Health
Carbohydrates and fiber linked to healthier aging in some groups, study finds
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Carbohydrates may have gotten a bad rap, but a new study from Tufts University finds that some are better than others — and that older women in particular could reap the benefits.
The research, which was recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that daily consumption of fiber and “high-quality” carbs in midlife can contribute to healthier aging and overall better wellness among older females.
The researchers defined “healthy aging” as “the absence of 11 major chronic diseases, lack of cognitive and physical function impairments, and having good mental health.”
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The study was led by researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“The main takeaway of the study is that consuming dietary fiber and high-quality carbohydrates — those from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is associated with positive health status in older adulthood,” lead author Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist at HNRCA, told Fox News Digital.
Daily consumption of fiber and high-quality carbs in midlife can contribute to healthier aging and overall better wellness among older females. (iStock)
“This includes the absence of chronic diseases and good physical and cognitive function.”
The researchers collected data from the Nurses’ Health Study, in which 47,000 women reported their dietary habits and health outcomes between 1984 and 2016, according to a Tufts press release.
The women ranged in age from 70 to 93 by the end of the study period.
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The researchers looked at the women’s consumption of dietary fiber, total carbohydrates, refined carbohydrates, high-quality (unrefined) carbohydrates, and carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
They also analyzed glycemic index (each food’s score indicating how much it raises blood sugar) and glycemic load, which also takes into account portion size to provide a more accurate measure of each food’s impact on blood sugar.
“It’s not just about ‘carbs versus fats versus protein’ — it’s about what kind of carbs you’re eating.”
Women who consumed higher amounts of total carbohydrates; high-quality carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes; and total dietary fiber in midlife were 6% to 37% more likely to have healthy aging and to score higher in several areas of mental and physical wellness, the study found.
Conversely, consuming refined carbohydrates — which come from added sugars, refined grains and potatoes — and starchy vegetables resulted in a 13% reduced chance of healthy aging.
Quality over quantity
“This study reinforces something many of us intuitively feel: quality matters,” noted Melanie Avalon, a health influencer, entrepreneur and biohacker based in Atlanta, Georgia.
“It’s not just about ‘carbs versus fats versus protein’ — it’s about the kind of carbs you’re eating.”
The researchers looked at the women’s consumption of dietary fiber, total carbohydrates, refined carbohydrates, high-quality (unrefined) carbohydrates, and carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. (iStock)
Avalon, who was not involved in the research, discussed some of the more notable findings with Fox News Digital.
“Perhaps most surprising was the finding that replacing just 5% of calories from carbohydrates with protein (from either plant or animal sources) was associated with lower odds of healthy aging by 7% to 37%,” she said.
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Avalon also noted that when carbohydrates were segmented by type — processed versus unprocessed — the associations with healthy aging were independent of BMI (body mass index), a metric typically closely linked to metabolic health.
“This suggests the effects of carbohydrate quality on healthy aging were not solely explained by weight-loss effects,” she said.
Based on the study findings, experts recommend focusing on whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. (iStock)
The study also briefly touched on the controversial topic of seed oils.
“It found that higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) — which are commonly found in seed oils — was linked to decreased odds of healthy aging, adding nuance to the ongoing debate,” Avalon added.
Based on the study findings, the biohacker recommends favoring whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
“Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for produce and whole grains, as well as the freezer aisles for frozen fruit and vegetables,” she suggested. “Consider dipping into the aisles only for pantry staples like canned legumes.”
For those who tolerate grains, people can reap the benefits of foods like quinoa, brown rice, oats and whole wheat products, Avalon noted.
“Prioritize fiber-rich foods and minimize refined carbohydrates like white bread, sugary beverages and ultraprocessed snacks,” an expert advised. (iStock)
“Prioritize fiber-rich foods and minimize refined carbohydrates like white bread, sugary beverages and ultraprocessed snacks.”
“These shifts can meaningfully support healthy aging and reduce the risk of chronic disease.”
Limitations and future research
One chief limitation of the study is that the participants were mainly white female healthcare workers.
“Because of the observational nature of the study, we cannot rule out confounding by other variables,” Korat said. “We would have liked to have data on men to evaluate the associations in this group.”
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The researchers called for more diverse studies that look closer at how dietary fiber and high-quality carbs contribute to healthy aging.
“We hope our findings help inform consumers about the importance of healthy diets in the promotion of healthy aging,” Korat added.
“Personalized nutrition, grounded in both science and self-awareness, may be key to thriving across the decades.”
“The more we can understand about healthy aging, the more science can help people live healthier for longer.”
Avalon added that while diet is “foundational,” it’s just one piece of the “healthy aging puzzle.”
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“Exercise, sleep, stress management and social connection all play a role,” she said.
“Ultimately, personalized nutrition, grounded in both science and self-awareness, may be key to thriving across the decades.”
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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A drug that has long been used to treat seizures has shown promise as a potential means of Alzheimer’s prevention, a new study suggests.
The anti-seizure medication, levetiracetam, was first approved by the FDA in November 1999 under the brand name Keppra as a therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults. The approval has since expanded to include children and other types of seizures.
Northwestern University researchers recently found that levetiracetam prevented the formation of toxic amyloid beta peptides, which are small protein fragments in the brain that are commonly seen in Alzheimer’s patients.
The medication was found to prevent the formation of amyloid-beta 42 in both animal models and cultured human neurons, according to the study findings, which were published in Science Translational Medicine.
The effect was also seen in post-mortem human brain tissue obtained from individuals with Down syndrome, who are at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
The medication was found to prevent the formation of amyloid-beta 42 in both animal models and cultured human neurons. (iStock)
“While many of the Alzheimer’s drugs currently on the market, such as lecanemab and donanemab, are approved to clear existing amyloid plaques, we’ve identified this mechanism that prevents the production of the amyloid‑beta 42 peptides and amyloid plaques,” said corresponding author Jeffrey Savas, associate professor of behavioral neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in a press release.
“Our new results uncovered new biology while also opening doors for new drug targets.”
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The brain is better able to avoid the pathway that produces toxic amyloid‑beta 42 proteins in younger years, but the aging process gradually weakens that ability, Savas noted.
“This is not a statement of disease; this is just a part of aging. But in brains developing Alzheimer’s, too many neurons go astray, and that’s when you get amyloid-beta 42 production,” he said.
The effect was also seen in post-mortem human brain tissue obtained from individuals with Down syndrome, who are at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease. (iStock)
That then leads to tau (“tangles”) — abnormal clumps of protein inside brain neurons — which can kill brain cells, trigger neuroinflammation and lead to dementia.
In order for levetiracetam to function as an Alzheimer’s blocker, high-risk patients would have to start taking it “very, very early,” Savas said — up to 20 years before elevated amyloid-beta 42 levels would be detected.
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“You couldn’t take this when you already have dementia, because the brain has already undergone a number of irreversible changes and a lot of cell death,” the researcher noted.
The researchers also did a deep dive into previous human clinical data to determine whether Alzheimer’s patients who were taking the anti-seizure drug had slower cognitive decline. They reported that the patients in that category had a “significant delay” in the span from cognitive decline to death compared to those not taking the drug.
“This analysis supports the positive effect of levetiracetam to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s pathology,” the researcher said. (iStock)
“Although the magnitude of change was small (on the scale of a few years), this analysis supports the positive effect of levetiracetam to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s pathology,” Savas said.
Looking ahead, the research team aims to find people who have genetic forms of Alzheimer’s to participate in testing, Savas said.
Limitations and caveats
The study had several limitations, including that it relied on animal models and cultured cells, with no human trials conducted.
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Because the study was observational in nature, it can’t prove that the medication caused the prevention of the toxic brain proteins, the researchers acknowledged.
Savas noted that levetiracetam “is not perfect,” cautioning that it breaks down in the body very quickly.
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The team is currently working to create a “better version” that would last longer in the body and “better target the mechanism that prevents the production of the plaques.”
“You couldn’t take this when you already have dementia, because the brain has already undergone a number of irreversible changes and a lot of cell death.”
The medication’s common documented side effects include drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, irritability, headache, loss of appetite and nasal congestion.
It has also been linked to potential mood and behavior changes, including anxiety, depression, agitation and aggression, according to the prescribing information. In rare cases, it could lead to severe allergic reactions, skin reactions, blood disorders and suicidal ideation.
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Funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund.
Fox News Digital reached out to the drug manufacturer and the researchers for comment.
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