Effects of a Diet and Lifestyle Intervention on Biological Age, Implications for Mental Health

The regulation of the human genome by the epigenome is now regarded as a cornerstone, heritable, physiologic process, playing a key role in the phenotypic expression of health and disease. DNA methylation is a well-researched, primary epigenetic process that has been used to establish biological age assessments, namely DNA methylation “clocks,” which act as possible surrogate markers of age-related morbidity and mortality risk. The potential to slow biological age as measured by these clocks is just beginning to be explored. Yet emerging research suggests that it is possible to do just that. This has profound implications for the growing health-related economic and social challenges of our rapidly aging population. A 2021 Nature Aging paper states that a slowdown in aging that results in one year of increased lifespan would save 38 trillion dollars in health care spending, and deceleration by ten years would save 367 trillion dollars. Additionally, “biological embedding” is the description of the mechanism by which stress, PTSD, trauma, depression, and possibly addiction can be translated into epigenetic marks that influence gene expression in the individual and may be heritable. The outcome of biological embedding may increase vulnerability to the chronic diseases of aging as well as depression and other mental health concerns, including addiction. While more research is needed into how to identify and address biological embedded patterns, the concept may help explain familial patterns and treatment-resistant presentations.