Fasting, not calorie count, boosts lifespan in mice: study - FRANCE 24
Researchers looking at mice on different diets found those who were fed fewer calories in a single daily feeding lived longer than mice eating the same number of calories distributed throughout the day."Instead, calorie restricted diets ensure that mice are fasted for much of the day – and that imposed fasting-period (when we eat) is critical for the benefits of calorie restriction to life and health.".The study shows that mice on a calorie restricted diet with 21 hours between meals lived about half a year longer than mice who ate as much as they wanted at any time of day.Mice with constant access to a low-calorie diet, on the other hand, lived lightly shorter lives than the control group, even though they consumed fewer calories."The imposed fasting period is essential for the benefits of a calorie restricted diet," Lamming said.Though their longevity was not measured, the mice in the last group -- which fasted without reducing calorie intake -- showed just as many health benefits as the group that ate fewer calories and fasted.