Calorie restriction reverses many metabolic and immune responses that increase longevity and health
New study shows that calorie restriction improves metabolic and immune responses that affect life expectancy and number of healthy years.
New study on calorie restriction
p>The new study uses data collected by the Pennington Biomedical CALERIE 2 (comprehensive assessment of the long-term effects of reduced energy intake), the longest-running human calorie restriction trial.
Immune effects
The study found that people who reduced their calorie intake by about 14 percent over two years produced more T cells, which play a key role in immune function and slow the aging process.
Thymus shrinks as people age (iron) and produces fewer T cells. As a result, older people have a harder time fighting off infections and some types of cancer. And calorie restriction helps prevent the thymus from shrinking, so a person generates more T-cells,
the scientists noted.
Effects on metabolism
In addition to improving immunity, an increase in T cells is associated with a better ability of the body to burn fatty acid stores for energy. This is important because if a person does not burn them, fat can accumulate in organs such as muscle and liver, leading to insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and aging.
« Two years of moderate calorie restriction has reprogrammed fat cell metabolism, which helps regulate how mitochondria generate energy, the body's anti-inflammatory response, and affect longevity. In other words, calorie restriction changes many of the metabolic and immune responses that increase life expectancy and health,» the scientists concluded.
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