A modest cut in daily calories, even as small as 12%, can tilt the odds toward healthier aging by lowering chronic inflammation. This finding comes from a study reported in Science by researchers from the National Institute on Aging, also noted in Aging Cell.
Across many studies, calorie restriction delivered with careful nutrition has slowed the onset of age-related diseases in animals, extended lifespan, and improved overall well-being and stress resilience. The emerging evidence suggests that similar benefits may apply to people as well.
Researchers examined data from the CALERIE study, which followed healthy adults in the United States who were not obese. Participants were asked to reduce their daily energy intake by 25 percent for two years, but the most common achievement was a 12 percent reduction.
The findings show that this seemingly small restriction produced parallel effects in humans to those seen in animal models. For instance, it activated genes tied to energy production and metabolism while dampening pro-inflammatory genes. It also influenced circadian rhythms and contributed to the repair of damaged DNA regions.
Because inflammation is tightly linked with aging, calorie restriction offers a meaningful approach to preventing the inflammatory state that many older adults experience. The researchers concluded that a 12 percent reduction in daily calories is feasible and potentially highly advantageous for health and longevity.
Further insights from the original Phase 2 CALERIE study, with results published in Nature Aging, indicated that calorie restriction slowed the rate of aging by roughly two to three percent. Participants also tended to shed about 10 percent of their body weight over the two-year period and largely maintained that weight loss afterward.
Earlier reports have highlighted a different avenue: a new weight-loss medication has shown about a 21 percent reduction in body weight over 12 weeks in a separate study. Note: these findings pertain to a distinct intervention and are cited for context in the broader discussion of weight management and aging.