A longevity diet restricts calories by 20 to 40 percent compared to normal calorie intake. Restricting calories initially leads to weight loss, but the body quickly adapts to the new nutritional climate and lowers its requirement for energy. Because of this, weight loss will eventually cease. Calorie restriction may contribute to a longer lifespan. Animals studies show that animals on calorie restriction diets live longer than animals that are allowed to eat what they want. There are only few studies investigating whether calorie restriction has the same effect in humans. Initial results indicate that humans can benefit in a similar way from restricting calories.
Calorie Restriction Diet
A calorie restriction diet aimed at prolonging life differs from a calorie restriction diet aimed at significant weight loss. Calorie restriction for longevity is a lifestyle. It is not a diet you follow for a few weeks only to return to your old diet. For the longevity diet to have positive effects on lifespan, the diet must also consist mostly of nutritious, wholesome foods.
Tracking Calories
Calorie restriction diets do not require constantly counting calories to ensure that you stay below a specified limit. Counting calories may be necessary in the initial phases of the diet, but there are other ways to guarantee calorie restriction after the initial phases. One way to limit calories without counting is to stop eating as soon as you feel full. Another way is to reduce meal sizes, avoid second helpings and stay away from known high-calorie food and drinks such as beer, cake, ice cream and soft drinks.
A Human Study
Most studies of longevity have had animal subjects. One reason is that human studies are difficult to carry out. Studies of longevity in humans would have to take place over many decades, and few studies satisfy this requirement. However, one longitudinal study published in 2004 in "The Journals of Gerontology" provides some evidence for a connection between calorie restriction and longevity. The study examined the lifespans of 1,915 Japanese men who had participated in an unrelated study 36 years earlier. The researchers found that those who naturally consumed about 1,900 kcal a day had the longest lifespans. The study didn't control for possible dietary changes during the 36 years, but it is nonetheless a good indicator that a calorie restriction diet can prolong human life.
How the Diet Works
Restricting calories while eating nutritious food has positive health effects. It reduces the blood levels of good cholesterol and lowers the blood levels of bad cholesterol. Having good cholesterol levels can prevent premature death, but calorie restriction does more than that. A review article published in a 2003 issue of "Genes & Development" suggests that there is no one factor that prolongs life. To prolong life you will need to slow down aging. Aging occurs when the cell mechanisms function less than optimally, causing damage to the body's cells. Various hormones, including insulin and growth hormone, contribute to this aging process. Restricting calories restricts the production of hormones such as insulin and growth hormone. So restricting cell-damaging hormones may be one way calorie restriction slows down aging.
References
- Fight Aging: Calorie Restriction Explained
- "The Journals of Gerontology: Biological Sciences"; How Much Should We Eat? The Association Between Energy Intake and Mortality in a 36-Year Follow-Up Study of Japanese-American Men; Bradley J. Willcox, et al.; September 2004
- "Genes & Development"; How does calorie restriction work?; Does Calorie Restriction Work?; Jana Koubova and Leonard Guarante; Guarente; January 2003
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