Caloric Restriction Might Be The Key To Live Longer

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An initial study by researchers from the National Institute on Aging (a division of the US Department of Health) suggests that cutting down on calories could extend lives of people by about 18 years and delay the onset of age-related disorders. Dr. Julie Mattison led the study which was published in the journal Nature Communication on January 17, 2017.

The Sun reported that the experts analyzed data from two separate studies that involved 200 rhesus monkeys. The 2009 study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison showed that adult monkeys who ate experienced fewer instances of cancer, heart diseases or insulin resistance and lived longer. A similar study in 2012 conducted by the NIA did not find any such improvements. After careful analysis of the data of the two studies, NIA researchers now say that cutting down food is only beneficial in adult monkeys and not younger primates.

According to the Fox News, it was observed that male adult monkeys who received 30 per cent less food lived up to two years longer while female adult monkeys lived six years longer. A similar effect in humans could mean that people might live 18 years longer by eating fewer calories.

However, in the real world, the positive impact is likely to be less dramatic as there are many other aspects of one's lifestyle that can impact his or her health and lifespan. The authors of the study wrote that feeding monkeys healthier diets rather than processed 'junk' food also made a difference to the studies.

Dr. Mattison wrote that this is just a starting point to understand the effects of caloric restriction (CR) on health and aging process. It is too early to say how the CR regiment will affect the humans. People should not start following the caloric restriction in their food intakes until more studies confirm its effects.