Calorie Restriction and Protein

Recent articles have been showing up lately about the protein IGF results in CRONies from the WUSTL study by DR Fontana. It seems most are coming up with the conclusion that calorie restriction does not work in humans, because this data disagrees with rodent sutdies. They are completely ignoring all the positive findings in humans showing that it's very likely that humans are responding to CR with more youthful health biomarkers and probably a longer life expectancy. No one can give a true answer to whether or not CR works until there is a study spanning across 100 years or so, and by then we'll have, I think, much more effective ways than calorie restriction at reversing aging.

If you refer back to some old studies done on rodents you will find that increasing protein intake, in the context of a CR diet, leads to 'longer life' in the CR group in rodents, and less disease. Michael from the CR Society actually replied with a few links on imminst which are worth the read. See them HERE
I'm unsure whether the protein increase (upto 50% of the diet) attenuates the reduction of IGF-1 normally seen in CR mice, but I assume it does to some extent. This is not evidence against CR at all, pretty much all previous results on humans have been beneficial. To name a findings; Virtually no risk of heart disease, diabetes or stroke. Little risk of autoimmune disease, no inflammation, less DNA damage, up regulation of genes involved in longevity (SIRT1) (but this is still under question), biomarkers that correlate with longevity such as very low fasting insulin and glucose, low body temperature, and overtime we expect less decline in DHEA. We see the same hormonal, metabolic changes as are seen in rodents, dogs, rhesus monkeys. Doctor Fontana even found that those on CR have hearts that function 15-20 years younger than their ages! This is big news. Interestingly I came across an article one day that showed in centenarians their heart function as measured in CRONies measure about 20 years younger than their age. It will be hard to find this article but it's out there somewhere. We hypothesis why centenarians become 'centenarians', why they make it to that big number of 100. Well if anything is going to give you that chance it HAS to be CR right? The common characteristics that are thought to enable people to reach 100 are being found in those that go on a CRON diet.

Most deaths in humans is caused by cardiovascular disease, IGF-1 plays a big role in cancers and rodents DO die of cancer much more frequently than humans. Higher IGF 1 in humans is actually found to PROTECT against degenerative diseases. Sure having IGF 1 might incrase ones risk of cancer, but in the general population we see that higher protein diets are actually better and have less mortality not more. A lot of cancer deaths can be prevented by not smoking and just eating a healthy diet. Age is the biggest risk factor, and the ability of CR to preserve immune function, to up regulate DNA repair, maintain lower glucose levels and less inflammation... even with IGF levels similar to the ad lib group in Fontanas study, we should actually fare better off. I believe that this is not a negative finding at all, and people on a CR diet should really think carefully before reducing their protein intake to such low levels while on CR.

If you want to live long enough to see real anti aging therapies. Be smart and practice some form of CR, whether it be just cutting out snacks or being on a more moderate diet. CR, not supplements or anything else is going to give the biggest chance of staying alive.