New research suggests that restricting calorie intake may help humans live longer than their peers with no food restrictions. The theory has been successfully tested on monkeys, mice, and fish.
Now, a new study suggests that humans too can benefit from calorie restrictions, which seem to slow metabolism. A slower metabolism has been tied to a slower aging process.
Study participants were asked to trim their normal calories intake by 25% every day during the trial. None of the volunteers had weight issues when the study started.
The new research involved 53 participants. Of those, two-thirds reduced their calorie intake dramatically for two years. Even though it was challenging to stick to a calorie restriction two years, participants were committed to the plan.
At the end of the study, the calorie-restricted group shed 25 pounds on average, while the rest of participants put on four pounds on average. Researchers found that calorie restriction has a positive impact on how people age too.
Smaller Calorie Intake Tied to Slower Metabolism
The metabolic rates of participants were measured, and the research team found that calories restriction slowed down the metabolism and made it more efficient. In other words, the cells of the people in the calorie-restricted group needed less oxygen to produce the energy their body needs.
- As a result, the body becomes energy efficient.
- Plus, if the body does not consume so much oxygen to produce fuel, fewer free radicals are released in the process.
- Free radicals are damaging cells and tissue and speed up the process of aging.
The findings appeared two weeks ago in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Study authors underscored that their study does not prove that calorie restriction alone can help people have a longer life. A study should track participants for a lifetime to prove the theory.
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