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FuturePundit on Resveratrol Results
(Monday July 07 2008)
 | FuturePundit comments on the latest resveratrol research: "Surprisingly, resveratrol extends life of those on the calorie restriction diet. I say 'surprisingly' because calorie restriction is already causing most of the changes that resveratrol causes. But note that mice on the middle range calorie diet did not live longer as a result of resveratrol treatment. ... Maybe on the [every other day feeding] mice the resveratrol worked by mimicking the effects of calorie restriction on the feeding days? ... My reaction to this study is mild disappointment. Resveratrol did not work nearly as well as calorie restriction in extending life. You still need to starve yourself to assure a longer life." It's convenient verbal shorthand, but the practice of calorie restriction is not "starving yourself." It's important to be correct in these matters - calorie restriction is elimination of calories above those needed to be healthy, while still obtaining an optimal level of micronutrients. Many slim, healthy people are already practicing a form of mild calorie restriction when measured against commonly recommended dietary intake. Still, my fervent hope is that calorie restriction will become irrelevant and outstripped by the first medical interventions to extend healthy life, hopefully within the next 20 years. My money is on technologies of mitochondrial replacement and repair. |
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