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Dr. Morgan Levine, author of “True Age,” explains how the impact of diet on aging and longevity is determined by three factors: quantity, quality, and timing of food intake.
First, caloric restriction, typically a 20% reduction in overall calorie intake, has been linked to increased lifespan in several animal models. However, the positive effects may stem from avoiding overeating rather than restriction per se. Second, a plant-based diet, with less animal products and refined sugars and more fruits, veggies, and whole foods, seems beneficial for aging and longevity. Third, fasting, or limiting eating to specific time windows, might mimic the benefits of caloric restriction by causing ‘hormesis’, mild stressors that boost resilience to aging-related changes.
The optimal diet is likely individual, influenced by factors like genetics and age, and should be monitored through measures of biological age and personal well-being. Future research into aging biomarkers could further our understanding of diet’s role in the aging process.
0:00 Does diet affect aging?
0:35 #1 Caloric restriction
1:40 #2 What you eat
2:07 #3 When you eat: fasting
2:38 Hormesis: Building biological resilience
3:16 What is the optimal diet for you?
Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/great-question/aging-and-diet
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About Morgan Levine:
Morgan Levine was previously a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the department of Pathology at Yale University where she ran the Laboratory for Aging in Living Systems. In 2022, she was recruited to join Altos Labs as a Founding Principal Investigator at the San Diego Institute of Science. She currently leads a research group at Altos Labs working at the intersection of bioinformatics, cellular biology, complex systems, and biostatistics with the overall goal of understanding the molecular trajectories aging cells, tissues, and organisms take through time.
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Read more of our stories on aging:
Aging gratefully: Will you be happier in old age? ► https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/happiness-old-age/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description Blood test can calculate your true biological age ► https://bigthink.com/health/calculate-your-biological-age/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description The brain undergoes a great “rewiring” after age 40 ► https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/great-brain-rewiring-after-age-40/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
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