Two identical twins have revealed what happened after they decided to try different diets to see the impact on their bodies.
Identical twins Hugo and Ross Turner decided to conduct a test by putting a vegan diet and a meat-based diet to the test.
Over a 12-week period, Hugo followed a strictly vegan diet, while Ross stuck to a regimen that included meat, dairy, and fish.
The twins, who share identical DNA, controlled other factors like calorie intake and exercise to isolate the effects of their diets.
Their goal was to see how the two approaches impacted their physical health and mental state.
Hugo admitted that the switch to a vegan lifestyle wasn’t easy at first.
"I think the first couple of weeks it was really craving and wanting meat and dairy and cheese. I love cheese," he told the BBC, describing how his body initially "took a hit".
But as the weeks went on, Hugo began to notice some positive changes.
"I was now having to eat fruit and nuts and alternatives that didn’t have any dairy in them - and so that meant I was eating a lot more wholesome food, which meant that my sugar levels were a lot more satiated during the day," he explained. "I felt like I had more energy."
By the end of the experiment, Hugo had shed weight, reduced his body fat by 1%, and saw his cholesterol levels drop "off the scale." He also improved his resistance to type 2 diabetes.
However, there were drawbacks. Hugo's gut microbiome, the ecosystem of bacteria that aids digestion and immune function, suffered a significant drop in diversity, a change linked to his restricted diet.
Ross’s experience with a meat-inclusive diet was more inconsistent.
"Some days I felt very energetic," he said. "But on others, I experienced huge lulls."
Ross gained 10 pounds of muscle during the 12 weeks, but he also increased his body fat percentage from 13% to 15%.
His gut microbiome, however, remained stable, potentially giving him an advantage in immune health compared to his brother.
Despite their contrasting diets, the twins concluded that there wasn’t "a huge difference if any" in overall outcomes.
Still, the experiment highlighted unique benefits for each diet:
- Vegan Diet (Hugo): Lower cholesterol, weight loss, improved blood sugar stability, and increased energy levels.
- Meat Diet (Ross): Muscle gain and stable gut microbiome diversity, though with some fluctuations in energy levels.
The study reinforces the idea that diet is not one-size-fits-all. While Hugo benefited from the vegan diet’s emphasis on wholesome, plant-based foods, Ross’s omnivorous approach provided gut health advantages and muscle-building support.
As Hugo summarized: “I felt like I had more energy,” while Ross acknowledged the need to balance his meals more carefully.
