Too much red meat makes you age faster

A diet containing too much red meat and not enough fruits and vegetables could increase your body’s “biological age” and lead to health problems, according to a latest research.

Research led by the University of Glasgow and published on Thursday in Ageing, has found that a moderate increase in serum phosphate levels caused by red meat consumption, combined with a poor overall diet, increases biological age (miles on the clock) in contrast to chronological age (years of age).

The study, which looked at participants from the most deprived to the least deprived in the NHS Greater Glasgow Health Board area, also demonstrates that deprived males were the worst affected.

Data from the study suggests that accelerated biological ageing, and dietary derived phosphate levels among the most deprived males, were directly related to the frequency of red meat consumption. Researchers believe that excess red meat particularly affects this group because of their poor diet and “sub-optimal fruit and vegetable intake”. The research, led by the Institute of Cancer Sciences in collaboration with the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm, Sweden), also found that high phosphate levels in deprived males correlated with reduced kidney function and even underlying mild to moderate chronic kidney disease.