October 11, 2026, 5:51 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Eat significantly less for five days and then largely return to normal for the rest of the year? According to renowned aging researcher Valter Longo, this could help positively influence the aging process. The professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California advocates a special dietary method called the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), which is a fasting-like diet—because it apparently can rejuvenate the body.
Unlike traditional fasting, the FMD does not involve completely abstaining from food. Instead, calorie intake is drastically reduced for five days. The diet mainly includes healthy fats, while sugar and protein are consumed in small amounts. Depending on the day, fasters consume about 700 to 1,100 calories. The goal is to put the body into a metabolic state similar to fasting without having to completely give up food.
Why Valter Longo Considers the Diet Method Sensible
Longo has been researching the biological processes of aging for decades. His theory: Short phases of severely restricted calorie intake could trigger repair and renewal processes in the body. According to the “Telegraph,” he describes this state as a kind of “anti-aging mode.”
The idea behind it: The organism temporarily experiences a nutrient deficiency and responds with adaptation processes that could benefit health in the long term.
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What Does Science Say?
Research on the Fasting Mimicking Diet provides initial promising indications. Studies show positive changes in metabolic values, inflammation markers, and other health parameters.
Particularly interesting: In a study published in 2024, some participants experienced a decrease in their so-called biological age after several FMD cycles.1 This is a metric based on various health and metabolic values.
However, this does not automatically mean that people will actually live longer. Researchers themselves emphasize that further studies are needed to better understand the long-term effects of the method.
Can the Diet Help Extend Life?
Whether the Fasting Mimicking Diet extends lifespan has not yet been scientifically proven. Experts therefore see the method more as a potential component of a healthy lifestyle rather than a miracle cure against aging.
Longo himself is convinced that regular, short fasting phases combined with an overall balanced diet could help delay age-related diseases. However, direct evidence of a longer life through the 5-day diet is still pending.