Russ
11-18-2006, 12:10 AM
Intermittent fasting provides benefits of dietary restriction
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online early edition has shown that a regimen of every other day fasting resulted in some benefits that met or exceeded those previously demonstrated to be the result of dietary restriction. Restricting calories in the diet has been the only method to consistently extend maximum lifespan in every species tested, and has been shown to provide other benefits such as lower glucose levels and improved disease resistance.
The current study, conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center, used nine week old mice that were divided into groups who received unlimited access to food, unlimited access every other day alternating with fasting, or a diet containing 60 percent of the calories consumed by the first group. Blood samples were drawn at 29 weeks of age.
At the studys conclusion, the intermittently fasting mice were consuming the same amount of food in a 48 hour period as the mice who were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. While body weight of the calorie restricted mice was half that of the group whose calories were unlimited, intermittently fasting mice weighed only slightly less. Both calorie restricted and intermittently fasting mice had significantly lower fasting levels of glucose and insulin, with levels in the intermittently fasting mice dropping lower than those of the calorie restricted group. Mice who fasted every other day also showed greater brain cell resistance to excitotoxic stress than either group. IGF-1 levels were reduced in the restricted mice but increased in the intermittently fasting mice, revealing a dissociation in the mechanisms that regulate IGF-1 and insulin levels.
Although this study did not show whether intermittent fasting would extend lifespan, it demonstrated that the regimen has benefits that are independent of caloric intake.
D Dye
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online early edition has shown that a regimen of every other day fasting resulted in some benefits that met or exceeded those previously demonstrated to be the result of dietary restriction. Restricting calories in the diet has been the only method to consistently extend maximum lifespan in every species tested, and has been shown to provide other benefits such as lower glucose levels and improved disease resistance.
The current study, conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center, used nine week old mice that were divided into groups who received unlimited access to food, unlimited access every other day alternating with fasting, or a diet containing 60 percent of the calories consumed by the first group. Blood samples were drawn at 29 weeks of age.
At the studys conclusion, the intermittently fasting mice were consuming the same amount of food in a 48 hour period as the mice who were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. While body weight of the calorie restricted mice was half that of the group whose calories were unlimited, intermittently fasting mice weighed only slightly less. Both calorie restricted and intermittently fasting mice had significantly lower fasting levels of glucose and insulin, with levels in the intermittently fasting mice dropping lower than those of the calorie restricted group. Mice who fasted every other day also showed greater brain cell resistance to excitotoxic stress than either group. IGF-1 levels were reduced in the restricted mice but increased in the intermittently fasting mice, revealing a dissociation in the mechanisms that regulate IGF-1 and insulin levels.
Although this study did not show whether intermittent fasting would extend lifespan, it demonstrated that the regimen has benefits that are independent of caloric intake.
D Dye