Reduced Calories Intakes ~ HGH Academy

At the National Institute of Aging, researchers are beginning to link the biological markers of longevity between rodents and humans. So far, the studies have already provided substantial evidences but the researchers are still unable to determine exactly how much longer humans could live.

During the course of the studies, researchers discovered that rodents who were fed a restricted diet had these common biological markers. They were:

1. Lower body temperature
2. Lower insulin levels
3. Steady levels of a steroid hormone called DHEAS.

These rodents had a 40 percent longer life span than those who were fed on a normal diet.

Currently, an ongoing study in Baltimore has also produced similar results. Humans who have a longer life span also display the same markers as the restricted-diet rodents as mentioned above. These results simply imply that the biological characteristics of animals that are fed on calorie-restricted diets have a close relationship with longevity in humans.

However, the researchers have pointed out that these results are inconclusive and that the studies are still at their infancy stages. As such, people should not be so nave as to start starving themselves in hope of achieving a longer life span. So far, these findings are only hinting at the possibilities of life extension, which may be worthy of further investigation.

Scientist derived the above findings based on 3 different studies:

1. Aging rodents
2. A 15-year study on aging monkeys
3. A continuing project called the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, which follows the life span of people.

The monkey study, which began in the year 1987, forms the missing link between the human and rodent studies. It allows the longevity effects of a calorie-restricted diet to be tested on a subhuman primate that is a closer biological relative to humans than the rodents. Rhesus monkeys that can survive up to 25 years are used in this study. So far, the results cannot be confirmed yet as the researchers will have to wait for the monkey to complete their normal life span of 25 years.

Similarly, for the Baltimore study on aging people, no conclusive evidence can be drawn yet due to the time factor.

However, researchers could draw some preliminary conclusions based on the early deaths of some of the monkeys and human beings.

In the human study, the men were divided into two groups based on the measurements of their key biomarkers. The results showed that those with biomarkers similar to those of the calorie-restricted long life rodents had slower death rates. However, the researchers were not certain as to why these men had similar biomarkers as none of them were on restricted diets.

Let us now take a look at the study on the Rhesus monkeys. The researchers found that those who were fed lesser calories were also dying at a slower rate. During the study, about half of these monkeys received a full food ration. While all of the animals were fed the same nutritionally balanced food, the longer-lived group received about 30% less.

Source: Science August 2, 2002;297(5582):811.