Summary
That food restriction increases the length of life of laboratory rodents has long been known. Recent data indicate that in addition to increasing life span, food restriction also retards age-related physiological deterioration and age-related disease processes. Food restriction started in adult life is as effective as food restriction started in early life in regard to these effects. Restriction of protein but not calories did increase the median length of life but did not affect life span. The sum of these data strongly suggest that food restriction slows the aging process. The hypotheses that have been proposed as mechanisms by which food restriction retards the aging process are reviewed and each has been found to be wanting. A general metabolic hypothesis is proposed in which a specific metabolic event or events couple food restriction to the slowing of the aging process. Future research should focus on defining the specific nature of this metabolic couple.
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© 1985 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
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Masoro, E.J. (1985). Extending the Mammalian Life Span. In: Gaitz, C.M., Samorajski, T. (eds) Aging 2000: Our Health Care Destiny. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5058-6_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5058-6_4
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