Mediterranean Diet Taps Tiny Mitochondrial Messengers for Heart and Brain Protection
An observational USC-led study found that older adults with strong adherence to a Mediterranean diet had higher blood levels of mitochondrial microproteins humanin and SHMOOSE, which are linked to cardiovascular and neuroprotective effects. Specific diet components correlated with each protein (olive oil, fish, and legumes with higher humanin; olive oil and lower refined carbs with higher SHMOOSE), suggesting a new pathway by which the diet may promote healthy aging and offering potential biomarkers for diet response, though causality cannot be established from the study.
