Intermittent Fasting

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfna7nV7WaM

Research on IGF-1 level in mice causing growth of new brain cells done by Mark Mattson. Some of his work can be found online. Matt is the one that recommends the 5/2 diet to the host, no basis is given for that recommendation. Looks promising (and I love the term "Perturbed Energy Metabolism").

The guy making some really outstanding claims ("they look like a different species") is Luigi Fontana of Washington University. One of his primary papers on the top does not mention IGF-1.

Valter Longo produced the longest lived mouse. His research seems more focused on IGF-1, seems most promising. In the documentary he oversees the hosts fast. The IGF-1 baseline established before the fast is 210 ng/ml and after 4 days of fasting (50cal/day) IGF-1 is again measured at 110ng/ml. Over the same fast, his blood glucose drops from 110 mg/dl to 80 mg/dl (this chart on the show is a little deceptive as the numbering begins at 70 making a 28% drop look like a 75% drop). During this portion they state "halving my IGF-1 should cut my risk of certain cancers" but by how much and how long to those levels need to be sustained and how often do they need to be repeated? Can a formulaic relationship be established between IGF-1/time and repetition to sustain risk?

5/2

This diet seems interesting, but the basic mechanism may fully explain the measurements without actually gaining any anti-aging benefits. A rough estimate that the average American male is eating around 3KC/day for a total of 21KC/week. The 5/2 reduces that down to 16KC/week, a 14% reduction. The strength of the diet may simply be in that it is simple to follow. It would be very hard to accurately trim 14% of daily caloric consumption (from 3000 down to 2250). Eating only 500-600C on two days is easier to follow. I would like to see some research showing that IGF-1 actually drops appreciably over the course of the two days and that the drop-curve matches a longevity-increasing pattern.