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Activate your Longevity Genes
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By Julius Goepp, MD - Life Extention Magazine
The most scientifically validated way to extend life span-from single-celled organisms to mammals-is caloric restriction This technique has been shown to boost life span by nearly 100% in some species.
Reducing the number of ingested calories-while maintaining healthy intake of essential nutrientstriggers a cascade of anti-aging mechanisms in the body. More than 70 years of research have established its life-extending power.
Modern science has only recently begun to unravel the mystery behind how calorie restriction so radically extends life span. At its core lies favorable alterations in gene expression-one of the body's adaptive responses to reduced calorie intake. By activating certain genes and disabling others, caloric restriction dramatically slows ageing.
This retardation of ageing delays the onset of degenerative disease while improving biomarkers of youth, ranging from metabolic rate and insulin sensitivity to cardiac health and cognitive function. By the same token, the consequences of caloric overconsumption are equally profound. Every excess calorie brings you one step closer to age-related illness and death.
This is true at any stage of life, whether you're lean or overweight, regardless of your health or nutritional status. Eating more than your body needs (excessive energy intake) can load the blood with triglycerides, glucose, homocysteine, and pro-inflammatory chemicals. The results are accelerated ageing processes, prompting deterioration across multiple biomarkers of health.
Most humans find it difficult to submit to a sufficiently rigorous dietary regimen, leaving the benefits of calorie restriction tantalizingly out of reach. Until now! In a milestone 20-year study of Rhesus monkeys-our close genetic relatives-a modestly restricted diet resulted in a three-fold reduction in the risk of agerelated disease! You will also learn about five natural compounds that favourably modulate gene expression to support a more youthful health profile. These “caloric restriction mimics” simulate many of the beneficial effects of caloric restriction through multiple pathways.
Ageing individuals may now enjoy some of the youth-promoting, disease-fighting mechanisms of caloric restriction-without strict dietary measures. Benefits of Calorie Restriction in Humans
All available data indicate that calorie restriction also slows ageing and reduces the risk of killer diseases in humans as well. Individuals who impose a 20% reduction in their calorie consumption for 26 years lose fat weight and show significant improvement in their markers of ageing, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and glucose control.
Even brief periods of caloric restriction can temporarily improve core body temperature and insulin sensitivity, which happen to be markers of longevity. In clinical studies, short intervals of caloric restriction have reduced systemic inflammation-an underlying factor of so many chronic, degenerative diseases.
More youthful heart muscle performance has also been observed-caloric restriction appears to increase the number of vital energy-producing mitochondria in heart and skeletal muscle, reducing the oxidative damage that accelerates ageing.
No other intervention documented in the scientific literature can compete with caloric restriction as a candidate for slowing ageing and supporting youthful health in humans. It is regrettable that most ageing individuals don't lower calorie intake by the 20-30% reduction required to reap the benefits of caloric restriction, as it can dramatically lower disease risk and add years to their lives.
Caloric Restriction “Mimics” and Gene Expression
Researchers have identified a select group of nutrients that trigger many of the same underlying mechanisms of action as caloric restriction. Among the most promising of these caloric restriction mimics and enhancers are: Resveratrol - found grapes, blueberries & raspberries Pterostilbene - found in blueberries, grapes & almonds. Quercetin - a flavonol found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains. Grape seed extract along with Black tea extract - both available as supplements
These nutraceuticals have been shown to generate many of the same effects in the body as caloric restriction. In particular, they “mimic” caloric restriction's favorable impact on genes that influence the ageing process.
Genes have the capacity to directly affect life span by regulating a broad spectrum of ageing factors, from inflammation and metabolic function. Calorie restriction exerts a beneficial effect on the activity of gene expression, supporting healthy cellular function through numerous physiological pathways.
This includes: • Blocking inflammatory factors • Optimizing fat and carbohydrate metabolism • Lowering serum glucose • Supporting endothelial function • Inhibiting cancer development and proliferation
