cron-web.org

[A1CR]

[19 Apr 2004; The following was published on behalf of Dean]

Long-Term Calorie Restriction Is Highly Effective In Reducing The Risk For
Atherosclerosis In Humans

A study has been published today in the very prestigious journal Proc. of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) by Dr. Fontana and Dr. Holloszy describing some of the exciting results from the study they've done on a 12 of us "long-term" CRONies from the CR Society.

The reference and abstract for the paper is included at the bottom [1]. It focuses on changes in markers of heart health as a result of practicing CRON.

Here is a short blurb from the press release on the study:

--------- A balanced diet with few calories practiced for an extended period, perhaps for one's whole life, is capable of drastically reducing the danger of developing diabetes, arterial hypertension and arteriosclerosis. This is the conclusion reached by researchers at the Washington University of St. Louis, after having studied 18 individuals who voluntarily went on a severe restricted calorie diet for an average period of six years. This clinical study, published in the "online" edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first tow have shown the beneficial effects of a long period of calorie restriction in a group of people who consume a varied and balanced diet and who live and work successfully in modern western society. "Our research has shown that a chronic reduction of calorie intake exerts a potent protective effect against some of the illnesses that are the principle causes of death and disability in industrialized countries", explained Luigi Fontana, the main author of the study and researches at the Department of Food Health of the Higher Institute of Health (HIH). Hundreds of scientific studies conducted on rodents have shown that calorie restriction is capable of prolonging their maximum life span, by 30-40% and of reducing the incidence of cancer in these mammals. "It is certain that the prospects for the people involved in the investigation are better than the average, as most likely, they will not suffer blocking of the arteries, diabetes, or arterial hypertension, conditions that cause, frequently, heart attacks and strokes." ----------

I like the part about "who live and work successfully in a modern western society" - yes it is possible to practice CR and thrive .

I think the "18 individuals" comes from the 12 of us CRONies, along w/ a few "raw fooders" included in the study who follow a diet and calorie intake very similar to ours - which Luigi collapsed into the CR group for analysis purposes.

Talking w/ Luigi Fontana, he has promised that many of the other (non-heart) benefits he has measured in us CRONies will be published in subsequent papers the team is going to submit.

The current paper, and follow-ups, should result in some very positive publicity for the human practice of CRON. A Google news search already shows several hits.

I think I can speak for all the study subjects when I say how gratifying it has been to participate in this exciting research. Contributing to mankind's understanding of the impact of nutrition and CR on human health/aging through research like this is precisely the reason some of us practice and document our CRON regimes as meticulously as we do.

--Dean

------------ [1] Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. - 4/19/04 published online before print

Long-Term Calorie Restriction Is Highly Effective In Reducing The Risk For Atherosclerosis In Humans

Luigi Fontana, Timothy E. Meyer, Samuel Klein, & John O. Holloszy

ABSTRACT

Little is known regarding the long-term effects of caloric restriction (CR) on the risk for atherosclerosis. We evaluated the effect of CR on risk factors for atherosclerotic arterial disease in individuals who are restricting food intake to slow aging. We studied 18 individuals who had been on CR for an average of 6 years (3-15 yr) and 18 age-matched healthy individuals on typical American diets. We measured serum lipids and lipoproteins, fasting plasma glucose and insulin, blood pressure (BP), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), platelet-derived growth factor AB (PDGF-AB), body composition, and carotid artery intima-media thickness. The CR group were markedly leaner than the comparison group (BMI, 19.6 ± 1.9 vs. 25.9 ± 3.2; % body fat, 8.7 ± 7% vs. 24 ± 8%). Total serum cholesterol (Tchol), LDL-cholesterol, Tchol/HDLChol ratio, triglycerides, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, hsCRP, PDFG-AB, systolic and diastolic BP were all markedly lower, while HDL-Chol was higher, in the CR, than in the American diet group. Based on previous medical record information, the CR group had serum lipid-lipoprotein and BP levels that were in the usual range for middle-aged individuals on typical U.S.A. diets, and similar to those of the comparison group, before they began CR. Carotid artery intima-media thickness was ~40% less in the CR group than in the comparison group. Based on measurements of a range of risk factors, it appears that long-term CR has a powerful protective effect against atherosclerosis. This interpretation is supported by the finding of a low carotid artery intima-media thickness.

PMID: Unavailable

http://www.pnas.org/papbyrecent.shtml