A small study suggests people who follow a Mediterranean-style diet may have higher levels of two mitochondrial microproteins linked to healthy ageing. These molecules, called humanin and SHMOOSE, have been associated with cardiovascular and brain protection. The findings are interesting, but the study was observational and does not prove the diet directly caused the changes.
The Mediterranean diet has long been linked with lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and cognitive decline.
A new study suggests one reason may lie in the mitochondria.
Researchers found that older adults who followed a Mediterranean-style diet more closely had higher levels of two mitochondrial microproteins, humanin and SHMOOSE.
These molecules have attracted interest because they may help protect against oxidative stress, cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration.
People with higher adherence to the diet also had lower markers of oxidative stress.
Some foods seemed to matter more than others.
Olive oil, fish and legumes were linked with higher humanin levels.
Olive oil and lower intake of refined carbohydrates were linked with higher SHMOOSE levels.
That adds a possible new biological explanation for why the Mediterranean diet keeps showing up in healthy ageing research.
Still, this was a small observational study.
It cannot prove that the diet itself caused the higher microprotein levels.
It also cannot tell us whether changing diet will definitely raise these markers or reduce disease risk.
So the findings need to be kept in proportion.
This is not a breakthrough that changes dietary advice overnight.
What it does do is offer another plausible mechanism for a pattern we have seen for years.
People who eat in a more Mediterranean way tend to do better across a range of health outcomes.
This study suggests mitochondria may be part of that story.
Dining and Cooking