Calorie Restriction Trial in Humans Suggests Benefits for Age-Related Disease

A study published in Cell Metabolism found calorie restriction decreases systemic oxidative stress, which has been associated with age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, reports Medical Xpress . The Comprehensive Assessment of the Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) was the first randomized controlled trial to assess the metabolic effects of calorie restriction in non-obese people. The second phase of CALERIE tested 53 healthy, non-obese men and women between ages 21 and 50 who reduced calories by 15 percent over two years and received additional measurements for metabolism and oxidative stress. Subjects in the calorie restriction group lost an average of nearly 9 kilograms, although they did not follow a specific diet. Adverse effects including anemia, excessive bone loss, or menstrual disorders were not observed. "The CALERIE trial rejuvenates support for two of the longest-standing theories of human aging: the slow metabolism 'rate of living' theory and the oxidative damage theory," says Pennington Biomedical Research Professor Leanne M. Redman. "The latter ties overproduction of free radicals to oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA, leading to chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis."