Nooooooooooooo! Past studies have found that calorie restriction extends life and boosts this enzyme. Let's not imply causation where we don't have evidence for it. The fact is that calorie restriction likely extends lifespan through a multi-modal process that includes reducing systemic inflammation, for example. I'd bet a large amount of money that any single enzyme is a small piece of the puzzle. Studies on transgenic mice have been interesting, but unconvincing. Really, it's still a lot easier and cheaper to walk more and eat less than to take a supplement that probably doesn't work every day for the rest of your (indeterminately long) life.Past studies have found boosting this enzyme through calorie-restrictive diets has helped extend the lifespans of mice, but it hasn't exactly been tested out on humans.
Haha, I was hoping you would respond. Yes, I have heard similar things about calorie restriction in various organisms. How solid is the data on calorie restriction and life span for humans? I know it is something I have started thinking about as a strategy to slow down my own ageing process. The body is an incredibly complex system, so I would tend to strongly agree with you. And in terms of supplements, what do you recommend? Do you have a specific dietary strategy for ageing? I have started doing the "paleo" diet (but I don't like that name). Basically I have switched to eating mostly fruits, vegetables, meat, and nuts/berries etc. But these are just guiding principles. I've also started to eat once a day and fast for the rest of the day. What do you think of these strategies?Nooooooooooooo!
Past studies have found that calorie restriction extends life and boosts this enzyme
I'd bet a large amount of money that any single enzyme is a small piece of the puzzle.
Really, it's still a lot easier and cheaper to walk more and eat less than to take a supplement that probably doesn't work every day for the rest of you (indeterminately long) life.
I don't personally take any supplements, and I don't know of any that sound attractive to me. Based on my knowledge of paleo diet, I can't say that I'm a huge fan, but I'm not a huge fan of most diets. I think that we're better off when we eat things that are not made in industrial factories, and this requirement can be satisfied by many foods, paleo or otherwise (and I completely agree that the name is ridiculous; there's nothing caveman-like about a perfectly marbled ribeye, but that's neither here nor there). I don't always adhere to my own rule, but I do it to the extent that I can. That's pretty extreme eating once per day. If I wanted to cut down on my food, I'd probably cut the size of each meal. I get shaky hands if I don't eat enough. I tried to do one of those 72 hour fasts in the fashion of katakowsj or mike, and I failed after 30 hours. I developed a headache that was intense and seemingly getting stronger with every second. (Withdrawal, maybe?!) The data on calorie restriction in humans is unconvincing either way, but in my personal opinion I think it's because it's just too difficult to get reliable data. So far as I'm aware, no one has found an organism that doesn't respond to it in lab settings. It seems unreasonable that humans would be an exception. Not impossible, but not likely. The data that exist on mice and worms are very clear, and if a mechanism is preserved across those models (which diverged at the beginning of the Cambrian), then it's probably fairly important, so why would it have disappeared since rodents and humans diverged (don't know when off the top of my head, but very recently compared to that split)? This isn't a rock solid argument, or course, but it's a solid hunch, especially when we know that calorie restriction in humans does things like make chemo more survivable, has positive immune system effects, etc.
I've been taking some for metabolism and nerve health, as well as your typically multivitamins for immune system health etc., and I do generally feel better, like my body is operating a little smoother and more efficiently. But of course, it is hard for me to conclude that it is not a placebo effect or something like that. Have you ever read Kurzweil's book on life extension? He details some of the supplements and approaches he uses to extend his life span. I'm not a fan of diets either. I only call it the paleo diet because my supervisor is obsessed with it and he has developed his whole personal dietary system around it. I personally find some of his tips helpful, for example sticking primarily to fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts etc., but like I said, I use them more as guiding principles. To be honest, I think a lot of things related to health are more about common sense and mature decision-making when it comes to the timing and amount you eat, etc. Ya, I agree with you. I still eat things that are not considered paleo, like for example beans, yogurt, eggs (not sure if eggs are "paleo"), but ya, there are lots of foods that are good for you. Have you heard of the National Geographic "Blue Zone" project focused on understanding the dietary and lifestyle habits of human populations who experience longest life spans? Many of the populations in these samples are eating grains and wheat in their diets. What seems most important and primary is calorie restriction, but also most notably, community... and many of us have lost that today... Ya, well it is kind of misleading. What I should have said is that I eat one meal a day and then I just pick and snack on small things, like a banana or some nuts etc. Haha, ya, I've never tried anything like this but I probably would suffer in a similar way... Indeed, I understand your reasoning here. In general terms I do think that calorie restriction must have some positive effects on health and the ageing process.I don't personally take any supplements, and I don't know of any that sound attractive to me.
Based on my knowledge of paleo diet, I can't say that I'm a huge fan, but I'm not a huge fan of most diets.
I think that we're better off when we eat things that are not made in industrial factories, and this requirement can be satisfied by many foods, paleo or otherwise (and I completely agree that the name is ridiculous; there's nothing caveman-like about a perfectly marbled ribeye, but that's neither here nor there).
That's pretty extreme eating once per day. If I wanted to cut down on my food, I'd probably cut the size of each meal.
I get shaky hands if I don't eat enough. I tried to do one of those 72 hour fasts in the fashion of katakowsj or mike, and I failed after 30 hours. I developed a headache that was intense and seemingly getting stronger with every second.
So far as I'm aware, no one has found an organism that doesn't respond to it in lab settings. It seems unreasonable that humans would be an exception. Not impossible, but not likely. The data that exist on mice and worms are very clear, and if a mechanism is preserved across those models (which diverged at the beginning of the Cambrian), then it's probably fairly important, so why would it have disappeared since rodents and humans diverged (don't know when off the top of my head, but very recently compared to that split)? This isn't a rock solid argument, or course, but it's a solid hunch, especially when we know that calorie restriction in humans does things like make chemo more survivable, has positive immune system effects, etc.