In the quest for the fountain of youth, mankind has explored any number of avenues. While researchers haven't been able to identify a method to turn back the clock, some evidence indicates that people may be able to extend their lifespans by reducing how much they eat. Calorie restriction, as its known, causes your body temperature to lower, which in turn may allow your body to last longer.
Calorie Restriction and Temperature
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that people who reduce their calorie intake significantly show a reduced core body temperature. The researchers compared core body temperatures in 24 people in their 50s who had participated in a calorie restriction diet for at least six years and compared those people against 24 people of the same age who did not participate in the diet. Those who participated had an average core body temperature that was lower by 0.2 degrees Celsius, or about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to those who did not.
Effects of Lower Temperature
Researchers have identified lower core body temperature as one factor present in non-human test subjects who ate calorie restrictive diets. Most people consider the ideal core body temperature to be 98.6 F, according to the researchers at Washington University, but actual core temperatures can be significantly higher, from 96 to 100 F. Another study, known as the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, revealed that men with a lower core body temperature, caused by genetic factors instead of diet, also had significantly longer lifespans than those with higher temperatures.
Restrictions
A calorie restrictive diet is one in which you reduce your daily caloric intake by 25 percent or more. However, you must still ensure proper nutrition by carefully selecting the lower-calorie foods you eat to ensure your body gets the required nutrients. For example, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, the average 31-year-old moderately active female needs 2,000 calories per day. A calorie restrictive diet would reduce her daily intake to 1,500 calories per day.
Methods
While a lower core body temperature may be key to a longer lifespan, it does not appear to be the only factor. According to Washington University researchers, mice who regularly swam through cold waters and experienced a lower core body temperature as a result did not live any longer than animals that did not swim. This could show that the manner in which the organism achieves a lower body temperature matters as well.
References
- Washington University in St. Louis; Restricting Calories Lowers Body Temperature, May Predict Longer Lifespan; Jim Dryden; May 2011
- "Impact Journals: Aging"; Long-Term Calorie Restriction, but not Endurance Exercise, Lowers Core Body Temperature in Humans; Andreea Soare, et al.; April 2011
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Balance Food and Activity
