Evidences Suggest That Caloric Restriction Can Provide Benefits To Humans

Until not long ago, it was an open question whether the beneficial effects of caloric restriction can be seen in our closest relatives, the primates. The conclusions of a recent study conducted in rhesus monkeys have now shed some light on this question.  

More studies are needed to understand how macro- and micro-nutrients, endurance exercise, and other environmental and psychological factors interact with caloric restriction in modulating the metabolic and molecular pathways that regulate health and longevity. Both excessive dietary restriction and over-nutrition are different forms of malnutrition that lead to organ dysfunction and increased mortality. Just last year, scientists demonstrated that the lifelong caloric restriction aggravated the age-related loss of spontaneous motor activity and the increase of anxiety-like behavior. Conversely, the same researchers reported, for the first time, that lifelong caloric restriction increases spatial learning and working memory.

The benefits of caloric restriction in humans are not yet fully proven

Owing to ethical and experimental limitations, randomized, caloric restriction-controlled, long-term survival studies in humans have not been actively conducted and it is unlikely that they will ever be done.

However, a modest calorie restriction is a commonly used strategy in cardiac rehabilitation programs, especially when combined with exercise training. The benefits of modest calorie restriction, irrespective of the dietary composition, are such that it should continue to be part of a combined lifestyle program to improve cardiometabolic health, for instances. In recent studies conducted in overweight humans, caloric restriction has been shown to improve a number of health outcomes including reducing several cardiac risk factors, improving insulin-sensitivity and enhancing mitochondrial function.

See Also: Fasting For A Long, Healthy Life

A key issue for the future research examining the effects of caloric restriction in humans is whether or not the promising findings from initial human trials translate to non-overweight individuals whose body mass index falls in the healthy range. This possibility is currently being explored by the CALERIE Phase 2 study. Specifically, the CALERIE Phase 2 study is examining the long-term effects of a 25% reduction of ad libitum energy intake in non-obese, middle-aged men and women (21–50 years) on markers of aging, cardiovascular disease risk, insulin sensitivity and secretion, immune function, neuroendocrine function, quality of life, and cognitive function.