Can Turmeric and Garlic Really Reverse Aging? This Study Says Yes

New research suggests that certain foods not only have the power to help you live healthier years, but they could also help turn back your body's internal clock.

In April, researchers from the University of Washington and the National University of Natural Medicine published the results of a small clinical study on the methylation diet in men. And if you're unfamiliar with methylation, UCLA Health explains it's a “metabolic process in which the transfer of carbon molecules influences DNA.” It adds, “This, in turn, affects the activity and behavior of genes. As a result, methylation affects aging. And because methylation is tied to certain nutrients, diet plays an important role.” 

The researchers of this new study found that a particular set of foods, including turmeric, rosemary, garlic, berries, green tea, and oolong tea, are strongly associated with a reduction in epigenetic age, a biological marker that indicates how rapidly the body is aging at a cellular level. 

To reach this conclusion, the team studied 38 healthy men aged 50 to 72 in Portland, Oregon. Half of them followed an eight-week lifestyle program that included a whole-food diet rich in methyl adaptogen foods, along with daily meditation, consistent sleep, and moderate exercise. The diet was not vegan or vegetarian, but it was heavily plant-forward, with “lean meats” included on the menu. It excluded alcohol, dairy, grains, and legumes, which the researchers believed could interfere with short-term gut health and, by extension, methylation pathways.

At the end of the trial, the team discovered that those in the intervention group had shaved off an average of two years from their epigenetic age, with some participants experiencing reductions as large as nine years. However, there is some variation in the results, with one person's biological age increasing. 

So, how do these foods work this kind of magic? Researchers believe these age-fighting foods work in several key ways. First, many contain natural compounds that appear to regulate enzymes responsible for turning genes on and off, such as EGCG in green tea and curcumin in turmeric.

Lab studies, such as this 2010 study, also demonstrate that they can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, two key factors in aging and disease. There’s also growing evidence that these ingredients may help preserve telomeres — the protective caps on your chromosomes that shorten as you age.

It’s important to note that this recent research was based on a small study that included only middle-aged, mostly white men. There are other studies that have focused on women, including one that followed six women between the ages of 45 and 65 for eight weeks who adhered to a similar regimen. Their results, UCLA Health explained, also showed reductions in biological age, ranging from 1.2 to 11 years. Although it was a small study, the findings do make your next cup of green tea look all the more appealing.