The Slow Down

Biomarkers suggest a very low-calorie diet might slow human aging. Compared to a control group, people who ate 25 percent fewer calories than the recommended daily allowance (and people who ate 12.5 percent fewer calories than the RDA while getting 12.5 percent more exercise) developed lower body temperatures and significantly lower insulin levels and DNA damage, which correlate with longevity. This follows previous studies in which 1) a very low-calorie diet apparently slowed heart aging in humans and 2) animals on such diets exceeded their species' maximum life spans. Proposed mechanism: Your body slows down to keep you alive, because it thinks you're starving. Possible conclusions:

1) Put down the sandwich and back away slowly.

2) Wait to see whether people with better biomarkers live longer.

3) Cauliflower and oats for dinner again?

Kill me now.

R

[ April 09, 2006, 06:01 PM: Message edited by: ITJock ]

Is "incresa" Italian for increase? wink wink

told you we needed a spell checker for those fast finger induced brain farts.

R