Caloric restriction may extend the average human life span, according to multiple studies. It’s common knowledge that a wholesome diet alongside healthier lifestyle choices like regular exercise and smoking abstinence can impact longevity at the cellular level. Now, researchers are exploring the correlation between nutrition and slower cell death rates to shed more light on how eating smarter can delay biological aging.
The research
Penn State University researchers recently published a study on how caloric restriction affects a person’s cellular aging and by extension, their life span. The research is based on data from previous CALERIE studies — a series of clinical trials on the effects of specific dietary changes on healthy human subjects. These trials have already shown a positive correlation between reducing average daily caloric intake and longer life in animals.
What a person eats in their 20s and 30s can dramatically impact the diseases they may develop as they get older.
The Penn State University study specifically looked at how making dietary changes can impact the rate of telomeres shortening, which is fundamental to cell health. Telomeres are essential components located at the end of chromosomes, and can provide valuable information about their structure and function within the cell.
Telomeres are necessary for cell division in almost all animals. With each replication, the telomeres get shorter until the cells can no longer divide. When this occurs, the body’s tissues age and move one step closer to cell death, in turn leading to mortality. An enzyme called telomerase can rebuild telomeres to restore cell division, but only up to a certain point. Cells that keep dividing uncontrollably are indicative of cancerous growth.
The prevailing idea behind the study is waste products from energy metabolism within a cell contribute to the breakdown of that cell. So, if a person restricts their calorie intake, there would be less energy for the cells to consume and therefore, the breakdown would occur slower.
Inconclusive findings
The researchers measured the telomere length of 175 research participants from the CALERIE studies. They discovered that caloric restriction began to slow down the shortening process after a year. However, at the end of two years, both the calorie-restricted and control groups showed similar telomere lengths, which could suggest various possibilities.
For one, it could mean the testing period isn’t long enough to produce conclusive results. Another possibility is cellular aging-related processes are complex, and it takes more than specific dietary changes to influence how quickly telomeres shorten when cells divide.
Nevertheless, the science is abundantly clear on the impact of food choices on healthy aging. What a person eats in their 20s and 30s can dramatically impact the diseases and health complications they may develop as they get older. Most recently, University of Warwick researchers studied the dietary choices of 181,990 participants, and determined a balanced diet was associated with superior cognitive functions and overall brain health.
Can dietary changes promote reverse aging?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle — eating good food, sleeping well and staying fit — can be instrumental to slower cellular aging. A recent study saw participants reduce their biological age by 4.6 years on average by following a carefully regimented program that included dietary changes, exercises and adequate sleep. Researchers measured DNA methylation levels to determine the biological age of the individuals before and after the program.
Before getting overly excited, it’s important to note the study involved only six participants, which is an extremely small panel. As such, more research with a larger population is required to reach a more reliable conclusion. Nevertheless, the results are promising and could be the foundation for future research on prolonging human life spans.
Eat healthy to age healthily
The findings of various studies add to the existing body of evidence suggesting dietary and lifestyle interventions can impact a person’s ability to age healthily and with minimal complications. With additional research and expanded parameters, scientists will be able to formulate more definitive conclusions.
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