Wang Leili, Ninth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital
In today's fast-paced society, people are often busy coping with the pressure of work, chasing material satisfaction, and coping with various interpersonal relationships, but inadvertently neglect their most valuable asset - their own health. We always seem to lack a deep and comprehensive understanding of the inevitable life process of aging. However, a recent impressive study has opened a new window of understanding into the close link between reducing calorie intake and slowing the biological aging process.
This groundbreaking study was generously funded by the Singapore Ministry of Education and published in the prestigious journal Nature · Aging. The main source of data is the "Comprehensive Assessment of the Long-Term Effects of Energy Reduction Reduction" (CALERIE) research project. This research is like a ray of light that illuminates the way forward on the road of health and aging.
In our usual perception, age is usually measured in chronological age, i.e., the years elapsed from the moment of birth. This standard is intuitive and easy to calculate, but it has significant limitations. It is simply a time count that fails to take into account an individual's health status, lifestyle differences, genetic and epigenetic distinctiveness, and the complex influences of the environment in which they live.
In contrast, biological age is like a precise and delicate recorder, which takes into account biomarkers, subtle changes in epigenetics, and physiological indicators, so as to paint a more realistic and personalized picture of aging. Each person is unique, and the rate of biological age increases varies greatly from person to person.
In the vast field of scientific research, biological age has emerged as a key indicator of an individual's risk of illness and death. Its importance cannot be underestimated, as it can reveal hidden health risks beneath the surface, help us anticipate potential disease risks, and take proactive and effective prevention and intervention measures.
It is worth emphasizing that there are often significant differences between biological age and time series age. Sometimes, behind a seemingly young chronological age, there may be a biological age that is well beyond the actual age, which means that the body's aging process is accelerating in an imperceptible way; On the contrary, there are also people who have successfully maintained a relatively young biological state through scientific lifestyle and health management while gradually increasing their age in time.
Let's focus on the CALERIE research project. In this program, participants had only a relatively modest calorie restriction of about 12 percent. However, this seemingly insignificant adjustment is like a boulder dropped on the surface of a calm lake, causing ripples and triggering a series of surprising changes.
Cardiovascular disease, the health killer in modern society, had a significantly lower risk factor for its common common factors in the participants. Cholesterol levels are effectively controlled, blood pressure is kept in a more desirable range, and blood sugar metabolism tends to be balanced. These positive changes have undoubtedly injected a powerful vitality into the health of the cardiovascular system, greatly reducing the probability of serious diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
At the same time, the estimated biological age also showed a clear downward trend. This means that the participants' body functions have achieved "reverse growth" to a certain extent, the metabolism of cells is more active, and the function of organs has been effectively maintained and improved.
Daniel · Belsky, associate professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at United States Colombia University, paid close attention to the findings. "THE DATA FROM THE CALERIE PROJECT IN THIS PAPER STRONGLY CONFIRMS OUR PREVIOUS FINDINGS AND CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THAT THE INTERVENTIONS IN THIS PROJECT ARE EFFECTIVE IN SLOWING THE PACE OF BIOLOGICAL AGING," HE SAID. ”
Professor Belski further emphasized: "It is crucial to be able to observe such similar and consistent findings. In the process of scientific research, different researchers use their own unique tools and methods to verify the same hypothesis from different perspectives, and finally reach the same conclusion, which undoubtedly provides solid support and strong evidence for relevant theories and practices. ”
Professor Belski himself has long been involved in the relationship between caloric restriction, epigenetics and aging, and last year published a major paper on the epigenetic clock in the journal Nature · Aging. His work has laid a solid foundation for in-depth exploration in this field and further enriched our understanding of the mechanisms of aging.
In the Diabetes Center of the Ninth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, there are also practices related to calorie control. Doctors at the center found that for diabetic patients, reasonable control of calorie intake in the diet is important to stabilize blood sugar levels, improve insulin resistance, and delay the onset and progression of complications. They will develop a personalized diet plan for the patient, and strictly calculate the calorie intake of each meal while ensuring a balanced nutrition. At the same time, the effect of calorie control is evaluated by regularly monitoring the patient's physiological indicators, such as blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood lipids, etc. Practice has proved that after following a scientific calorie control diet, these patients not only have better blood sugar control, but also significantly improve their cardiovascular and other health indicators, and the growth rate of biological age has slowed down.
So, what are the profound enlightenments and reflections that this research result has brought us?
First, it makes us revisit the centrality of diet in health management. Reducing calorie intake does not mean a simple diet, but a more scientific and rational diet plan. On the premise of ensuring balanced nutrition, we need to carefully choose the type and intake of food to avoid excessive calorie accumulation, so as to create a healthier and lighter metabolic environment for the body.
Secondly, this study also reminds us to pay attention to the potential impact of every detail in our lives on our health. From daily exercise habits to sleep quality, from the regulation of psychological stress to the maintenance of social relationships, every aspect may unconsciously affect our biological age.
However, when applying this research result to real life, we also face some challenges and problems that require careful consideration.
First and foremost, determining the specific amount of calorie restriction that is right for each person is key. There are differences in physical condition, basal metabolic rate, activity level, etc., and one-size-fits-all restrictions may not apply. This requires us to rely on professional medical advice and individualized assessment to develop a diet plan that is both safe and effective.
Second, maintaining a moderate calorie restriction for a long time is not an easy task, and it requires strong willpower and good lifestyle habits. In modern society, the temptation of rich and varied cuisine is everywhere, and the stress of work and life can also lead to emotional eating behavior. Therefore, developing healthy psychological coping mechanisms and establishing a supportive environment are critical to achieving calorie restriction successfully.
Furthermore, while reducing calorie intake has shown a positive effect on biological age, it should not be the only health concern. Other factors such as balanced nutritional intake, moderate exercise, adequate sleep, and a good state of mind also play an integral role in maintaining overall health and slowing down the aging process.
In order to better promote the transformation and application of this research result, all sectors of society need to work together. Professionals in the medical and health fields should strengthen public education and popularize scientific knowledge about biological age and calorie restriction to help people develop correct health concepts.
At the same time, the food industry can develop more products that meet nutritional needs and are low in calories, providing consumers with more healthy choices. Government departments should also develop policies to encourage the promotion of healthy diets and lifestyles, such as increasing public sports facilities and conducting health education activities.
For individuals, it is important to fully understand that health is a long-term investment and cannot be pursued only for short-term results. On the road of exploring the path of lowering biological age, it is necessary to remain patient and persistent, and constantly adjust and optimize your lifestyle.
I believe that in the near future, with the continuous deepening of scientific research and the joint efforts of all sectors of society, we will be able to grasp the code of health and aging more accurately, so that everyone can meet every day of life with a healthier and more energetic attitude in the passage of time, and truly achieve a high-quality and longevity life.
Let us take every step bravely with the yearning for health and trust in science, and jointly write a new chapter in human health and aging management.