Calorie Restriction - the key to longevity
I was recently interviewed by the Baltimore Sun for an article about calorie restriction and its life-extension effects.
Recent research by David Sinclair, a Harvard University molecular geneticist, has found a link between aging and two human genes that seem to play a role in the longevity of the cells that compose our bodies. In 2003, Sinclair made headlines when he found that resveratrol, a compound in red wine, can lengthen the life span of yeast cells by up to 80 percent. The compound has also been shown to extend the lives of worms and flies. Resveratrol activates SIRT1, a gene that produces enzymes known as sirtuins. It turns out that cells which are starved by giving them fewer nutrients try to protect themselves from dying by activating two more of the seven sirtuin genes humans carry, SIRT3 and SIRT4. This knowledge may help to shed some light on the molecular mechanisms of life extension.
While the search for a longevity elixir continues, we have to rely on calorie restriction, which has been known to extend the life span of many species. Although calorie restriction has not been shown to extend human life span (yet), it can prevent many of the diseases associated with aging and obesity such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.
© Copyright - Antonio Zamora
