Silent Inflammation and an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Ageing processes are complex and are triggered by many factors. One factor that has been and continues to be intensively researched in scientific studies is so-called low-grade inflammation, also known as silent inflammation.

We are all familiar with acute inflammation; everyone has experienced it at some point. It becomes noticeable through pain, redness and swelling. Acute inflammation is an important response of the body to injury or infection. It stops disease-causing pathogens or limits damage in injured tissue. Acute inflammation is therefore an essential part of the natural healing process.

Silent inflammation, by contrast, progresses unnoticed over a long period of time. The entire organism may be affected, and the damage is not limited or stopped but instead continues to spread. Silent inflammation is considered an independent risk factor in old age. It plays a decisive role in the development of age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and coronary heart disease. It also appears to block signalling pathways involved in maintaining muscle mass, weakening the body and promoting frailty.

Key finding: Silent inflammation can persist unnoticed throughout the entire body for years and is considered an independent risk factor in old age for diseases such as type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and coronary heart disease.

How does silent inflammation develop?

Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes normally exist in a dynamic balance. With age, this balance can shift and pro-inflammatory processes may begin to dominate. A diet containing many sugar-rich foods with glucose or fructose promotes these problematic inflammatory processes.

Visceral adipose tissue, meaning the excessive fat tissue that accumulates in the abdominal area, contributes to the development of silent inflammation. Adipose tissue is a highly active organ that produces pro-inflammatory substances. The gut microbiota also plays a role in these low-level inflammatory processes. The intestinal ecosystem of older people is composed differently from that of younger people. Health-promoting bacteria such as bifidobacteria are found in lower numbers, while the amount of potentially harmful microorganisms increases.

Can silent inflammation be treated?

A daily diet based on a conscious selection of fresh and natural foods is a simple way to slow the development of inflammatory factors and support anti-inflammatory processes. To treat silent inflammation, or preferably prevent it, it is particularly advisable to avoid rapidly available carbohydrates.

Pastries, biscuits, gummy sweets and similar products should not be eaten every day. When choosing bread, pasta and rice, wholegrain varieties are recommended. Wholegrain products also provide fibre, which is very important for healthy and stable gut flora.

It is now widely known that ketchup contains a great deal of sugar. However, many other industrially manufactured foods that one would not expect to contain sugar also contain surprisingly large amounts. For example, a 700-gram jar of ready-cooked red cabbage contains almost 80 g of sugar. Manufacturers also frequently add extra sugar to supposedly healthy smoothies.

Take a quick look at the nutritional information. The sugar content can easily be found there. Different types of sugar may also be hidden behind terms such as dextrose, maltose, maltodextrin, raffinose, glucose-fructose syrup or natural fruit sweetness.

Cold-pressed virgin plant oils such as olive oil or rapeseed oil can activate anti-inflammatory processes in the metabolism, whereas saturated fatty acids from animal products may intensify silent inflammation. In the widely recommended Mediterranean diet, olive oil is the main source of fat.

Bioactive compounds such as flavonoids are found in plant-based foods. A diet rich in bioactive plant compounds offers many health benefits. Flavonoids can activate antioxidant and protective genes and inhibit inflammatory pathways. They may also favourably modulate the composition of the microbial gut flora.

A diet rich in bioactive plant compounds is easy to implement. The daily menu should contain plenty of vegetables – preferably seasonal varieties and as colourful and diverse as possible.

Good to know: We explore in greater depth how nutrition, gut flora and cellular ageing influence one another in our article Nutrition for a long life and gut diversity.

What does the ideal longevity meal plan look like?

Ageing researchers recommend a moderate to high intake of carbohydrates, approximately 50 percent, from high-quality sources; a low but sufficient intake of protein, preferably plant-based, of approximately 20 percent; and only around 30 percent fat, mainly from plant-based sources.

For everyday life, Professor Valter Longo, a leading US nutrition scientist and ageing researcher, recommends: “Plenty of legumes, whole grains and vegetables, some fish, no red or processed meat and very little white meat, little sugar and refined grains, a good amount of nuts and olive oil, and some dark chocolate.” Ideally, food should only be consumed within a daily time window of eleven to twelve hours, combined with several periods of fasting throughout the year.

As a rule of thumb, half of the plate should consist of a variety of vegetables and fresh foods, one quarter should consist of wholegrain products such as bread, pasta and rice combined with healthy fats that cause blood sugar levels to rise more slowly, and the remaining quarter should provide a protein source such as fish, white meat or legumes. Additional sources of fibre such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds are also highly recommended.

Would you like support with your diet? Book a consultation with our nutrition expert and receive personalised dietary recommendations that can be seamlessly integrated into your everyday life. Learn more here. You can also read more about the relationship between metabolism and longevity in our article Longevity and metabolism.

Sources

1. T Kevin Howcroft et al. The role of inflammation in age-related disease. Aging. 2013. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23474627
2. Daniela Frasca and Bonnie B. Blomberg. Inflammaging decreases adaptive and innate immune responses in mice and humans. Biogerontology. 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25921609
3. Yoon-Mi Lee et al. Dietary Anthocyanins against Obesity and Inflammation. Nutrients. 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5691706
4. Gaetan Ravaut et al. Monounsaturated Fatty Acids in Obesity-Related Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci. 2020. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7795523
5. Ali Salaritabar et al. Therapeutic potential of flavonoids in inflammatory bowel disease: A comprehensive review. World J Gastroenterol. 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5537178