The Study
Genetic regulation of fasting-induced longevity effects
This study looked at different groups of mice to see how they react to eating every other day. It found that some mice lived longer, some didn’t, and it depended on their genes and whether they were male or female. But it didn’t prove that eating every other day made them live longer—it just showed a pattern.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Scientists fed mice food every other day to see if it made them live longer — but it only helped some, depending on their genes and whether they were male or female.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 520 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This suggests fasting might help some humans but harm others — and we can't assume it works the same for everyone.
- 2Male mice from some strains lived 1.7 months longer with fasting; female mice didn't benefit at all — some even died sooner.
- 3All mice had more irregular red blood cells (RDW-CV went up).
- 4Mice that kept more body fat in old age lived longer.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Genetics
Year
2026
Authors
Alison Luciano, Laura L. Robinson, Will Schott, A. West, Ron Korstanje, G. Churchill
Related Content
Claims (6)
In mice, a 2-day-per-week intermittent fasting regimen extends median lifespan by 1.7 months in males from certain genetic strains but has no significant effect in females and reduces survival in some strains.
Intermittent fasting raises red blood cell distribution width in male and female mice of multiple strains, which reflects increased variability in red blood cell size due to altered red blood cell production.
In mice, greater body fat in old age is linked to living longer, whether or not they fast.
Intermittent fasting changes the types and amounts of immune cells in mice, with male mice showing fewer B cells and CD4+ T cells and female mice showing more NK cells and eosinophils.
Genetic differences in mammals influence how their bodies respond to intermittent fasting.
In mice, intermittent fasting does not change how quickly frailty develops or the final level of frailty, even when mice start with different levels of frailty due to genetics.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.