering enhanced protection for health. The study suggests that maintaining a stable core gut microbiota is a key factor in healthy aging, and the Mediterranean diet is a powerful tool to achieve this.

Maintaining the stability of the core gut bacteria may be one of the important keys to healthy aging.

— Lao GuNutritionist Lao Gu highlighted the significance of gut bacteria stability for healthy aging.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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