Calorie restriction: can it help you live longer?

Calorie restriction means that a person is deliberately reducing their calorie intake for months or years at a time without becoming malnourished. It differs from short-term dieting because it’s not a temporary eating plan focused on weight loss. It’s meant to be sustained.

There are a lot of ways to calorie-restrict. Intermittent fasting, where eating is avoided at certain times or on certain days, is one approach that’s gotten a lot of attention.

Calorie restriction has been linked in some studies to impressive health benefits and potentially a longer life. But can eating less as a way of life really extend your lifespan? And if so, is it really worth it? Here’s what the science says.

Calorie-restriction research looks promising

Scientists have studied calorie restriction for decades. Research shows that it can extend the lifespan of simple creatures like yeast, fruit flies, and worms. Some studies suggest it can extend the life of lab rats, too. But findings vary. Some studies on mice suggest that severe calorie restriction may shorten their lifespan.

In humans, certain patterns of calorie-restricted eating have been linked to better health, including:

• Improved blood sugar levels
• Loss of excess weight
• Better cholesterol levels
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower levels of inflammation

All these changes may reduce wear and tear on your body as you age. However, more studies are needed to confirm that calorie restriction actually extends life in humans.

Drawbacks of calorie restriction

There are many different types of calorie restriction and fasting, and humans vary widely from each other. Because of this, it’s difficult to gauge the effects of these eating patterns on health over an extended period. While they may have some benefits, more research is needed to show that they’re safe and effective in the long term.

What’s more, sustaining calorie reductions over time can be a challenge. Counting calories may become burdensome, and regularly eating far less than you’d like—while simultaneously avoiding malnourishment—is difficult for many people.

Intermittent fasting isn’t necessarily an easier option compared to calorie restriction, either. If you’re thinking of trying intermittent fasting, first discuss it with an HCP. You may be at higher risk for ill effects from fasting if:

• You have diabetes
• You’ve previously had an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding

People in these situations should not try intermittent fasting except under close medical supervision.

Finally, these eating patterns themselves could turn out to be beside the point. Some scientists say that a major point of this research is to help unravel how aging works so that a drug could potentially be developed to extend healthy lifespan.