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Article: Longevity & calorie restriction.(Shorts)
- Article from:
- Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
- Article date:
- December 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Townsend Letter Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Animal studies have shown that calorie restriction extends lifespan and reduces the risk of developing chronic disease in old age--if the diet contains the required amount of all essential nutrients (vitamins, protein, minerals, etc). Roy L. Walford, MD, and Richard Weindruch, PhD, performed hundreds of animal experiments involving calorie restriction. In some cases, the animals had access to a balanced diet for a restricted time period (e.g., 12 hours every other day). In other experiments, the animals received 40 to 70% of the amount usually ingested by similar animals who were free fed. Supplements were included when necessary to prevent deficiencies. Calorie ...