NEW YORK – A growing body of research is exploring dietary interventions as a path toward healthy aging, and a new study suggests a “fasting-mimicking diet” might potentially be a significant step forward. The study, published in Nature Communications, indicates that a five-day cyclical diet-low in calories, protein, and carbohydrates-can reduce biological age, a measure of cellular health, by as much as 2.5 years.Researchers at the University of Southern California, who led the study, say this is the first evidence that a food-based approach, requiring minimal lifestyle changes, can demonstrably reverse markers of aging.
Recent scientific research suggests a diet mimicking fasting (FMD) may offer anti-aging health benefits comparable to intermittent fasting, without requiring complete food restriction. This approach, detailed in a report by the New York Post, centers on reducing calorie intake and consuming specific nutrients to replicate the body’s responses during a fast. Understanding how to promote healthy aging is a growing area of public health interest.
Unlike traditional fasting, which involves total abstinence from food, “pseudo-fasting” allows for controlled amounts of unsaturated fats and essential nutrients over a cycle typically lasting five days each month, with a return to a normal diet for the remainder of the time.
Previous studies have indicated that FMD cycles can aid in weight loss, promote stem cell regeneration, and lessen the side effects of chemotherapy. Other research has also suggested a potential role in alleviating symptoms of dementia.
A new study published in the journal Nature Communications found that this dietary pattern reduces markers of immune aging, lowers insulin resistance, and decreases liver fat—resulting in an approximately 2.5-year reduction in a person’s biological age.
Biological age is a measure of cellular and tissue health, distinct from chronological age, which is calculated in days and years.
“This is the first study to show that a food-based intervention, without major lifestyle changes, can make people biologically younger,” said Walter Longo, the lead researcher and a professor at the University of Southern California.
The diet consists of five days of low calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intake, rich in unsaturated fats known for their heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory properties. Calorie intake is reduced to 40–50% of daily needs, aiming to stimulate cellular responses similar to those triggered by water-only fasting.
According to the study’s results, following a fasting-mimicking diet reduces risk factors for diabetes, lowers liver fat, and slows the aging of the immune system. These effects limit the risk of age-related diseases and are reflected in a noticeable decrease in biological age.
