caloric restriction, or decreasing caloric intake by 20-30 per cent, was first shown to extend life in rats nearly 80 years ago. Since that time, limiting food intake for longevity has been investigated in species from yeast to humans. In yeast and lower animals, caloric restriction has repeatedly been demonstrated to lengthen the life span, prevent age-related disease-from Alzheimer’s to cancer, as well as younger appearance.
On March 22, the results of one of the first and largest human clinical trials ever to examine the effects of calorie restriction on ageing appeared in the journal Cell Metabolism. It was shown that cutting caloric intake by 15 per cent for two years slowed down ageing and metabolism in the study samples. It was also found to protect against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s as also others like cancer and diabetes.
