Could a simple adjustment to our daily calorie intake hold the key to a longer, healthier life? This is the question at the heart of a wave of research into the potential longevity benefits of caloric restriction.
The notion that consuming fewer calories could lead to a longer lifespan isn’t new. For nearly 100 years, scientists have observed that Caloric Restriction can extend the healthy lifespan of various laboratory animals,” one researcher told CNN last year. This finding has spurred on researchers to delve deeper into the potential human applications of this diet strategy.
A recent study conducted by Penn State researchers sought to explore the link between caloric restriction and longevity in humans. The study followed a group of individuals who adhered to a restricted calorie diet over the course of two years. The researchers’ initial findings seemed counterintuitive – the subjects’ aging process appeared to accelerate during the first year of caloric restriction.
To measure the biological age, the scientists looked at telomere length. Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of our DNA strands. Every time our cells divide and our DNA replicates, these telomeres get shorter. Various factors, like chronological age, stress, and illness can speed up this shortening process.
In the first year of the study, the telomeres of the individuals on the restricted calorie diet shrunk faster than those in the control group, seemingly speeding up the aging process. However, in the second year, the telomere shortening process slowed down.
Lead author of the study, Waylon Hastings, explained to Newsweek that one way caloric restriction might extend lifespan is through an impact on cell metabolism.
“When energy is consumed within a cell, waste products from the process cause oxidative stress that can damage DNA and break down the cell. With caloric restriction, there are fewer waste products, and the cell does not break down as rapidly,” Hastings said.
While the Penn State study’s findings suggest a more complicated relationship between caloric restriction and aging, more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions. However, it’s clear that reducing calorie intake, especially later in life, has numerous health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels.
Reference Article: nypost.com
