14% restriction for 2 years increases healthspan

[corybroo]

Calorie restriction rewires metabolism, immunity for longer health span

The new study used data gathered by Pennington Biomedical's CALERIE 2 (Comprehensive Assessment of the Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy), the longest-running calorie restriction trial in humans.

Two years of modest calorie restriction reprogrammed the pathways in fat cells that help regulate the way mitochondria generate energy, the body's anti-inflammatory responses, and potentially longevity. … In other words, calorie restriction rewires many of the metabolic and immune responses that boost lifespan and health span.

The study found that people who cut their calorie intake by about 14 percent over two years generated more T cells, which play a key role in immune function and slow the aging process.

Calorie restriction helps prevent the thymus from shrinking so the person generates more T cells.

an increase in T cells is associated with an improved ability to burn stores of fatty acids for energy, Dr. Ravussin said. That's important because if a person doesn't burn this fuel, the fat may build up in organs such as the muscle and liver