Is Intermittent Fasting Anti-ageing?

Is intermittent fasting anti-ageing?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

The collective evidence from various studies suggests that intermittent fasting has significant anti-aging effects. It improves cognitive function, metabolic health, and cardiovascular markers while reducing inflammation and promoting cellular maintenance and tissue regeneration. These benefits contribute to the prevention of age-associated diseases and potentially enhance longevity. Therefore, intermittent fasting appears to be a promising strategy for promoting healthy aging.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained significant attention as a potential anti-aging intervention. This dietary regimen involves alternating periods of eating and fasting, and it is believed to offer various health benefits, including improved metabolic health, cognitive function, and longevity. This synthesis aims to evaluate the evidence from multiple research studies to determine whether intermittent fasting has anti-aging effects.

Key Insights

• Improvement in Cognitive Function and Memory:
  • Intermittent fasting has been shown to prevent memory loss and improve cognitive function in both animal models and humans with mild cognitive impairment1 8 9.
• Metabolic Health and Weight Management:
  • IF improves metabolic health by reducing fat mass, particularly abdominal fat, and improving glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity1 2 4 5.
  • It also enhances fat oxidation and reduces serum glucose levels, contributing to better overall metabolic health1 4.
• Reduction in Inflammatory Markers:
  • IF reduces age-associated inflammatory markers such as sICAM-1 and C-reactive protein (CRP), which are linked to various chronic diseases2 9.
• Cardiovascular Health:
  • IF improves cardiovascular markers, including reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides, which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases2 4.
• Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms:
  • IF activates adaptive cellular stress response pathways, enhances mitochondrial health, and promotes autophagy, which are crucial for cellular maintenance and longevity4 5 6 7.
  • It also induces biochemical changes such as increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduced oxidative stress markers like malondialdehyde (MDA)9.
• Stem Cell Function and Tissue Regeneration:
  • IF enhances intestinal stem cell function and promotes tissue regeneration by activating fatty acid oxidation pathways10.
• Longevity and Disease Prevention:
  • IF has been shown to delay aging and prevent age-associated diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and neurodegenerative disorders3 4 7.