Diet is a decisive modifiable determinant of lifespan and health span.
Micronutrients support DNA repair, reduce oxidative stress, and protect mitochondria.
Plant-based diets rich in fiber and polyphenols promote beneficial gut bacteria and enhance gut barrier integrity.
and activate nutrient-sensing pathways, improving cellular resilience.
Centenarian populations exhibit lifestyle and nutritional practices that reduce systemic inflammation and support healthy aging.
Simplified
BACKGROUND: Nutrition plays a central role in the biological mechanisms that shape aging, health span, and longevity. Micronutrients—including vitamins, trace elements, and polyphenols—support genomic stability, mitochondrial integrity, and antioxidant defense, while dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods modulate inflammation, metabolic regulation, and epigenetic processes. Centenarian populations consuming Mediterranean, Okinawan, Nordic, and Nicoyan diets offer a natural model for understanding how nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods, moderate caloric intake, and balanced lifestyles interact with molecular pathways to extend functional life.
MAIN BODY: This review synthesizes current evidence on how micronutrients influence DNA repair, oxidative stress reduction, and mitochondrial protection, particularly through the actions of vitamins C and E, niacin-dependent PARP activity, folate-mediated methylation, and metal cofactors involved in antioxidant enzymes. Plant-based diets rich in fiber and polyphenols enhance microbial diversity and promote beneficial taxa such as Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium, supporting gut barrier integrity and immune balance. and activate nutrient-sensing pathways, including AMPK and sirtuins, reduce mTOR activity, and stimulate autophagy, collectively improving cellular resilience. Findings from centenarian regions highlight the convergence of lifestyle, nutrition, and cultural practices that reduce systemic inflammation, maintain metabolic flexibility, and support healthy aging trajectories.
CONCLUSIONS: Diet emerges as a decisive modifiable determinant of lifespan and health span. The convergence of molecular nutrition, microbiome composition, and traditional dietary habits underlies the exceptional longevity observed in centenarian populations. Future research should integrate nutrigenomics, metabolomics, and microbiome profiling to clarify causal mechanisms and guide precision nutrition strategies for aging societies.
Key numbers
23%
23% Reduction in all-cause mortality
Associated with Mediterranean diet adherence
1.6 g/day
1.6 g/day sodium intake
Average sodium intake in long-lived populations
18.5%
18.5% of total energy from protein
Average protein intake among centenarians
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Declarations. Ethics and consent to participate declarations: Not applicable. Competing interests: Giuseppe Annunziata, Luigi Barrea, and Evelyn Frias-Toral are members of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Translational Medicine. They had no involvement in the peer-review process or editorial decision-making for this manuscript. The authors declare no other competing interests.
