Caloric Restriction & Intermittent Fasting

Caloric restriction (CR), reducing calorie intake by 10–30% while maintaining essential nutrients, is the most robust lifespan extension intervention in animal models, increasing lifespan by around 30% in rodents. In humans, long-term CR is challenging, but research on CR practitioners shows lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, as well as signs of slower biological aging. CR improves cardiovascular risk factors, insulin sensitivity, and mitochondrial function. As a more practical alternative, intermittent fasting (IF) involves periodic fasting intervals (e.g., 16:8 time-restricted eating, 5:2 diet, or alternate-day fasting), which trigger many of the same beneficial pathways as CR. Human trials of IF show 4-10% weight loss, improved blood pressure, insulin levels, and inflammatory markers. Fasting activates autophagy (cellular cleanup) and longevity pathways (AMPK, sirtuins, mTOR suppression), protecting cells from age-related damage. Observational studies show routine fasters (e.g., fasting ~1 day per month for years) have significantly lower rates of coronary artery disease and diabetes, along with approximately 50% lower risk of heart failure compared to non-fasters.