Intermittent fasting can help you achieve this without the challenges of pure caloric restriction. Intermittent fasting longevity results, in part, from creating spontaneous caloric restriction that is sustainable because it is not accompanied by the feelings of deprivation that come with chronic calorie restriction.

There are other advantages, too. For starters, intermittent fasting helps you maintain a healthy weight — an essential part of warding off chronic disease and other life-shortening conditions.

Healthy, metabolically flexible cells are resilient to stress, illness, and disease. Ultimately, intermittent fasting keeps the billions of cells in your body in good health and on the path towards healthy longevity. Meanwhile, studies show that, on average, people eat or snack during 14—15 hours of their hour day.

If you follow this schedule, your body may never get a chance to shift your metabolism and fully activate your innate fat-burning machinery. When your body is out of balance and exclusively operating in the fed metabolic state growth mode , you are more likely to gain weight. Researchers have found that unrestricted meals and snacks, a.

Consequently, round-the-clock eating patterns have been linked to weight gain and declines in metabolic health. Intermittent fasting enables your body to naturally balance fed vs. fasted metabolism. Compared with restrictive diets that require a lot of discipline, intermittent fasting is a more sustainable lifestyle approach to maintaining healthy body weight and may be superior for weight loss.

Intermittent fasting is an excellent way to reduce overall oxidative stress, which otherwise damages your DNA and causes you to age faster. In a three-year follow-up study of adults over 60 years old, intermittent fasting just a couple times a week was shown to naturally reduce inflammation and boost natural anti-aging processes.

In a nutshell, intermittent fasting helps protect your DNA and thereby promotes longevity at the cellular level. Chronic inflammation is believed to be a causal factor in atherosclerotic disease which can lead to heart attacks and insulin resistance.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce circulating inflammation markers more effectively than alternative strategies like calorie restriction. As your metabolism shifts to burning fat and producing ketones, you activate anti-inflammatory pathways that are turned off in the fed state.

Previous studies demonstrating this mechanism are supported by a new study that identified intermittent fasting as an effective method to improve insulin sensitivity, gut microbiome health, and overall inflammation throughout the body.

A significant body of evidence suggests that fasting regimens, especially in middle-aged adults and older, protect against common age-related diseases, like heart disease. Researchers believe that intermittent fasting produces longevity benefits and reduces disease risk without the adherence and biological challenges associated with chronic calorie restriction diets.

Autophagy is an important, natural process in which your body clears older, tired, or worn-out cellular components so that your cells can function optimally. Intermittent fasting helps you do this. In humans, fasting for at least 18 hours can increase autophagy signals.

In a study , overweight adults were split into two groups: one group fasted for 18 hours per day while the other group fasted for 12 hours per day for four days. To determine how long you should fast for longevity, first consider your individual health, schedule, and preferences.

Many longevity benefits are accrued over time, so the fasting practice that you can keep consistent is the one that will yield the most long-term benefit.

One intermittent-fasting experience is not going to be enough to dramatically improve your longevity metrics, like blood pressure or risk for cardiovascular disease!

Increasingly, scientific advances demonstrate that aging is a modifiable process. Although your chronological age progression is non-negotiable, researchers continue to find that biological aging can be slowed or even reversed through your lifestyle and habits.

In fact, a clinical trial from demonstrated that specific lifestyle modifications — including mild intermittent fasting in combination with healthy nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress-management habits the Four Pillars!

were able to reduce biological age by 3. Yes, you can do intermittent fasting for longevity every day. Food aromas are important as they trigger the release of saliva, stomach acid, and enzymes in preparation for digestion.

An impaired sense of smell in older adults is also associated with less variety in food choices and poorer nutrition, but can also lead to increased food intake and weight gain in some individuals.

Seasoning food more liberally with sodium-free herbs, spices, and vinegars may help to compensate for sensory deficiencies. Using foods with a savory umami quality like mushrooms , tomatoes, some cheeses, and yeast can boost richness and flavor. If poor appetite from sensory loss is a problem, providing variety through different textures, smells, and colors in the meal may stimulate an increased desire to eat.

Eating and food preparation are also important activities offering socialization and mental stimulation such as when learning new cooking skills. Preparing meals helps to reduce sedentariness as there are several action steps involved: selecting and purchasing, washing and chopping, and cooking the ingredients.

Identifying additional factors that improve and extend our healthspans is an active area of scientific inquiry. That said, sticking to these behaviors is easier said than done, and public policies must support and promote these habits by improving the food and physical environments that surround us.

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products. Skip to content The Nutrition Source. The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. Home Nutrition News What Should I Eat? Five Key Lifestyle Factors Researchers from Harvard University looked at factors that might increase the chances of a longer life.

Five factors for a longer and healthier lifespan Healthy diet — The prevalence of hypertension high blood pressure and dementia increases with age.

Eating patterns such as those from the DASH , MIND , and Mediterranean diets can lower the risk of these and other chronic conditions that accompany older ages.

A multivitamin-mineral supplement may also help to improve cognitive function and memory in some people, according to large randomized controlled trials. Regular exercise — Regular physical activity lowers the risk of several chronic conditions that increase with age including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, certain cancers, and cognitive decline.

Exercise also helps to lower anxiety and blood pressure, and improve sleep quality. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the U. Department of Health and Human Services first recommends to move more and sit less, with some activity better than none.

For additional health benefits, they advise a minimum of minutes weekly of moderate to vigorous activity, like brisk walking or fast dancing, as well as two days a week of muscle-strengthening exercises. Older adults who are at risk for falls may also wish to include balance training such as tai chi or yoga.

See additional physical activity considerations for older adults. Factors to consider include reviewing current health conditions, family history, weight history, and genetically inherited body type.

Not smoking — Smoking is a strong risk factor for cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung diseases, and earlier death as it promotes chronic inflammation and oxidative stress a condition that can damage cells and tissues.

Quitting greatly reduces the risk of these smoking-related diseases. However, because alcohol intake—especially heavier drinking—is also associated with risks of addiction, liver disease, and several types of cancer, it is a complex issue that is best discussed with your physician to weigh your personal risk versus benefit.

How sensory changes with aging affect how we eat We know that taste is key when enjoying a meal, but what about the smell, texture, appearance, colorfulness, mouthfeel, and even the sound of food how it crunches in the mouth or sizzles when cooking?

These are the human senses that contribute to the eating experience and influence our food choices. Spotlight on longevity in Japan Japanese women and men currently live five to six years longer than Americans, so their practices are of great interest.

In Japanese families, elders are highly revered and households are intergenerational. Japanese elders are generally healthier than Western elders, but is this the chicken or the egg?

Does better health from good lifestyle habits allow them to stay physically active and involved in society so they remain a valuable asset and reap psychosocial benefits, or is it the culture that reveres elders so they have better mental health, less loneliness, and better healthcare so that they stay healthier longer?

Japan has also largely avoided the epidemic of obesity that the U. is experiencing; for example, the prevalence of obesity among U.

In recent years, diets in Japan have become more similar to those in the U. but they still eat smaller portions, more fermented foods, less sweets, and less red meat. References National Academy of Medicine. Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Li Y, Pan A, Wang DD, Liu X, Dhana K, Franco OH, Kaptoge S, Di Angelantonio E, Stampfer M, Willett WC, Hu FB. Impact of healthy lifestyle factors on life expectancies in the US population. Li Y, Schoufour J, Wang DD, Dhana K, Pan A, Liu X, Song M, Liu G, Shin HJ, Sun Q, Al-Shaar L.

Healthy lifestyle and life expectancy free of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort study.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking and Tobacco Use: Fast Facts. Kim ES, Shiba K, Boehm JK, Kubzansky LD. Sense of purpose in life and five health behaviors in older adults. Preventive Medicine. Guimond AJ, Shiba K, Kim ES, Kubzansky LD. Sense of purpose in life and inflammation in healthy older adults: A longitudinal study.

Crowe CL, Domingue BW, Graf GH, Keyes KM, Kwon D, Belsky DW. Associations of loneliness and social isolation with health span and life span in the US health and retirement study.

Therefore, increased autophagy may play a role in anti-aging. This study indicates that eTRF could potentially have anti-aging and longevity effects. Of note, no changes were noted in antioxidant levels related to oxidative stress. Please note, intermittent is not for everyone—individuals who are underweight, under 18 years old, pregnant or breastfeeding, have a history or currently struggle with eating disorders, and those with diabetes, or on certain medications should refrain from intermittent fasting.

sales insidetracker. com Support center. All rights reserved. InsideTracker is a personalized nutrition model by Segterra. Before we dive in, here is a quick overview of three types of IF widely studied in humans: Time-Restricted Feeding TRF : eating is limited to a specific time window i.

Intermittent fasting improves markers of oxidative stress, a measure of longevity Many scientists agree that cellular oxidative stress can significantly influence the rate at which we age.

Oxidative stress stems from an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Free radicals are generated by both external sources and internal metabolic pathways, and can damage cells, proteins, and DNA.

Antioxidants, substances produced by the body and found in various foods, help neutralize free radicals' harmful effects. Scientists and experts agree that, by limiting free radicals and increasing antioxidant content in the body thereby reducing oxidative stress , we can help slow down the aging process.

Figure 1. Effects of Early Time-Restricted Feeding observed in clinical trials. Figure 2. Changes in autophagy gene expression during eTRF.

More on this topic. Manage Your Mind with These Three Strategies from Dr. Caroline Leaf By Michelle Darian, MS, MPH, RD , April 21, Chasing Your Big, Wild, Audacious Goals: A Letter from Olympian Shalane Flanagan By Shalane Flanagan , April 9, Slowing Down to Speed Up: Olympian Tianna Bartoletta's Bedtime Routine for Improved Performance By Tianna Bartoletta , April 5, Longevity by Design The Podcast.

Ask Me Anything AMA : Oral Health, Healthspan, and Longevity with Dr. Gil Blander and Ashley How Our Blood Impacts Brain Aging and Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Tony Wyss-Coray. View all articles. In recent years, diets in Japan have become more similar to those in the U.

but they still eat smaller portions, more fermented foods, less sweets, and less red meat. References National Academy of Medicine. Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Li Y, Pan A, Wang DD, Liu X, Dhana K, Franco OH, Kaptoge S, Di Angelantonio E, Stampfer M, Willett WC, Hu FB.

Impact of healthy lifestyle factors on life expectancies in the US population. Li Y, Schoufour J, Wang DD, Dhana K, Pan A, Liu X, Song M, Liu G, Shin HJ, Sun Q, Al-Shaar L. Healthy lifestyle and life expectancy free of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort study.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking and Tobacco Use: Fast Facts. Kim ES, Shiba K, Boehm JK, Kubzansky LD. Sense of purpose in life and five health behaviors in older adults. Preventive Medicine. Guimond AJ, Shiba K, Kim ES, Kubzansky LD. Sense of purpose in life and inflammation in healthy older adults: A longitudinal study.

Crowe CL, Domingue BW, Graf GH, Keyes KM, Kwon D, Belsky DW. Associations of loneliness and social isolation with health span and life span in the US health and retirement study.

The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. Yu B, Steptoe A, Chen Y. Social isolation, loneliness, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study of 35, Chinese older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Joyce J, Ryan J, Owen A, Hu J, McHugh Power J, Shah R, Woods R, Storey E, Britt C, Freak-Poli R, ASPREE Investigator Group.

Social isolation, social support, and loneliness and their relationship with cognitive health and dementia.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Lisko I, Kulmala J, Annetorp M, Ngandu T, Mangialasche F, Kivipelto M. How can dementia and disability be prevented in older adults: where are we today and where are we going?.

Journal of internal medicine. Harling G, Kobayashi LC, Farrell MT, Wagner RG, Tollman S, Berkman L. Social contact, social support, and cognitive health in a population-based study of middle-aged and older men and women in rural South Africa.

Kivipelto M, Mangialasche F, Ngandu T. Lifestyle interventions to prevent cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer disease. Nature Reviews Neurology. Irwin MR, Vitiello MV. The Lancet Neurology. Sleep disturbance and the risk of cognitive decline or clinical conversion in the ADNI cohort.

Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders. de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. New England Journal of Medicine. Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M.

Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing research reviews. Dong TA, Sandesara PB, Dhindsa DS, Mehta A, Arneson LC, Dollar AL, Taub PR, Sperling LS. Intermittent fasting: a heart healthy dietary pattern?. The American journal of medicine. Gervis JE, Fernández-Carrión R, Chui KK, Ma J, Coltell O, Sorli JV, Asensio EM, Ortega-Azorín C, Pérez-Fidalgo JA, Portolés O, Lichtenstein AH.

Associations between taste perception profiles and empirically derived dietary patterns: an exploratory analysis among older adults with metabolic syndrome. Pisano M, Hilas O. Zinc and taste disturbances in older adults: a review of the literature.

The Consultant Pharmacist. Correia C, Lopez KJ, Wroblewski KE, Huisingh-Scheetz M, Kern DW, Chen RC, Schumm LP, Dale W, McClintock MK, Pinto JM. Global sensory impairment in older adults in the United States.

Rolls BJ. Do chemosensory changes influence food intake in the elderly?. Fluitman KS, Hesp AC, Kaihatu RF, Nieuwdorp M, Keijser BJ, IJzerman RG, Visser M. Poor taste and smell are associated with poor appetite, macronutrient intake, and dietary quality but not with undernutrition in older adults.

The Journal of nutrition.

A fasting-mimicking diet could spur cellular repair and improve health, says USC Leonard Davis Professor Valter Longo. When it comes to what, when and how we eat, fasting — voluntarily abstaining from food for varying periods of time — is having a moment. Seemingly ageless celebrities like Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman praise the practice for helping them to look, feel and even sleep better.

Yet fasting is far from a fad. It was a part of life in ancient civilizations, and many religions today retain some form of the rite, often as a way to achieve focus and clarity. In scientific circles, no less than Hippocrates, known as the father of modern medicine, is said to have prescribed it to spur healing.

Jones Professor of Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School, brings to his research exploring the life-extending benefits of fasting-like diets. It also connects to the many faith traditions that make fasting an age-old practice.

The word works. One in 10 people today are following a fasting diet, according to the IFICF survey. Longo, who earned his PhD in biochemistry, has been at the forefront of the modern fasting movement for more than 20 years.

His work grew out of earlier food-related findings showing that reducing calories without malnutrition extended healthy life spans and reduced cancer and other diseases in animal models.

But these studies, as well as some later ones in humans, also revealed harmful consequences of severe caloric restriction and proved to be very difficult for people to maintain. And the first idea was chemotherapy. In a landmark study, Longo found that fasting for two days protected healthy cells against the toxicity of chemotherapy, while the cancer cells stayed sensitive.

These results opened the door to a new way of thinking about cancer treatments — one that shields healthy cells to allow for a more powerful assault on cancerous ones.

They also led to the creation of the first fasting-mimicking diet, which Longo developed as a way to put patients with cancer, or mice in the lab, in a fasting state while still allowing them to eat.

Longo answered the call, and in the past decade, he and other researchers have clinically demonstrated that brief cycles of periodic fasting-mimicking diets FMD have a range of beneficial effects on aging and on risk factors for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other age-related diseases in mice and humans.

Based on his USC research, Longo founded L-Nutra, a nutri-technology company that offers packaged versions of the FMD. Longo says the company is gathering clinical data related to efficacy and side effects, and it aims to one day gain FDA approval for use of the diet as a way to treat disease.

Longo also says that he will donate percent of his shares in the company to research and charity. Longo, who hopes to live to , thinks that an L-Nutra fasting mimicking diet called Prolon, made for relatively healthy people and providing an average of calories a day, can help with this resetting, even if it is done an average of only three times a year.

However, this is not to say that Longo does not have recommendations about what, and how much, to eat when not fasting. In his recent book The Longevity Diet , he advocates following a diet supported by science and seen in most long-lived populations around the world that is mostly plant-based, low in protein and rich in unsaturated fats and complex carbohydrates.

In light of the focus on fasting, the USC Leonard Davis School hosted the First International Conference on Fasting, Dietary Restriction, Longevity and Disease. Top researchers from Harvard, MIT, the Salk Institute, the National Institutes of Aging and other institutions gathered for a two-day conference that offered education for doctors and the lay public, and that also provided an opportunity for participants to dialogue with other field leaders in an attempt to set standards — and reality checks — for the increasingly popular, and often improvised, practice.

And I think that for the first time, this is happening. Indeed, several large clinical trials are now underway. One trial funded by the National Institutes of Health is looking at whether intermittent fasting is a safe and effective alternative to more standard methods of weight control, such as caloric restriction.

Another National Institute on Aging NIA study is testing an intermittent fasting diet in obese people ages 55 to 70 with insulin resistance. He says a new approach is needed, one that does not call for an across-the-board reduction in the amounts and types of foods people eat — which, studies show, most people cannot sustain.

Everyone has a different genome, with different needs. Supervision by a doctor will help an individual try intermittent fasting safely, with patient-specific medical advice and care, while consuming fewer calories.

Kreutzer says that people with conditions like diabetes or autoimmune disorders should be especially careful when considering fasting. Asking a physician about fasting could prevent an individual from aggravating the medical conditions they already have.

Fasting unhealthily would take away from the potential benefits of fasting entirely. Kreutzer emphasizes that the fasting program should not be a permanent diet.

Fasting is for living longer, not for losing weight. Fasting gets rid of weak cells in the body, letting them die off by briefly not giving them energy.

This gives room for stronger cells to grow and thrive after the process, possibly improving the chances of living a longer life. Fasting is not intended for weight loss. Having this intention might lead to unhealthy forms of fasting, such as pursuing the program for too long.

While acute inflammation is a natural immune process used to help fight off infections, chronic inflammation can seriously affect your health. Research shows that inflammation may be involved in the development of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Some studies have found that fasting can help decrease levels of inflammation and promote better health. One review of 18 studies found that intermittent fasting could significantly reduce levels of C-reactive protein, which is a marker of inflammation.

A small study discovered that practicing intermittent fasting for 1 year was more effective at decreasing levels of inflammation and reducing certain risk factors for heart disease compared to a control group.

Some studies have found that fasting along with resistance training could decrease several markers of inflammation and may be useful in treating inflammatory conditions. Heart disease is considered the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated 19 million deaths globally in Switching up your diet and lifestyle is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Some research has found that incorporating fasting into your routine may be especially beneficial for heart health. One review revealed that alternate-day fasting could reduce levels of total cholesterol and several risk factors for heart disease in people with overweight compared to a control group.

Another review showed that alternate-day fasting could significantly decrease blood pressure, as well as levels of blood triglycerides , total cholesterol, and LDL bad cholesterol. Fasting has been associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease and may help lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels.

Though research is mostly limited to animal research, several studies have found that fasting could have a powerful effect on brain health. Animal studies from and have reported that fasting could protect brain health and increase the generation of nerve cells to help enhance cognitive function. Because fasting may also help relieve inflammation, it could also aid in preventing neurodegenerative disorders.

However, more studies are needed to evaluate the effects of fasting on brain function in humans. Many dieters experiment with fasting to try to lose weight.

Theoretically, abstaining from all or certain foods and beverages should decrease your overall calorie intake, which could lead to increased weight loss over time. Another review found that intermittent fasting was more effective in inducing weight loss compared to continuous calorie restriction.

In addition, other research has found that fasting may lead to greater reductions in body fat and belly fat compared to continuous calorie restriction.

Research shows that this key hormone is involved in metabolism , weight loss, and muscle growth. Several studies have found that fasting could naturally increase HGH levels.

One review article noted that fasting for Studies show that fasting can increase levels of human growth hormone HGH , an important protein hormone that plays a role in growth, metabolism, weight loss, and muscle strength.

Several animal studies have found promising results on the potential lifespan-extending effects of fasting. One study analyzed the effects of periodic fasting on the human gut and found that fasting increased the diversity of helpful bacteria in the gut microbiome, including the Christensenella species, which are related to longevity.

The researchers also noted an increase in sirtuins, proteins involved in metabolic regulation that are also associated with longevity. A review of older human and animal research has turned up similar findings, reporting that fasting could be effective in increasing longevity and delaying disease.

However, further studies are needed to understand how fasting may impact longevity and aging in humans and which fasting plans are most effective. Animal studies have found that fasting could delay aging and increase longevity, but human research is still lacking.

A review published in the American Cancer Society Journal notes that intermittent fasting may benefit the treatment and prevention of cancer in some situations. It may decrease tumor growth and toxicity from chemotherapy in some people. But they note that more high quality clinical trials are needed and recommend that people undergoing cancer treatment only do intermittent fasting as part of a clinical trial.

For some situations and types of cancer, it could potentially have a negative effect. Despite these promising findings, additional studies are needed to look at how fasting may influence cancer development and treatment in humans. Some animal and test-tube studies suggest that fasting could block tumor development and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

There are many different types of fasts, making it easy to find a method that fits your lifestyle. For example, intermittent fasting can be broken down into subcategories , such as alternate-day fasting , which involves eating every other day, or time-restricted feeding, which entails limiting intake to just a few hours each day.

There are different ways to practice fasting, which makes it easy to find a method that fits into just about any lifestyle. Experiment with different types to find what works best for you.

Fasting may not be suitable for everyone and may cause side effects. For example, if you have diabetes, fasting can lead to spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels, which could be dangerous. Additionally, fasting is not generally recommended without medical supervision for older adults, adolescents, people with underweight, or people undergoing cancer treatment.

If you decide to try fasting, be sure to stay well-hydrated and fill your diet with nutrient-dense foods during your eating periods to maximize the potential health benefits. Additionally, if fasting for longer periods, try to minimize intense physical activity and get plenty of rest.

When fasting, be sure to stay hydrated, eat nutrient-dense foods, and get plenty of rest. Fasting may have potential health benefits, including weight loss, improved blood sugar control, heart health, brain function, and cancer prevention. When coupled with a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle , incorporating fasting into your routine could benefit your health.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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