'Fasting-mimicking diet' may promote health and longevity

A new study published in Cell Metabolism suggests following a calorie-restricted diet that mimics fasting for just 5 days a month for 3 months may promote longevity and reduce a number of risk factors for cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Researchers found participants who followed a fasting-mimicking diet experienced a reduction in risk factors linked to aging, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Study co-author Valter D. Longo, of the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology in Italy and the University of Southern California, and colleagues say the research demonstrates the first anti-aging, healthspan-promoting intervention that doctors could feasibly recommend for patients.

Previous research from Longo in June last year suggested prolonged fasting - defined as consuming only water for 2-4 days - can "reboot" the human immune system. That is, fasting can help clear out damaged cells and regenerate new ones.

Another study published later that month also found periodic fasting may protect against diabetes among individuals at high risk for the condition.

However, Longo and colleagues note that humans find it psychologically challenging to engage in such extreme dieting, and it can also have adverse health effects - particularly for older individuals.

"These concerns point to the need for dietary interventions that induce prolonged fasting-like effects while minimizing the risk of adverse effects and the burden of complete food restriction," they note.

Fasting diet promoted cell regeneration, extending lifespan in mice

To address this need, the researchers developed a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) - a low-protein, low-fat diet high in healthy fats. By activating markers associated with prolonged fasting, such as low glucose levels and high levels of ketone bodies, the diet was able to simulate the effects of fasting.

Firstly, the team tested the diet in middle-aged mice, feeding them the diet for 4 days, twice a month. Mice fed the FMD intervention were compared with mice fed a control diet.

The team found mice fed the FMD intervention had much higher numbers of stem cells, and they experienced regeneration of an array of other cell types, including bone, muscle, liver, brain and immune cells, compared with mice fed the control diet.

In addition, the FMD intervention appeared to extend the lifespan of mice and promote better overall health. They experienced better learning and memory, lower incidence of cancer and inflammatory diseases and fat loss without a reduction in lean body mass, compared with control mice.

Reduction in risk factors for aging, CVD, diabetes and cancer in humans

Next, the team tested a similar FMD intervention in a group of 19 generally healthy people aged 18-70. These participants were required to follow the diet for 5 days a month for 3 months. The diet provided them with between 34-54% of their normal caloric intake, as well as 11-14% proteins, 42-43% carbohydrates and 44-46% fat.

The 19 participants following the FMD intervention were compared with a group of 18 generally healthy aged-matched individuals who continued to follow their normal diet.

Compared with the participants who consumed their standard diet, those who followed the FMD intervention experienced a reduction in risk factors linked to aging, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and cancer, including lowered blood glucose, reduced markers of inflammation and weight loss.

The team notes that only 5% of FMD participants were disqualified from the study for failing to comply with the dietary regime.

Longo and colleagues say their findings indicate that following an FMD intervention periodically may promote longevity in humans and protect against risk factors for certain diseases. They add:

"Although the clinical results will require confirmation by a larger randomized trial, the effects of FMD cycles on biomarkers/risk factors for aging, cancer, diabetes, and CVD, coupled with the very high compliance to the diet and its safety, indicate that this periodic dietary strategy has high potential to be effective in promoting human healthspan."

The team says they are now putting the FMD intervention through a rigorous testing process in order to gain approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use. This involves testing the efficacy of the diet in 60-70 participants, before moving to a clinical trial with 500-1,000 participants.

"This is arguably the first non-chronic preclinically and clinically tested anti-aging and healthspan-promoting intervention shown to work and to be very feasible as a doctor or dietitian-supervised intervention," says Longo.

The researchers stress that because the effects of the FMD intervention are potent, individuals should only follow such a diet under medical supervision.

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Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

Benefits demonstrated in mice and yeast; piloted in humans

Want to lose abdominal fat, get smarter and live longer? New research that periodically adopting a diet that mimics the effects of fasting may yield a wide range of health benefits.

Dieting (stock image).

Credit: © alexthq13 / Fotolia

Want to lose abdominal fat, get smarter and live longer? New research led by USC's Valter Longo shows that periodically adopting a diet that mimics the effects of fasting may yield a wide range of health benefits.

In a new study, Longo and his colleagues show that cycles of a four-day low-calorie diet that mimics fasting (FMD) cut visceral belly fat and elevated the number of progenitor and stem cells in several organs of old mice -- including the brain, where it boosted neural regeneration and improved learning and memory.

The mouse tests were part of a three-tiered study on periodic fasting's effects -- testing yeast, mice and humans -- set to be published by Cell Metabolismon June 18.

Mice, which have relatively short life spans, provided details about fasting's lifelong effects. Yeast, which are simpler organisms, allowed Longo to uncover the biological mechanisms that fasting triggers at a cellular level. And a pilot study in humans found evidence that the mouse and yeast studies were applicable to humans.

Bimonthly cycles that lasted four days of an FMD which started at middle age extended life span, reduced the incidence of cancer, boosted the immune system, reduced inflammatory diseases, slowed bone mineral density loss and improved the cognitive abilities of older mice tracked in the study. The total monthly calorie intake was the same for the FMD and control diet groups, indicating that the effects were not the result of an overall dietary restriction.

In a pilot human trial, three cycles of a similar diet given to 19 subjects once a month for five days decreased risk factors and biomarkers for aging, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer with no major adverse side effects, according to Longo.

'Strict fasting is hard for people to stick to, and it can also be dangerous, so we developed a complex diet that triggers the same effects in the body,' said Longo, Edna M. Jones professor of biogerontology at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and director of the USC Longevity Institute. Longo has a joint appointment at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. 'I've personally tried both, and the fasting mimicking diet is a lot easier and also a lot safer.'

The diet slashed the individual's caloric intake down to 34 to 54 percent of normal, with a specific composition of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and micronutrients. It decreased amounts of the hormone IGF-I, which is required during development to grow, but it is a promoter of aging and has been linked to cancer susceptibility. It also increased the amount of the hormone IGFBP-, and reduced biomarkers/risk factors linked to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including glucose, trunk fat and C-reactive protein without negatively affecting muscle and bone mass.

Longo has previously shown how fasting can help starve out cancer cells while protecting immune and other cells from chemotherapy toxicity.

'It's about reprogramming the body so it enters a slower aging mode, but also rejuvenating it through stem cell-based regeneration,' Longo said. 'It's not a typical diet because it isn't something you need to stay on.'

For 25 days a month, study participants went back to their regular eating habits -- good or bad -- once they finished the treatment. They were not asked to change their diet and still saw positive changes.

Longo believes that for most normal people, the FMD can be done every three to six months, depending on the abdominal circumference and health status. For obese subjects or those with elevated disease risk factors, the FMD could be recommended by the physician as often as once every two weeks. His group is testing its effect in a randomized clinical trial, which will be completed soon, with more than 70 subjects.

'If the results remain as positive as the current ones, I believe this FMD will represent the first safe and effective intervention to promote positive changes associated with longevity and health span, which can be recommended by a physician,' Longo said. 'We will soon meet with FDA officers to pursue several FDA claims for disease prevention and treatment.'

Despite its positive effects, Longo cautioned against water-only fasting and warned even about attempting the fasting mimicking diet without first consulting a doctor and seeking their supervision throughout the process.

'Not everyone is healthy enough to fast for five days, and the health consequences can be severe for a few who do it improperly,' he said. 'Water-only fasting should only be done in a specialized clinic. Also, certain types of very low calorie diets, and particularly those with high protein content, can increase the incidence of gallstones in women at risk'.

'In contrast,' he added, 'the fasting mimicking diet tested in the trial can be done anywhere under the supervision of a physician and carefully following the guidelines established in the clinical trials.'

Longo also cautioned that diabetic subjects should not undergo either fasting or fasting mimicking diets while receiving insulin, metformin or similar drugs. He also said that subjects with body mass index less than 18 should not undergo the FMD diet.

For the study, Longo collaborated with researchers and clinicians from USC as well as from Texas, Italy and England. The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging.

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Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Southern California. The original item was written by Robert Perkins. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Study links PTSD to premature aging

Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder may be at greater risk for premature aging. This is according to a new study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Researchers found people with PTSD were more likely to have shorter telomere length - an indicator of premature aging.

Around 7-8% of the US population will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives.

The condition can occur after exposure to a traumatic event. A person with PTSD may experience nightmares, have flashbacks of the event, avoid places or situations that remind them of the event and suffer hyperarousal symptoms - such as nervousness and tension.

PTSD has been associated with increased risk of numerous other health problems, including insomnia, severe depression, eating disorders and substance abuse.

This latest study, conducted by researchers from the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs San Diego Health System, is the first of its kind to associate PTSD with a biological process like premature aging.

To reach their findings, the team conducted a comprehensive review of studies connected to early aging among individuals with PTSD dating back to 2000.

Since there is no standard definition for premature or accelerated aging, the researchers say, they looked at nonpsychiatric disorders that incorporate early aging, such as progeria syndrome and Down's syndrome, as a guide.

The team identified 64 studies that they deemed appropriate for investigation into the link between PTSD and aging. They were able to use these studies to assess how PTSD affects biomarkers of accelerated aging - such as telomere length - and how it affects onset and prevalence of age-related medical conditions and overall mortality.

PTSD linked to shorter telomere length, earlier mortality

The researchers found that, compared with individuals without PTSD, people with the condition had reduced telomere length.

Telomeres are caps on the end of each DNA strand that protect the chromosomes. Telomere length reduces with each cell replication and this is considered to be a marker of aging.

The team also found that people with PTSD were more likely to have increased levels of pro-inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), which are said to be markers of aging.

There was also a high incidence of PTSD alongside age-related conditions, the team notes, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia.

What is more, some of the studies reviewed suggested a mild-to-moderate link between PTSD and earlier mortality, which the team says is consistent with premature or accelerated aging among people with the condition.

Though the researchers say their study does not show whether PTSD is a specific cause of premature aging, they believe it highlights the need to class PTSD as more than just a mental illness.

First study author Dr. James B. Lohr, professor of psychiatry at UC-San Diego, adds:

"Early senescence, increased medical morbidity and premature mortality in PTSD have implications in health care beyond simply treating PTSD symptoms. Our findings warrant a deeper look at this phenomenon and a more integrated medical-psychiatric approach to their care."

The team stresses that further studies are needed to confirm their findings and determine the mechanisms behind the association between PTSD and premature aging.

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Hayley Okines dies from rare premature aging disease aged 17

A courageous girl from the UK who raised awareness of a rare genetic disorder that causes premature aging - progeria - has died aged 17.

"Hayley was a pioneer - and one of the reasons that we now have the first treatment for progeria. Today we remember her tremendous courage and determination," said the Progeria Research Foundation.

Progeria, or Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), affects around 1 in 4-8 million newborns worldwide. There are approximately 200-250 children living with the condition across the globe at any one time.

Progeria is caused by an abnormal protein in the LMNA gene, called progerin, which interferes with the production of lamin A - a protein that stabilizes a cell's nucleus. This disruption causes children with progeria to age up to 10 times faster than normal.

On Thursday evening, it was announced that 17-year-old progeria sufferer Hayley Okines - from Medical News Today's hometown Bexhill in East Sussex, England - had passed away.

Hayley's mother, Kerry Okines, posted the sad news on Facebook: "My baby girl has gone somewhere better. She took her last breath in my arms at 9.39 pm."

Hayley - who BBC News say had the "body of a 104-year-old" - was being treated in the hospital for pneumonia, but she returned home shortly before she died. "She came home for an hour and she saw her puppies, little brother Louie and her sister Ruby," Hayley's father, Mark Okines, told BBC News on Friday.

"I think she wanted to come home to say goodbye to everybody," he continued. "I think she knew that yesterday was going to be the time."

'We remember her tremendous courage and determination'

Children with progeria rarely live past the age of 14, often passing away from ailments that affect the elderly, such as heart disease and stroke.

Hayley was told she would not live past the age of 13, but in 2007, the teenager began undergoing pioneering treatment at Boston Children's Hospital, MA, as part of the first clinical trial for the condition.

In a statement following Hayley's death, the Progeria Research Foundation praised the teenager for her contribution to progeria research:

"The entire PRF community mourns the loss of one of our shining stars, Hayley Okines. Hayley was one of the first participants in the ongoing progeria clinical trials. Hayley was a pioneer - and one of the reasons that we now have the first treatment for progeria. Today we remember her tremendous courage and determination."

Hayley was an avid campaigner for progeria awareness, hailed locally and nationally as an inspiration for people with and without the condition. The teenager penned two books detailing her experiences of living with progeria - "Old Before My Time" and "Young at Heart" - and took part in numerous interviews.

As well as for her contribution to progeria awareness and research, Hayley was highly admired for her positive outlook on life, writing in "Young at Heart:"

"My life with progeria is full of happiness and good memories. Deep inside I am no different from anyone. We are all human."

Our thoughts and prayers are with Hayley's family and friends at this difficult time.

The news of Hayley's death comes just 15 months after it was announced Sam Burns, a boy from Foxborough, MA, had died from progeria aged 17.

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Loneliness and social isolation linked to early mortality

There are a number of health and lifestyle factors - obesity, smoking, air pollution - that are known to be risk factors for early mortality and receive considerable attention. New research has suggested that social connections should be added to this list, with a study finding loneliness and social isolation to be risk factors for all ages.

The researchers suggest that the more positive psychology that individuals have, the better they can function, both emotionally and physically.

Psychologists from Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, discovered in a meta-analysis that loneliness and social isolation better predicted premature death among populations aged less than 65 years, despite older people being more likely to be lonely and having a higher mortality risk overall.

"The effect of this is comparable to obesity, something that public health takes very seriously," says lead author Julianne Holt-Lunstad. "We need to start taking our social relationships more seriously."

Previous research has demonstrated that social connections can have a positive influence on physical well-being as well as psychological and emotional well-being. Until now, no meta-analysis had been conducted where the effect of social isolation and loneliness on mortality has been the focus.

Although the two terms sound similar, loneliness and social isolation can be very different in appearance. An individual who is surrounded by lots of other people can still feel lonely while some people prefer to be alone and foster isolation from others.

Despite these differences, however, the study found that the effects on premature mortality were the same for both loneliness and social isolation.

Researchers predict a 'loneliness epidemic' in the future

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 70 studies conducted between 1980 and 2014, featuring a total of over 3 million participants. The data included information regarding loneliness, social isolation and living alone.

After controlling for variables such as age, gender, socioeconomic status and pre-existing health conditions, the researchers found that social isolation was linked to an increased risk of premature mortality. Conversely, the presence of social relationships was found to have a positive influence on health.

The study did, however, utilize data from a narrow range of ages, with the majority of the data coming from older adults. The authors acknowledge that less than a quarter of the studies analyzed involved people with an average age of 59 or younger, and only 9% of studies involved participants younger than 50 at intake.

The researchers state that the effects on physical health caused by loneliness and social isolation are comparable to those caused by obesity, with current evidence indicating "that heightened risk for mortality from a lack of social relationships is greater than that from obesity." They write:

"The current status of research on the risks of loneliness and social isolation is similar to that of research on obesity 3 decades ago - although further research on causal pathways is needed, researchers now know both the level of risk and the social trends suggestive of even greater risk in the future."

Due to advances in technology and the evolution of the Internet, it may seem as though people are closer together than ever before. However, the number of people feeling lonely appears to be on the rise.

"Not only are we at the highest recorded rate of living alone across the entire century, but we're at the highest recorded rates ever on the planet," says co-author Tim Smith. "With loneliness on the rise, we are predicting a possible loneliness epidemic in the future."

Despite the limitations of the study, the authors believe that their findings justify raising a warning about increasing rates of social isolation.

Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study that found extreme loneliness can increase an older person's risk of premature death by 14%.

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New 'MIND' diet linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer's

A new diet developed by researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL, could significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, even for those who do not follow it precisely.

The MIND diet focuses specifically on berries rather than consumption of all fruits. Blueberries and strawberries, in particular, have been hailed for their brain benefits.

This is the finding of a new study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

The diet - called the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet - was created by nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris, PhD, and colleagues at Rush. It uses aspects of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet - an eating plan based on studies supported by the National Institutes of Health - and the Mediterranean diet.

While both the Mediterranean and DASH diets have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure, some studies have suggested the diets may also protect against dementia.

The newly created MIND diet, according to Morris and Colleagues, is easier to follow than the Mediterranean and DASH diets. It consists of 15 dietary components: 10 "brain-healthy food groups" and five unhealthy food groups.

Green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine make up the brain-healthy foods, while red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food are the food groups that should be limited.

Unlike the DASH and Mediterranean diets - in which high consumption of all fruits is recommended - the MIND diet focuses specifically on berries. Morris explains that blueberries and strawberries, in particular, have been hailed for their brain benefits in past research.

Moderate adherence to MIND diet reduced Alzheimer's risk by 35%

For their study, the researchers analyzed the food intake of 923 Chicago residents between the ages of 58 and 98 who were part of the Rush Memory and Aging Project - an ongoing study that aims to identify factors that may protect cognitive health.

Dietary information was gathered from food frequency questionnaires the participants completed between 2004 and 2013. The researchers scored participants on how closely their food intake matched either the MIND diet, Mediterranean diet or DASH diet, and incidence of Alzheimer's disease was assessed over an average follow-up period of 4.5 years.

Fast facts about Alzheimer's

• More than 5 million people in the US are living with Alzheimer's, and this number is expected to rise to as many as 16 million by 2050
• Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the US
• More than two thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's are women.

The researchers found that participants whose food intake closely followed either of the three diets were at lower risk of Alzheimer's. Participants who followed the Mediterranean diet were at 54% lower risk, those who followed the MIND diet were at 53% lower risk, while followers of the DASH diet had a 39% reduced risk for Alzheimer's.

However, the team found that participants who had a moderate adherence to the Mediterranean or DASH diets showed no reduced risk for Alzheimer's, while moderate adherence to the MIND diet still put participants at 35% lower risk of developing the disease.

Morris says one of the most exciting things about their findings is the fact that even following the MIND diet moderately well indicated significant protection against Alzheimer's. "I think that will motivate people," she adds.

However, the researchers note that to really benefit from the MIND diet, followers should not overindulge in unhealthy foods, particularly butter, cheese and fried foods.

On eliminating participants who changed their diet at some point during follow-up, the team found that participants who followed the MIND diet for a longer duration saw the highest protection against Alzheimer's. "As is the case with many health-related habits, including physical exercise," says Morris, "you'll be healthier if you've been doing the right thing for a long time."

While further studies are needed to confirm these findings, the researchers believe the MIND diet shows promise for reducing the risk of Alzheimer's. "We devised a diet and it worked in this Chicago study," Morris adds.

Talking to Medical News Today, Morris said there is no reason why people should wait to try the MIND diet, however. "The dietary components of the MIND diet are also the foundations of the Mediterranean and DASH diets - both of which have been found through randomized controlled trials to have many cardiovascular benefits," she said. "It is hard to come up with a potential downside to adopting these dietary habits."

Last week, MNT reported on a study published in Science Translational Medicine, in which Australian researchers reveal how a new ultrasound technique successfully restored memory in mouse models of Alzheimer's.

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Exercise for the heart may also protect the mind

 It would appear that aerobic exercise may do more than just preserve our cardiovascular health - it may also keep our minds sharp as we age. This was the conclusion of a new study from Canada that found links between aerobic fitness and brain function in older adults.

The researchers, including first author Dr. Claudine Gauthier and others from the University of Montreal, report their findings in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

Dr. Gauthier, now a post-doctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany, explains:

"Our body's arteries stiffen with age, and the vessel hardening is believed to begin in the aorta, the main vessel coming out of the heart, before reaching the brain. Indeed, the hardening may contribute to cognitive changes that occur during a similar time frame."

Older adults with more elastic aortas performed better on mental tests

She and her fellow researchers studied a group of older adults and found the ones whose aortas were in better condition and who were aerobically fitter did better on a cognitive test:

A group of older adults who were aerobically fitter performed better on a cognitive test, researchers say.

"We therefore think that the preservation of vessel elasticity may be one of the mechanisms that enables exercise to slow cognitive aging," she adds.

They studied two groups of physically and mentally healthy participants: 31 younger people aged 18-30 and 54 older adults aged 55-75.

They were interested in comparing not only the younger to the older group, but also to make comparisons within each age group.

All participants underwent physical and mental tests. For the physical tests, they worked hard on workout machines while the researchers measured their maximum oxygen intake over 30-second periods. And for the mental test, they performed a Stroop effect task - a scientifically validated test researchers often use to measure cognitive ability.

In the Stroop effect test, the participant is shown the names of different colors, such as RED, YELLOW, BLUE, and so on, with each word printed in a color that is not the color meant by the word. Thus, RED might be printed in blue, and YELLOW might be printed in red. The participant has to shout out the color of the print and not the printed word.

The participants also underwent three MRI scans: one measured blood flow to the brain, another measured brain activity during the Stroop task, and the third measured the stiffness of the aorta. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body - it carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.

The researchers found evidence of age-related declines in brain executive function, elasticity of the aorta and cardiorespiratory fitness. They also found links between vascular health and brain function, and aerobic fitness and brain function.

Method could be adapted to study links in less healthy populations

Dr. Gauthier says this is the first study to report using MRI in this way:

"It enabled us to find even subtle effects in this healthy population, which suggests that other researchers could adapt our test to study vascular-cognitive associations within less healthy and clinical populations."

She notes that although other, more complex mechanisms may also link cardiovascular fitness and the health of blood vessels in the brain, "overall these results support the hypothesis that lifestyle helps maintain the elasticity of arteries, thereby preventing downstream cerebrovascular damage and resulting in preserved cognitive abilities in later life."

Funding for the study came from a number of sources, including the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Canadian National Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Ministère du développement économique, de l'innovation et de l'exportation.

Meanwhile, in another recently published study led by Stanford University, Medical News Today learned how physical activity cuts the risk of irregular heartbeat in older women. The researchers found the more physically active the women were, the lower the chance they would develop atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that causes arrhythmia.

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