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A new study led by researchers at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology suggests that the benefits of the Mediterranean diet may be driven, in part, by tiny proteins hidden within our mitochondria, opening a new window into how diet shapes aging and disease risk.

The study, led by USC Leonard Davis Instructional Associate Professor of Gerontology Roberto Vicinanza, found that people who closely follow a Mediterranean-style diet have higher levels of two mitochondrial microproteins, humanin and SHMOOSE – both of which have been linked to protection against cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration. “These microproteins may act as molecular messengers that translate what we eat into how our cells function and age,” Vicinanza said. “It’s a new biological pathway that helps explain why the Mediterranean diet is so powerful.”

The team also found that specific foods appeared to matter. Olive oil, fish and legumes were associated with higher humanin levels, while olive oil and lower intake of refined carbohydrates were linked to higher SHMOOSE. “These findings suggest that specific components of the Mediterranean diet may directly influence mitochondrial biology,” said USC Leonard Davis School Dean and USC Distinguished Professor Pinchas Cohen, the study’s senior author. “Humanin and SHMOOSE could serve as biomarkers for adherence to the Mediterranean diet and have clinical significance.”