Calorie restriction and longevity

How Eating Less Might Make You Live Longer ScienceDaily 3/6/07 "Caloric Restriction in non-obese people translates into less oxidative damage in muscle cells, according to a new study by Anthony Civitarese, Eric Ravussin, and colleagues (Pennington Biomedical Research Center). As oxidative damage has been linked to aging, this could explain how limiting calorie intake without malnutrition extends life span... major factor in the age-related decline of bodily functions is the accumulation of "oxidative damage" in the body's proteins, fats, and DNA. Oxidants--in particular, chemicals called "free radicals"--are produced when food is converted to energy by cellular structures called mitochondria. One theory for h ow caloric restriction slows aging is that it lowers free-radical production by inducing the formation of efficient mitochondria...a 25% caloric deficit for 6 months, achieved by diet alone or by diet plus exercise, decreased 24hr whole body energy expenditure (i.e. overall calories burned), which suggests improved mitochondrial function...Both interventions also reduced the amount of DNA damage--a marker of oxidative stress--in the participants' muscles...fewer calories can improve whole body metabolism in conjunction with an increase in SIRT1 gene expression in skeletal muscle. These results raise the possibility that SIRT1 may contribute to more efficient metabolism, less oxidative stress, and increase longevity in humans as it does in lower organism..."

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