Daily Probiotic Yogurt, Balanced Diet, and Exercise May Slow Biological Aging in Overweight Men

A recent study published in the journal Aging examined whether consuming probiotic yogurt daily could slow biological aging. The research involved 48 overweight Japanese men aged 50 to 74, divided into two groups over 12 weeks. One group maintained their usual lifestyle, while the other adopted a health program including eating 100 grams of natural yogurt daily, receiving nutritional counseling, and engaging in at least 30 minutes of walking or stepper exercise three times a week.

Researchers measured biological aging using the DunedinPACE tool, which assesses cellular aging speed rather than chronological age. By the study's end, the intervention group showed an average 2.2% reduction in biological aging rate compared to the control group. This effect was similar to findings from a two-year American study where participants reduced daily calorie intake by 25% and also slowed aging.

Importantly, the slowing of aging was not linked to weight loss, as body mass index remained largely unchanged. The study also noted improvements in a genetic marker related to kidney function. However, researchers emphasized that the results could not be attributed to yogurt alone, as the intervention combined diet changes and physical activity.

The study's limitations include its small sample size, short duration, and focus solely on overweight Japanese men, leaving uncertainty about applicability to women, younger individuals, or other populations. The authors call for larger, longer-term studies to determine if slowing biological aging translates into reduced disease risk and longer lifespan.