Could a potent mix of vegetables, spices and fruit help to slow or even reverse biological ageing in older men in a matter of months….

According to a  a new study, men in their 70s took a daily supplement containing concentrated extracts of broccoli, green tea, pomegranates, cranberries, ginger and turmeric. The equivalent of half a pomegrante, four pieces of broccoli, 3 cups of green tea, a  teaspoon of turmeric, ten cranberries and a 2cm cube of fresh ginger each day.

The four-month study, published in the Journal of Ageing and Longevity in April, revealed that participants who took the supplement experienced improved grip strength, increased testosterone and lowered levels of inflammation: all key indicators of longevity and good health. Some even reported better sexual function.

Half the volunteers also took a probiotic containing five beneficial types of Lactobacillus bacteria (roughly the amount found in 3 tsp of kimchi), and prebiotics (plant fibres which nourish ‘good’ gut bacteria) made from chicory and vitamin D.

At the start of the study, each man was tested for grip strength, which is regarded as a good indicator of how robust the body is as it relies on many factors, including muscle mass, nerve signalling, joint health and co-ordination.

By the end of the trial, those who took the supplement and the probiotic mix improved their grip strength by 46 per cent (picture posed by model)

By the end of the trial, men taking just the plant supplement showed a near 8 per cent improvement in grip strength and a 12 per cent rise in testosterone levels.

But those who took the supplement and the probiotic mix improved their grip strength by 46 per cent. This indicated the importance of combining both, said the researchers, who included scientists from the University of California and Edith Cowan University in Australia.

Many of the 208 participants also reported improved sexual function and erections – thought to be the result of improved testosterone levels. Previous studies have found that low testosterone is associated with lower muscle mass, increased frailty and raised risk of death, particularly from cardiovascular causes.

The plants used in the cocktail are all rich in phytochemicals – natural compounds which reduce inflammation and protect DNA.

‘They are also powerful prebiotics, which support the growth of good gut bacteria,’ says study co-author Robert Thomas, a professor of exercise and nutritional science at the University of Bedfordshire.