Scientists simply link underrated nutrients to healthier aging

Reviewed by dietitian Annie Nguyen

• A new study shows that a moderate amount of zinc can help slow aging.

• The researchers found that increasing exercise can enhance the effects of zinc.

• It is worth noting that too much zinc can increase the speed of aging.

Many of us are always looking for ways to slow or reverse aging, and one thing that makes us age faster is inflammation. For example, we previously reported in our study that an anti-inflammatory diet may reduce the risk of cognitive impairment (brain aging), a 21% reduction. Another study shows that eating more foods rich in antioxidants (anti-inflammatory) may help you live longer with a longer quality of life.

One of these anti-inflammatory nutrients is zinc, an essential trace mineral that you must get from food or supplements because the body does not make it on its own. Although you don’t need a lot of zinc every day, this antioxidant mineral plays a major role in supporting DNA, wound healing, and immunity, which can all affect aging.

Scientists hop on the anti-aging trend not only to prevent it, but to measure it. Tools that use algorithms to determine the biological age of people are now available and are often used in research. Biological age is defined as a decline in biological function age-dependent age, characterized by the fact that 12 biomarkers belong to three categories and can be measured by blood operations.

So, while the age in chronological order is the age you have from birth to now, biological age is the speed at which your body ages. For example, a 48-year-old woman's biological aging may keep pace with her age, or be slower or faster than the average 48-year-old woman.

Researchers from China want to learn more about the role of zinc in biological aging and how exercise can change the impact of zinc on aging. They recently published their findings in magazines Clinical Nutrition. Let's break them down.

Related: What is zinc and why do you need it? This is what the nutritionist said

How was this study conducted?

The data were obtained from the UK biobank, a long-term study that contains information about medical and lifestyles for 500,000 UK residents. In this current study, the researchers learned data from nearly 69,000 people who met their criteria, including having enough diet, physical activity and biomarkers to calculate biological age.

Participants were divided into two groups: one without zinc intake, one of which. The group without zinc included over 35,000 people with an average age of 56 years; 46% for women. The zinc group included more than 33,000 people with an average age of 56 years; approximately 65% ​​of women.

Zinc intake was calculated based on participants’ food records and responses to supplement questions. Participants’ zinc intake was compared with male participants’ daily recommended intake of 11 mg per day, while female participants had at least 8 mg per day, and over 40 mg per day. For both men and women, over 40 mg/day is considered a zinc overdose.

Exercise volume was calculated based on standard questionnaires about physical activity and converted into metabolic equivalent tasks (MET). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that at least 600 METs per week, which is equivalent to at least 75 minutes of intense physical exercise per week or moderate physical exercise per week.

Bioaging was calculated using the Enabl Age tool, which is the latest estimation tool that separates healthy aging from unhealthy aging, and predicts mortality marked by 5- and 10-year mortality, according to these researchers.

Confounding factors affecting biological aging and will be adjusted during the statistical analysis, including gender, race group, BMI, family income, sleep disorders, smoking status, alcohol intake and cancer diagnosis history.

What does this study show?

Overall, this study showed that participants with delayed biosenescence had higher daily zinc intake than those with accelerated aging. Specifically, the average delay for those who get the recommended zinc amount per day is 0.11 years.

But, like most things, it is not necessarily better, as those showing a nearly 7-year acceleration of bioaging intake in 40 mg/day.

Analysis, including exercise, showed that compared with participants with recommended zinc intake dose plus recommended physical activity, 31% fewer participants compared with participants with insufficient zinc intake and insufficient physical activity.

Some limitations of this study include a narrow population, as the UK biobank consists primarily of white people of European descent. The nature of this observational study cannot be concluded. In other words, researchers can't say that zinc causes slower aging, it's just that it's related. Furthermore, diet and physical exercise information is self-reported, which always leaves room for errors and biases.

Related: 7 drugs that are not well mixed with coffee.

What does this have to do with real life?

These researchers believe that insufficient zinc intake affects about 17% of people worldwide, so they declare that zinc supplements may be useful for some people. However, this also arouses caution, as too much zinc can accelerate aging.

The researchers are not sure why zinc appears to age slowly, but they know that zinc affects age-related processes, including DNA synthesis, protein metabolism, cell proliferation (making new cells) and mitosis (cell replication). Zinc is also associated with bone health, immune support, health hormones and prevention of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. It also reduces inflammation like an antioxidant, the researchers added. Less inflammation means slower aging.

If you want to eat zinc, please aim to be used in sources like seafood, meat, poultry, dairy, nuts and seeds. Our 30-day healthy aging high-protein diet plan and our 30-day healthy aging anti-inflammatory diet plan both contain a large amount of healthy foods, including foods high in zinc. If you need more guidance to ensure you eat for healthy aging, make an appointment with a registered dietitian to help you design your plans based on your needs, lifestyle, and preferences.

The study also included the role of physical exercise and pointed out that aging slowed further when combined with sufficient zinc intake. This study did not distinguish between exercise types (e.g. aerobic exercise versus strength training), it was just that participants met the minimum criteria. If you are not physically active at the moment, just start moving more throughout the day and intentionally.

For example, when you put down a laundry, use groceries to make more trips from the car, or travel up and down the stairs. Take a regular break throughout the day, stretch, do a set of squats or walk around the house. Over time, gradually increase the amount until you meet the minimum recommendation of 150 minutes moderate or 75 minutes per week.

Related: I am a nutritionist, these 6 small changes helped me eat more fiber

Bottom line

A new study shows that adequate zinc intake can slow down biological aging, even when used in combination with exercise. But researchers also found that too much zinc is associated with faster biological aging. Consider evaluating the zinc-providing food you are currently consuming. If you think you are inadequate, select the food you want to add. However, before replenishing zinc, meet with your healthcare provider or registered dietitian to make sure you don’t get more physical needs.

Read the original article about Eatwell