Understanding how severe calorie restriction slows aging

Science has found that restriction of calories by as much as 50% can slow down the aging process. In the November 18 issue of the journal Science, it was revealed that researchers have found a “genetic pathway linking nutrient response and the aging process. The research is still in the non-human organism stage, but it clearly shows promise of being able to slow aging. For most of us, that’s exciting news.

Some of their research was consistent with the theory of insulin/IGF-1 response in animals and humans. That theory says “high nutrient levels make the organism grow faster and bigger, but also reduce lifespan. This may be one reason why calorie-restricted mice live longer, but are smaller than other mice.” They also showed that calorie restriction not only alters aging, but “reduces the debilitating effects of aging and age-related diseases. Calorie-restricted mice don’t just live longer, they live healthier for longer.

If the can understand how it works, they hope to be able to target the genes or proteins that regulate aging processes so that they can change aging and the effects of aging without the calorie-reduction.

Calorie-restriction should not be used in children who need to grow, but it is found to have more benefits if started in youth rather than old age. People in Okinawa work harder and eat less than most, and they have more very old people who have less age related problems. This is one of the reasons scientists believe they may be able to find what causes the calorie-restrictions to effect aging. For a more thorough history of these studies go to http://www.biologyof humanaging.com/

Calorie-restriction diets are not about weight loss or health, although those may be side-effects. It is about longevity. The basic principle of the diet is that outgo must exceed input. The total amount of calories you ingest is the only thing that is important. It is not about exercise.

Walford says that “individuals should aim to achieve a weight of about 10 to 25 percent below their set point,” or “the point toward which their weight naturally drifts.” The set point in your late teens is the one you should use to calculate your calories even though your actual set point will change over time. Rapid weight loss is not something you want to achieve because that has been shown to shorten life, not extend it in rat studies

Calorie-restriction dieters are also encouraged to learn as much as possible about nutrition because you