{
  "id": 146572,
  "title": "One month on a vegan diet shifts epigenetic patterns associated with aging and inflammation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/one-month-on-a-vegan-diet-shifts-epigenetic-patterns-associated-with",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-04T21:20:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-month-vegan-diet-shifts-epigenetic.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the University of California San Diego and the University of Freiburg in Germany discovered that adopting a vegan diet for just one month can significantly alter an individual's epigenetic patterns, which are linked to reduced inflammation and biological aging. Published in MedComm, the findings reveal that even a short-term shift in diet can have profound effects on the body's molecular processes. The study, conducted as a randomized clinical trial, involved 48 healthy adults who followed either a vegan or a meat-rich diet for a month. The researchers found that the vegan diet led to changes in DNA methylation, a process that regulates gene activity, in over 800,000 sites across the genome. These changes were associated with healthier immune function, metabolism, and reduced cancer-related pathways. The vegan diet was particularly effective in shifting the immune system towards a less inflammatory state and altering gene activity related to cancer and cell growth. Additionally, participants following the vegan diet showed signs of reduced biological aging, as measured by epigenetic clocks. While the study's sample size was small and the duration was brief, the findings provide compelling evidence that dietary choices can rapidly influence the body's epigenetic landscape and associated health outcomes.",
  "summary": "Researchers from the University of California San Diego and the University of Freiburg in Germany have found that switching to a vegan diet for just one month can alter the body's epigenetic landscape in ways associated with reduced inflammation and biological aging. In a randomized clinical trial, participants assigned to a vegan diet vs. a meat-rich diet showed changes in DNA methylation—a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}