Prof. Fontana - Domande e risposte #6: La dieta Mediterranea, e' tutto oro quello che luccica?

Tosti V, Bertozzi B, Fontana L. Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: Metabolic and Molecular Mechanisms. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2018 Mar 2;73(3):318-326.
Consuming a Mediterranean diet rich in minimally processed plant foods has been
associated with a reduced risk of developing multiple chronic diseases and
increased life expectancy. Data from several randomized clinic trials have
demonstrated a beneficial effect in the primary and secondary prevention of
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and breast cancer.
The exact mechanism by which an increased adherence to the traditional
Mediterranean diet exerts its favorable effects is not known. However,
accumulating evidence indicates that the five most important adaptations induced
by the Mediterranean dietary pattern are: (a) lipid-lowering effect, (b)
protection against oxidative stress, inflammation and platelet aggregation, (c)
modification of hormones and growth factors involved in the pathogenesis of
cancer, (d) inhibition of nutrient sensing pathways by specific amino acid
restriction, and (e) gut microbiota-mediated production of metabolites
influencing metabolic health. More studies are needed to understand how single
modifications of nutrients typical of the Mediterranean diet interact with energy
intake, energy expenditure, and the microbiome in modulating the key mechanisms
that promote cellular, tissue, and organ health during aging.