A Periodic Diet that Mimics Fasting Promotes Multi-System Regeneration, Enhanced Cognitive Performance, and Healthspan
Cell Metab, 2015. Brandhorst S, et al.
Funding and competing interests (as published with the paper): VDL and TEM have equity interest in L-Nutra, a company that develops medical food. Neither author had any role in data analysis. The Molecular Imaging Center at USC is supported in part by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR, S10RR017964-01). National Institutes of Health (NIH); National Institutes of Aging (NIA) grants (AG20642, AG025135, AG034906); The Bakewell Foundation; The V Foundation for Cancer Research and a USC Norris Cancer Center pilot grant to VDL. The human study was funded by the USC Edna Jones chair fund. The funding sources had no involvement in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Aging or the National Institutes of Health.
- Study type
- Animal study (yeast and mice), with a small human pilot
- Journal
- Cell Metab
- Published
- 2015
- Authors
- Brandhorst S, et al.
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012
- PubMed ID
- 26094889
Summary
Researchers first studied prolonged fasting in yeast, then tested multiple cycles of a diet designed to mimic fasting (FMD) in mice across their lifespan, and separately ran a small pilot clinical trial in which people completed three monthly 5-day FMD cycles.
In yeast, the authors reported extended lifespan. In mice, periodic FMD cycles were associated with lower visceral fat, reduced cancer incidence and skin lesions, immune system changes, slower bone density loss, and, in old mice, improved hippocampal cell growth and performance on the cognitive tests used. In the human pilot, the authors reported decreases in risk factors and biomarkers for aging, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, without major adverse effects.
The regeneration, cancer-incidence and cognitive findings come from yeast and mouse experiments; this study does not show any of them in people. The human portion was a pilot trial that measured risk factors and biomarkers, not disease outcomes.
Mostly yeast and mouse research, with a human pilot trial. The regeneration, cancer-incidence and cognitive findings come from animals, not people.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
