Friederike Ostermeyer

February 11, 2022, 2:34 pm | Read time: 4 minutes

It’s long been known for mice, worms, and flies: When scientists provided them with slightly fewer calories under laboratory conditions than they would consume in the “wild,” their inflammation levels decreased, cells rejuvenated, and life expectancy increased. Does this also apply to humans? A research team from Yale University wanted to find out if the mentioned anti-aging effect could be transferred and put healthy, normal-weight adults on a slightly calorie-reduced diet for two years. The discoveries the researchers made afterward are almost unbelievable to them.

First Controlled Study on Calorie Restriction in Healthy People

For the first study of its kind worldwide, the researchers recruited 200 healthy men and women with normal weight. They determined each participant’s average calorie intake. Then, a large portion of the group was asked to consume 14 percent fewer calories daily based on that. In practice, this means simply skipping a medium-sized snack, which is doable. The rest continued to eat as usual as a control group. Two years later, comprehensive examinations and analyses were conducted to determine the health and anti-aging effects of the slightly calorie-reduced diet on the body. The study results have now been published in the journal “Science.” ¹

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Aging Process of the “Immune Protection Organ” Thymus Partially Reversed

The researchers began analyzing the thymus, a gland located above the heart that produces T-cells. These are a type of white blood cell and a crucial part of the immune system. The thymus ages faster than other organs. By the time healthy adults reach the age of 40, 70 percent of the thymus gland is typically fatty and produces fewer T-cells. This is one reason why older people get sick more quickly. In the calorie-reduced group, MRI showed a completely different picture: The thymus gland was essentially defatted and produced more T-cells in the participants than at the beginning of the study. “The fact that this organ can be rejuvenated is, in my opinion, astonishing,” notes study leader and anti-aging researcher Prof. Vishwa Deep Dixit in the university statement.² “That this is even possible is very exciting.”

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Calorie Reduction Inhibits Dangerous Protein

A gene analysis revealed another anti-aging effect of the calorie-reduced diet: Dixit and his team discovered a significant decrease in a protein called PLA2G7. This has long been associated with metabolic and immune diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers. The researchers also suspect that high PLA2G7 levels contribute to weight gain. “These results help us understand how the metabolic system and the immune system communicate, which can point us to potential targets that improve immune function, reduce inflammation, and possibly even extend life,” says Dixit.

Simply put: A rejuvenated thymus means more T-cells, more T-cells lead to improved immune response and lower inflammation levels, which presumably keeps harmful proteins in check. The better this system works, the less frequently diseases occur, and the slower aging progresses. And all because you skip a few calories daily.

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Is Moderation the Key to Everything?

None of the participants had to starve; no specific diet, such as keto, intermittent fasting, Mediterranean diet, etc., was prescribed. It is also unclear how high the plant-based portion of their calorie-reduced diet was or what role white flour, sugar, carbohydrates, fats, or red meat played. “At the moment, our study shows that a simple reduction in calories and not a specific diet has a remarkable effect on our health,” is the conclusion. However, Dixit does not rule out that a calorie-reduced diet combined with certain foods could further enhance the life-extending anti-aging effect.

For research, this means finding a way to harness the benefits of calorie restriction without actually having to restrict calories. However, it is more cost-effective and immediately feasible to consciously moderate calories—in a healthy way, of course.

Sources

1. Rhoads TW, Anderson RM. (2022.) Caloric restriction has a new player. Science.
2. Yale News. (2022.) Calorie restriction trial reveals key factors in extending human health.