A new study shows a diet that periodically restricts calories for a few days could reduce disease symptoms and potentially add years to your life.
A new study shows that a diet mimicking the effects of fasting can reduce health risks and increase lifespan.Decades of animal testing led to the discovery that time-restricted eating, intermittent fasting, or near-fasting—cycling between periods of eating less or nothing followed by periods of eating as much as you want—helps mice age better and live longer.
The fast-mimicking diet is a five-day , plant-based diet low in calories and protein, followed by a normal diet supporting new or more functional cell growth. The fast-mimicking diet for study participants included vegetable-based soups, energy bars and drinks, chip snacks, tea, and a high-level vitamin, mineral, and essentialsupplement. The total calories are 1,100 calories for the first day and 700 calories for days two to five.
Study participants included 100 men and women ages 18 to 70 and excluded anyone with major physical health conditions or mental illness. The researchers found that just three monthly cycles of the fast-mimicking diet reduced biological aging by an average of two and a half years.
Previous animal and human studies have found that a periodic fast-mimicking diet that meets basic nutritional needs can help alleviate symptoms and improve the metabolic health of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. While ongoing calorie restriction alone can help reduce weight and control disease risk factors, it’s well-documented how difficult it is for most people to maintain a low- to very low-calorie diet for any significant time.