A recent study claims to have discovered ‘miracle molecules’ that can reverse aging, promising the development of a ‘longevity drug’ that can improve health-related quality of life as we grow older. The researchers are not the first to find clues to prevent cellular aging and seek to translate it.
Even if medical interventions deliver what they promise, do we really need more drugs? People in the so-called Blue Zones who live to see their hundredth year have already mastered the art of healthy aging through lifestyle activities that include healthy diet, exercise and social networks.
It’s thought that these people also only eat one or two meals a day without snacking. Periods of going without food, or fasting, has been practised throughout the centuries, and in modern times has been attracting growing attention by scientists.
Fasting, health and longevity
Various forms of fasting have been shown to prevent disease and increase the ‘healthspan’, and the underlying biological mechanisms are starting to be revealed.
Key benefits include weight loss and improved metabolic health, evidenced by reductions in blood pressure, “bad” cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance and blood sugar levels – all risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.
Studies suggest that fasting can also protect neurons, reducing cognitive impairment and risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Other benefits include improved immunity as well as reduced risk of cancer.
Fasting gives the body a chance to focus on cellular and DNA repair and mop up the by-products of metabolism, thus reducing oxidative damage and inflammation – both associated with accelerated aging.
It has been shown to induce “autophagy”, which is associated with longevity: a process of ‘cellular pruning’ whereby the body literally eats weak or malfunctioning cells and cellular components to allow the growth of healthy new cells.
What does fasting entail?
There are many different fasting practices, including fasting for 12 to 20 hours each day to longer fasts ranging from 24 hours to 7-14 days or more. So, it can be as simple as not eating anything for 12 hours between dinner and breakfast or skipping breakfast and perhaps even lunch altogether.
One of the benefits is that, although people do tend to compensate by eating a little more when they break their fast, they generally eat less overall. But it’s not just about caloric restriction: the timing matters.
In one study, a group of obese men restricted their eating to an 8-hour window (7am-3pm) over five weeks while another group ate the same food but spread it out between 7am and 7pm. While neither group lost weight, the 8-hour group showed greatly reduced insulin levels, improved insulin sensitivity and lower blood pressure. And they were less hungry.
Even cutting out snacks can give the body a break from digestion and insulin production and promote healing and repair. It’s important to drink plenty of fluids (water, herbal or black tea or coffee) and when eating to choose healthy foods. It’s also critical to keep exercising – in fact people tend to find they have more energy when fasting.
Note it’s recommended that prolonged fasting is best done under the supervision of a health professional.
References
https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/longevity-hack-intermittent-fasting-window
https://www.dietdoctor.com/intermittent-fasting https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-intermittent-fasting-diet
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8932957/
https://www.booktopia.com.au/complete-guide-to-fasting-jimmy-moore/book/9781628600018.html
