Back to Doctor Reacts to Bryan Johnson´s Anti-Aging Diet
Claim
Strong Support
causal
Analysis v4

In humans, eating fewer calories slows the biological aging process as measured by the DunedinPACE biomarker.

65
Pro
0
Against

Mechanism

Synthesis from 3 studies

How it works

Eating fewer calories changes chemical marks on DNA in blood cells, which turns down harmful processes like inflammation and turns up repair functions. This slows the gradual wear and tear on the body’s organs and systems, making the body age more slowly.

Most probable mechanism

In Simple Terms

Eating fewer calories changes chemical tags on DNA in blood cells, which turns down genes that drive inflammation and metabolic stress, and turns up genes that repair cells. This slows the gradual breakdown of organs and systems like the heart, kidneys, and immune system, making the body age more slowly.

Causal chain
1

Reduced caloric intake lowers energy availability, decreasing insulin and IGF-1 signaling and increasing NAD+ levels.

Supported by evidence
which leads to
2

Altered metabolic signaling modulates the activity of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases, changing methylation patterns at specific CpG sites in blood leukocytes.

Verified by multiple studies
which leads to
3

These methylation changes alter the expression of genes involved in inflammation, metabolism, and cellular repair, reducing the rate of decline in physiological functions such as lipid metabolism, kidney filtration, and immune response.

Verified by multiple studies
which leads to
4

The cumulative effect of these changes is a slower pace of multi-system physiological decline, quantified as a reduction in DunedinPACE.

Verified by multiple studies

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (3)

65

Community contributions welcome

65

EFFECT OF LONG-TERM CALORIC RESTRICTION ON THE PACE OF BIOLOGICAL AGING IN HEALTHY ADULTS FROM THE CALERIE TRIAL

Randomized Controlled Trial
Human
65

Effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial

Randomized Controlled Trial
Human
2023 Mar
65

Effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial

Randomized Controlled Trial
Human
2023 Mar

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Sign up to see full verdict

Similar Assertions

Cutting calories a bit for two years might slow how fast your body ages on a cellular level, according to a study on healthy adults who aren’t overweight.

65
0
82%

If healthy adults eat 20% less food, it might slow down how fast their body ages — and the more they cut calories, the more it slows, according to one study.

65
0
82%

If healthy-weight adults eat 25% less food for two years, it might slow down how fast their body ages—based on a special aging test—though not all aging tests showed a change.

65
0
82%

In adults who are not obese, eating 25% fewer calories for two years is linked to a 3% slower rate of biological aging based on a DNA methylation test called DunedinPACE.

65
0
82%

Caloric restriction changes a biological measure of aging called DunedinPACE, but there is no confirmed evidence that this change reduces chronic disease or increases healthy lifespan.

65
0
81%

Related Content