Low-calorie diet against senile sclerosis

German scientists have concluded that reducing calories consumed by about a third contributes to a significant improvement in memory in the elderly.

Researchers from the University of Munster decided to study the effects of a low-calorie diet on people's memory after the success of similar experiments on rats. The study involved 50 elderly volunteers, whose average age was 60.5 years. They were divided into three groups: the first during the experiment received a diet with a calorie content 30 percent less than normal, the second – a diet with a normal calorie content and an increased content of unsaturated fatty acids, and the third – control – normal food of normal calorie content.

Before starting the study and after three months of these diets, all volunteers completed standard verbal memory tests. It turned out that those who consumed low-calorie food had test scores improved by an average of 20 percent. No changes were observed in the other two groups. The mechanism of such action of a diet with a reduced calorie content remains unclear.

Experts in the field of dietetics have warned that reducing the energy value of food, especially in elderly people without excess weight, should be carried out with caution. Otherwise, fasting is more likely to harm the body than improve memory.

Copper news based on PNAS materials: Caloric restriction improves memory in elderly humans 

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28.01.2009