Luigi Fontana (Wash. U.) - Metabolic and Cardiovascular effects of Human CR
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Exercise increases average lifespan by 10-20% in rodents, but not maximal.
Being lean isnt enough - you need to eat less to gain maximal lifespan.
Physiological findings in CR monkeys:
o Less trunk fat
o Low fasting glucose and insulin
o Improved insulin sensitivity
o Insulin secretion attenuated
o Reduced triglicerides
o Lower cholesterol
Human groups studied:
o CRonies
o Raw foodists - partially calorie restricted
o Vegans - eat cooked foods
o Standard American Diet groups - controls
SAD people, all have BMI below 30, but most between 25-30 BMI (overweight)
All groups had average age around 50.
He combined raw foodist and CRonies in some cases, since they eat similarly.
BMI of two groups:
o CR and raw foodist people = 20
o Vegans = 22
o Controls = 25
CR people dropped weight from around 24 to just below 20.
Body fat difference:
o CR = 10%
o Control = 20%
o CR people quite a bit lower than raw foodist
Trunk body fat:
o CR ~4%
o Control 22%
Fat/lean mass ratio and leg lean mass/fat ratio much lower in CR than controls.
40.5% of people in western culture die because of heart disease,
cerebro-vascular disease, diabetes and hypertension.
Total cholesterol:
o CR around 150, raw 147, and vegan around 150
o Control: 205
LDL:
o CR = ~82, raw foodists 75, vegans 90
o Control 126
HDL
o Non-statistically higher in CR, raw foodist and vegans relative to controls
Total Chol/HDL
o CR 2.5, vs. 4 in controls
Triglicerides:
o CR = 40
o Controls = 120
TG/HDL
o 0.75 CR vs. 2.5 controls
Systolic BP
o 100 CR vs. 140 controls
Diastolic BP
o 60 CR vs. 85 controls
But baroreceptors adjust, so we dont get dizzy despite low BP.
Heart rate:
o 52 CR vs. 64 controls
C Reactive Protein - heart disease/inflammation marker:
* 0.5 CR vs. 2.25 controls
OGTT:
o Fasting glucose better in CR than controls
o But many CRonies and raw foodists show reduced glucose clearance rate
o CRonies are worse at glucose clearance than athletic people on a
"normal" diet
My data was very representative of this anomaly - Large peak in formal OGTT
but low daytime glucose levels during normal living.
CRonies have very low fasting insulin, and are slow to release insulin
Hypothesis: Because our diet never has large glucose challenges, we may
have down-regulated our pancreatic insulin release, or other glucose
clearance helper molecules. So we dont react to glucose challenge very well.
Glucose exposure wasnt normalized for body weight - could have been an
explanation.
Luigi thinks insulin/glucose is just a marker
Fasting insulin in athletes low (like CR).
Fasting IGF-1 in athletes can be pretty high (unlike CR).
Hes adding another group to study - marathoners who are very thin, but eat
a lot. Should be very interesting to compare with these people.
He thinks growth factors (e.g. IGF-1) impora
Carotid arteries thickness - less on CR, raw foodists, and vegans than
controls - lower risk of heart disease.
CR people (but not vegans or raw foodists) have significantly lower artery
stiffness than controls.
BUN is lower in raw food people, but not in CRonies - indicate high protein
intake in CRonies.
Plasma protein lower on CR.
ALT and AST higher in CRonies - match rodents and primates
ALP lower in CR
Hematrocrit and hemoglobin - tendency to be lower in CR
White blood cells - all lower in CR, raw foodists and vegans, by a lot
Lymphocytes change in step with degree of CR, More restriction, lower
lymphocytes.
In animals, lymphocytes are lowered by CR, but they are more efficient.
CRonies more efficient (in immune system) so we dont need as many WBCs.
He thinks it may explain why autoimmune problems less.
Platelets lower in CR - help stop bleeding. Could explain slow wound
healing in CRonies. Platelets have growth factors (PDGF) in them. May be
bad for longevity in cancer, so low may be good.
Cells cultured in our plasma increase apoptosis a lot - which will reduce
cancer risk. We kill off bad white blood cells well.
When fibroblasts are cultured in our plasma, they proliferate better. Stem
cells proliferate better with our plasma.
Increased BMI => more cancer
IGF-1 positively correlated with cancer.
IGF-1 appears lower, but he's redoing the test.
Testosterone lower in CR
Cortisol is same (repeating - test suspect) - may be higher in CR.
Leptin - very low on CR. Not surprising due to low body fat.
Bone density data - BMD a lot lower for CR, average -2.standard deviations.
CTX - marker of bone resorption higher in CRonies
BAP - marker for bone deposition lower in CRonies
CRonie men may be loosing bone mass.
But despite low bone mass, it may be they have better bone quality - *maybe*.
Lisa Walford has very low BMD, but does Yoga that puts a lot of stress on
spine - without fracture.
Energy intake comparisons meaningless, due to propensity of people to
misrepresent calorie intake, especially the standard diet people.
CR people get more protein than raw foodists or vegans.
CR lower in saturated fat intake, cholesterol, and trans fats.
CR has a lot higher fiber than controls.
Phytic acid and oxalic acid (anti-nutrients) lot higher in CR.
Intake of vitamin A (equvilants) and K from diet higher in CR.
B6 and B12 lower in raw foodists.
Sodium and calcium lower in raw foodists. Calcium intake higher in CRonies.
Luigis believes the important factors for a healthy life:
o Serene mind
o Diet
o Exercise
Very excited about results of human CR study
Submitting results to New England Journal of Medicine (or JAMA if NEJM rejects)
