Key message: Research suggests that intermittent fasting diets slow down ageing and may add years to life.

Action point: Check out my ebook on fasting – it provides menu plans, a calorie guide, meal ideas and more: http://www.emmasutherland.com.au/index.php/product/emmas-guide-to-intermittent-fasting/

 

MeditationScience now backs up what yogis have known for thousands of years. According to new research, occasionally adopting a diet that mimics fasting could slow ageing.

The study1, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, found that following a four-day cycle of a low-calorie intake twice a month can lead to a reduction of belly fat and extended lifespan.

The Fasting Mimicking Diet

The Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), which restricts calories to between a third and a half of normal intake, has been developed by academics at the University of Southern California.

The researchers looked at the effectiveness of periodic fasting on ageing-related factors in yeast, mice and humans. Aside from longevity, the diet was found to have other benefits.

In the mice study, the restricted calorie diet improved metabolism, decreased bone loss, improved cognitive function, lowered cancer incidence and extended longevity.

Humans underwent three monthly cycles of the five-day diet and the researchers noted a drop in risk factors related to ageing, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Eat less, live longer

The researchers think the diet works by slashing a hormone which encourages growth in the body and has been linked to cancer susceptibility. Essentially, it tricks the body into ageing more slowly. The diet increases the number of progenitor and stem cells in various organs, including the brain, where it was also found to boost learning and memory.

The FMD isn’t a typical diet, because it isn’t something you need to stay on, and it is easier and safer than strict fasting or water-only fasting.

According to the researchers, for most normal people the FMD can be done every three to six months, depending on health status. But the diet shouldn’t be attempted without first consulting a health professional and seeking supervision throughout the process.

This study backs up other research that has suggested occasional fasting could lead to a longer life.

Last year the same team discovered that fasting could regenerate the entire immune system, bringing a host of long-term health benefits2.

A Chinese study3 in which the calorie intake of mice was reduced by 30 per cent found changes in specific bacteria in the gut, including Lactobacillus, that are correlated with long lifespans.

 

References 

  1. Brandhorst, Choi et al (2015) A Periodic Diet that Mimics Fasting Promotes Multi-System Regeneration, Enhanced Cognitive Performance, and Healthspan. Published online in Cell Metabolism. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012
  2. Cheng, Chia-Wei et al (2014) Prolonged Fasting Reduces IGF-1/PKA to Promote Hematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Based Regeneration and Reverse Immunosuppression. Cell Stem Cell, Volume 14 , Issue 6 , 810 – 823
  3. Zhang, Li et al (2013) Structural modulation of gut microbiota in life-long calorie-restricted mice. Nature Communications. doi:10.1038/ncomms3163

 

Kat Boehringer 
Freelance journalist and editor 

Kat Boehringer specialises in health communications including health writing, health promotions, and social media management. In her spare time she works as a massage therapist and aspiring novelist. Connect with her at LinkedIn.

 

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