Thursday, January 19, 2017

When Rhesus Monkeys Diet, They Live Longer - Science

Who knew a Rhesus monkey could live thirty years or more and the research shows they have a better chance of going that distance and in healthier fashion if their weight does not get out of control.  There's a heavy moral proscription against gluttony anyway but here the researchers bring science and come to the same conclusion.  (Science Daily:  Calorie restriction lets monkeys live long and prosper)

Note:  Science Daily hit again with another groaner as you probably didn't need a reference to Star Trek in the title.  There seems to be a bit of a run with the RAT Syndrome (i.e. Really Awful Titles).



A 2009 image of rhesus monkeys in a landmark study of the benefits of caloric restriction. The then 27-year-old monkey on the left was given a diet with fewer calories while the then 29-year-old monkey on the right was allowed to eat as much as it liked.  Both animals have since died of natural causes.  A new study of the effects of a restricted diet reinforces the idea that reducing caloric intake has health benefits that can extend lifespan.

Credit: Jeff Miller/University of Wisconsin-Madison

- SD

We know that intuitively anyway but the researchers seek to put the numbers behind it.


For this one it's best if you read the article since the researchers make point by point comparisons between two studies of this phenomenon which returned somewhat different results.  Here was where it ended.

Finally, the team identified key sex differences in the relationship between diet, adiposity (fat), and insulin sensitivity, where females seem to be less vulnerable to adverse effects of adiposity than males. This new insight appears to be particularly important in primates and likely is translatable to humans.

The upshot of the report is that caloric restriction does indeed seem to be a means to affect aging. However, for primates, age, diet and sex must all be factored in to realize the full benefits of lower caloric intake.

- SD

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