Prolonged fasting and very low calorie diets are known to extend lifespan and are associated with healthy metabolic ageing in animal models. A study now shows that a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) is also effective in reducing markers and risk factors of ageing in humans. Compared with participants on an unrestricted diet (n = 43), participants on a FMD (low in calories, sugars, and protein, high in unsaturated fat; five consecutive days per month for 3 months; n = 39) had lower body weight and body fat, and reduced blood pressure and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) blood levels, without serious adverse effects. After 3 months, individuals on an unrestricted diet were switched to the FMD. A post-hoc analysis of both FMD groups (n = 71) showed that fasting decreased BMI, blood pressure, and blood levels of IGF1, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, and C-reactive protein, with the effects being more pronounced in people with a higher risk of disease at baseline.
References
Wei, M. et al. Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Sci. Transl. Med. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aai8700 (2017)
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Fernández-Ruiz, I. Calorie restriction for healthy ageing. Nat Rev Cardiol 14, 190 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2017.26
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2017.26