from the University of Southern California School of Gerontology Professor Valter Longo said, Studies ranging from laboratory animal studies to population epidemiological studies have given scientists a clearer understanding of what nutrients can provide for longer, healthier lives.
An article published in the April 28, 2022 issue of Cell is titled“Nutrition, longevity and disease: From In a review article in “molecular mechanisms to interventions”, Longo and Rozalyn Anderson of the University of Wisconsin describe the “longevity diet”, a A multi-pillar approach to research, ranging from food composition and caloric intake to length and frequency of fasting periods.
Longo said, “We explored the links between nutrients, fasting, genes, and longevity in short-lived species, and linked these links to primates. Linking clinical and epidemiological studies in animals and humans, including centenarians. By employing a multi-system and multi-pillar approach based on more than a century of research, we can begin to define a macrobiotic diet that informs nutritional recommendations and future Research lays a solid foundation.”
What and when to eat for longevity
Longo and Anderson reviewed hundreds of studies on nutrition, disease and longevity in laboratory animals and humans and combined them with their own research on nutrition and aging. The analysis included popular diets such as total calorie restriction, high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets, vegetarian and vegan diets, and the Mediterranean diet.
This review article also reviews different forms of fasting, including short-term eating that mimics the body’s response to fasting, intermittent fasting (frequent and short-term), and periodic fasting (Fast or fast-mimicking diet for two or more days or more twice a month). In addition to exploring lifespan data from epidemiological studies, Longo and Anderson also linked these studies to specific dietary factors that affect several genetic pathways that regulate lifespan shared by animals and humans that also influence markers of disease risk , including levels of insulin, C-reactive protein, insulin-like growth factor 1, and cholesterol.
Conserved pathways associated with longer lifespan discovered in yeast, nematodes, Drosophila, and mice. Image via Cell, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.002.
Longo and Anderson report that a key characteristic of an optimal diet appears to be a moderate to high intake of carbohydrates from unrefined sources, mainly from plants, but a low Sufficient protein, and enough vegetable fats to provide about 30% of energy requirements.
Longo added, ideally, three meals a day are served within an 11- to 12-hour window, allowing for a period of fasting each day (e.g., eat breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and no extra food after 8:00 p.m.), every 3-4 months for a 5-day fast or fast-mimicking diet (ie, a diet that simulates fasting), may also help reduce risk factors for insulin resistance, blood pressure, and individuals at increased risk for other diseases.
Longo describes what a macrobiotic diet might look like in real life:“Lots of legumes, whole grains and vegetables; some fish; No red or processed meat, very little white meat; lower sugar and refined grains; good levels of nuts and olive oil, and some dark chocolate.”
What’s next for the macrobiotic diet
Longo said the next step in studying the macrobiotic diet will be a study in southern Italy A study of 500 people. The macrobiotic diet has both similarities and differences with the Mediterranean diet, which is often found in super-aging “blue areas” including Sardinia in Italy, Ryukyu and Loma Linda in California. In these communities, known for their high numbers of people aged 100 or older, common diets are often largely plant-based or fish-based and relatively low in protein. Longo explained, however, that the macrobiotic diet represents an evolution of these “centenarian diets,” which recommend limiting food intake to 12 hours a day, with several short fasting periods each year.
Longo notes that in addition to general characteristics, macrobiotic diets should also be adjusted for gender, age, health conditions and genetics. For example, people over 65 may need to increase protein to combat frailty and loss of lean body mass, as Longo’s own research has shown that higher protein levels are better for people over 65, but not for those under 65. Not the best choice for people.
Longo said that for those looking to optimize their diet for longevity, it is important to work with a health care provider who specializes in nutrition to develop a plan that focuses on possible A program of smaller changes for life-long adoption, rather than big changes that lead to significant loss of harmful body fat and lean meat, as lost fat is regained once people abandon restrictive diets.
He said, “The macrobiotic diet is not a restrictive diet just for weight loss, but a lifestyle focused on delaying aging that complements standard medical care. , and as a preventive measure will help avoid morbidity and maintain health into later life. ”
References:
1. Valter D. Longo et al. Nutrition, longevity and disease: from molecular mechanisms to interventions. Cell, 2022, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.002.
2. New Article Outlines the Characteristics of a “Longevity Diet”
https://gero.usc.edu/2022/04/28/valter-longo-longevity-diet/