And lose weight at the same time
Calorie reduction leads to rejuvenation of the immune system
Georgy Golovanov, Hi-tech+
Over 85 years ago, researchers noticed that some laboratory rodents live longer if they receive less high-calorie food, which at the same time has enough nutrients. Since then, many scientists have tried to understand the biological mechanisms of fasting and its relationship with life expectancy. The discovery of US specialists sheds light on the relationship of eating behavior with the function of the thymus gland, an important element of the immune system.
Ten years ago, the US National Institute on Aging conducted clinical trials aimed at establishing the long-term effect of calorie reduction on human health. The CALERIE experiment was the first controlled study that answered the question of whether moderate calorie reduction would lead to the same benefits for the human body that were observed in animals.
The volunteers were healthy people from 25 to 45 years old, not obese. They were randomly divided into two groups: the first continued to eat as usual, the second, under the supervision of psychologists and nutritionists, restricted the intake of calories. The trial lasted two years.
The results showed a reduction in the risk of age-related cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The authors of the experiment published all the data so that colleagues could use them. And recently, a team of scientists from Yale University used them to study the effects of calorie restriction on immune function, according to the NIH website.
With age, the size of the thymus gland, or thymus, an element of the immune system, decreases. Decreasing, this organ ceases to produce T-cells, reducing the ability of the immune system to fight infectious diseases. T-cell deficiency is one of the reasons why people over 40 are more susceptible to a number of diseases.
MRI scans showed that in the second group of the CALERIE experiment, the volume of the thymus increased slightly. This was accompanied by an increase in indicators of the production of new T cells. Then the scientists analyzed the action of the immune system in the samples of adipose tissue of the abdomen. And they found that the PLA2G7 gene, which encodes a protein involved in fat metabolism, was suppressed as a result of calorie reduction. Presumably, this gene may play a role in improving thymus function.
The scientists tested their hypothesis on mice that had suppressed PLA2G7 expression. When they reached old age, it turned out that their thymus had not decreased in size. In addition, the weight of fat and the amount of inflammatory substances decreased.
The results of a clinical trial conducted by UK scientists have called into question the effectiveness of popular diets based on interval fasting. It turned out that a simple reduction in daily calorie intake is better for getting rid of excess weight.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru