Scientists have discovered that a protein called Klotho, made mainly in your kidneys and brain, plays a huge role in how well you age. As we get older, our bodies make less Klotho, which can lead to age-related diseases. The exciting news? What you eat can boost your Klotho levels. Certain nutrients like magnesium, vitamin D, and compounds found in broccoli and turmeric appear to help your body maintain healthy Klotho levels. This review brings together research showing that eating an anti-inflammatory diet rich in whole foods may be one of the simplest ways to support healthy aging and reduce your risk of diseases like heart disease and kidney problems.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How a protein called Klotho affects aging and what foods and nutrients can help your body keep making it
  • Who participated: This is a review article that examined hundreds of previous studies rather than conducting a new experiment with participants
  • Key finding: Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods and certain nutrients appears to help maintain healthy Klotho levels, which may slow aging and reduce disease risk
  • What it means for you: You may be able to support healthy aging by eating more whole foods rich in magnesium, vitamin D, leafy greens, and colorful vegetables. However, this is still emerging science, and more research in humans is needed before making major dietary changes based solely on Klotho

The Research Details

This is a review article, meaning scientists read and analyzed hundreds of existing studies about Klotho and nutrition to find patterns and draw conclusions. Rather than doing their own experiment with people, the researchers looked at what other scientists had already discovered in both lab studies with cells and animals, and in studies with human participants. They organized all this information to show how different nutrients and eating patterns affect Klotho levels in the body.

The researchers focused on two main areas: first, how specific nutrients and food compounds influence Klotho, and second, how the overall pattern of your diet (whether it’s inflammatory or anti-inflammatory) affects Klotho. They also looked at how Klotho works with another protein called FGF23 to control minerals like calcium and phosphate in your body.

Review articles are valuable because they help scientists and doctors understand the big picture. Instead of looking at one small study, reviewers can see patterns across many studies. This helps identify what’s most important and what still needs more research. In this case, understanding how diet affects Klotho could eventually lead to simple, practical ways to help people age healthier without medications.

This review was published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning other experts checked the work before publication. However, because it’s a review of existing studies rather than new research, the strength of the conclusions depends on the quality of the studies reviewed. Most of the evidence comes from lab studies and animal research, with fewer human studies available. This means the findings are promising but not yet proven in large groups of people.

What the Results Show

The research shows that Klotho is like a ’longevity protein’ that helps your body stay young at the cellular level. As you age, your body naturally makes less Klotho, which appears to contribute to age-related diseases. The good news is that what you eat can influence how much Klotho your body produces.

Specific nutrients appear particularly helpful: magnesium, vitamin D, folate, and vitamin B12 all seem to support Klotho production. Plant compounds like sulforaphane (found in broccoli and cabbage) and curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) also show promise in lab studies. The quality of carbohydrates you eat matters too—whole grains and fiber-rich foods appear better for Klotho than refined carbohydrates.

Diets that cause less inflammation in your body are associated with higher Klotho levels. Researchers can measure how inflammatory a diet is using a tool called the Dietary Inflammatory Index. People eating more anti-inflammatory foods tend to have better Klotho levels and appear biologically younger.

The balance of minerals in your diet also matters. How your body handles calcium and phosphate is controlled partly by Klotho, and whole food sources of calcium appear to work differently than supplements in this system.

The research suggests Klotho affects multiple body systems beyond just aging. It influences how your body handles blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, which is important for preventing diabetes. Klotho also appears to protect your heart and blood vessels, support brain health, and help prevent kidney disease. The protein works by reducing oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) and controlling inflammation throughout your body.

This review builds on earlier discoveries about Klotho by showing that diet is a modifiable factor—meaning you can change it. Previous research established that Klotho declines with age and is involved in disease, but this work emphasizes that nutrition offers a practical intervention point. The focus on specific nutrients and dietary patterns represents a shift toward precision nutrition, where dietary recommendations are tailored based on how foods affect specific biological markers like Klotho.

The biggest limitation is that most evidence comes from laboratory studies and animal research, not large human trials. While these studies are valuable for understanding how things work, they don’t always translate directly to humans. The human studies that do exist are mostly observational, meaning researchers tracked what people ate and measured their Klotho levels, but couldn’t prove that diet caused the Klotho changes. We need more controlled studies where some people eat specific diets while others don’t, to prove cause and effect. Additionally, measuring Klotho in blood is still being refined as a health marker, and we don’t yet know the ideal Klotho level for different ages and health conditions.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, consider eating more anti-inflammatory foods: colorful vegetables, whole grains, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. Include sources of magnesium (leafy greens, nuts, seeds), vitamin D (fatty fish, egg yolks, or safe sun exposure), and B vitamins (whole grains, legumes, leafy greens). Add turmeric and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli to your diet. Limit processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and excess saturated fat. Confidence level: Moderate. These recommendations align with general healthy eating advice, but specific Klotho benefits in humans need more research.

Anyone interested in healthy aging should pay attention to this research. It’s particularly relevant for people concerned about heart disease, kidney health, brain health, or metabolic disease. Older adults may find this especially interesting since Klotho naturally declines with age. However, people with specific health conditions, especially kidney disease, should consult their doctor before making major dietary changes, as mineral balance becomes more important.

If you make dietary changes based on this research, you probably won’t notice dramatic changes immediately. Cellular aging happens slowly, so benefits would likely appear over months to years. Some effects like improved energy or digestion might appear sooner, but the anti-aging benefits would take longer to manifest. Think of this as a long-term investment in your health rather than a quick fix.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily intake of Klotho-supporting nutrients: servings of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts), leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts/seeds, and turmeric use. Aim for at least 3-4 servings of these foods daily and track weekly consistency.
  • Start by adding one Klotho-supporting food to each meal: broccoli at lunch, a handful of almonds as a snack, turmeric in dinner, and leafy greens in breakfast. This gradual approach is easier to maintain than overhauling your entire diet at once.
  • Use the app to track dietary inflammatory patterns over 4-week periods. Note energy levels, digestion, and general wellness alongside food intake. While you won’t see Klotho levels without blood tests, these markers may correlate with Klotho-supporting eating patterns. Consider getting baseline blood work and retesting after 3-6 months of consistent dietary changes if you want to measure actual Klotho levels.

This article summarizes a review of scientific research about Klotho and nutrition. It is not medical advice. The findings are based on laboratory studies, animal research, and observational human studies—not large-scale clinical trials proving cause and effect in humans. Before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, or take medications, consult with your doctor or registered dietitian. Klotho measurement is still an emerging biomarker and is not yet standard in clinical practice. Individual responses to dietary changes vary based on genetics, age, health status, and other factors.