Caloric Restriction for Anti-Aging

Can calorie restriction really delay or even prevent human aging? The jury is still out on how calorie restriction for anti-aging effects people but studies have proven that for many organisms, curtailing the amount of calories consumed can significantly extend life span.

Caloric Restriction and Anti-Aging: The Only Proven Life-Extension Technique

In terms anti-aging, caloric restriction is quite different from a standard weight loss diet. By definition, caloric restriction for anti-aging means consuming 20 - 30 percent fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its ideal weight, while still consuming sufficient amounts of vitamins and other nutrients.

Though research has shown that similar regimes have effectively extended the lives of a number of organisms including yeast, worms, flies, and rodents, there have been no large or long-term studies of how caloric restriction for anti-aging effects humans.

It is believed that caloric restriction triggers a survival mechanism in some organisms that normally have short lifespans, enabling them to outlive food shortages. Reducing the calorie consumption of young rodents by 30 to 60 percent increased their maximum lifespans by the same percentage, while reducing the calorie consumption of adult rodents by 44 percent extended their maximum lifespan by 10 to 20 percent.

In addition, rodents fed a restricted calorie diet also developed fewer age-related diseases, and the onset of those diseases was delayed. The studies also showed that calorie restriction effectively decreased the deterioration of nerves in the brain among animals with neural disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and stroke.

But Does It Work The Same Way In Humans?

While research on the effects of caloric restriction in humans is limited, a number of small studies show potential for health improvement. It has been suggested that caloric restriction for anti-aging may improve memory in older adults, and improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol level, and blood sugar have been observed.

These benefits, along with reductions in weight and body fat percentage resulting from caloric restriction, are known to help reduce the risk of a number of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. But researchers stress that at this time there is no clear and compelling evidence that caloric restriction for anti-aging will extend lifespan in humans as it does in some other organisms.

Risk Factors Must Be Considered

Caloric restriction for anti-aging cannot be considered risk-free for humans, particularly those who are already lean. Excessive calorie restriction can result in hormonal changes, reduced bone density and muscle mass, fatigue, anemia, dizziness, depression, and lethargy.