Causal Relationship between Meat Intake and Biological Aging: Evidence from Mendelian Randomization Analysis

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Genetics
• Gerontology

Background:

• Dietary meat consumption influences health and aging, but causal links are not fully understood.
• Variations in meat type and preparation methods may differentially impact aging phenotypes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationships between intake of different meat types and aging-related phenotypes using Mendelian randomization (MR).
• To provide a scientific basis for dietary recommendations aimed at promoting healthy aging.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Mendelian randomization (MR) with genetic variants as instrumental variables (IVs) for meat intake.
• Employed sensitivity analyses and multiple MR methods (MR-Egger, IVW, weighted median) to ensure robustness and assess pleiotropy.
• Assessed IV strength using F-statistics and tested for pleiotropy and heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• A positive causal effect was observed between meat consumption and DNA methylation PhenoAge acceleration, indicating accelerated biological aging.
• Lamb intake showed a positive causal association with mitochondrial DNA copy number.
• Processed meat consumption demonstrated a negative causal effect on telomere length.

Conclusions:

• Meat intake, particularly processed varieties, can causally influence aging biomarkers like DNA methylation PhenoAge and telomere length.
• Specific meat types, such as lamb, may impact cellular aging markers (mitochondrial DNA copy number).
• Findings underscore the importance of meat processing and preparation in relation to aging and suggest potential dietary interventions for longevity.