Daily Fasting Improves Health and Survival in Male Mice Independent of Diet Composition and Calories.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Animal model study (male mice) with no human data
PubMed 30197301 · doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2018.08.011
What was done
Male mice were fed two different diets derived from prior primate studies across three feeding paradigms: ad libitum (AL), 30% calorie restriction (CR), and single-meal feeding (MF) designed to match the caloric intake and energy density consumed by AL mice. The study evaluated the comparative impact of feeding pattern versus dietary composition on health and survival.
What was found
The abstract reports no numeric values, effect sizes, or lifespan data. Qualitatively, both CR and MF regimens improved morbidity and mortality compared with AL feeding. Diet composition alone had no significant effect within any feeding regimen. MF mice consumed their meal rapidly, imposing extended daily fasting periods that conferred health and survival benefits.
Why it matters
This study suggests that the duration of daily fasting, rather than macronutrient composition or caloric reduction alone, can drive health and longevity benefits in male mice.
Limits
The study was conducted entirely in male mice, so direct translation to female animals or humans remains unproven. The abstract provides no sample sizes, specific lifespan metrics, mortality hazard ratios, or statistical confidence intervals.
Cited by
- supports A study in mice by Rafael de Cabo at the NIH showed that mice eating within a restricted time window lived substantially longer than mice eating continuously, regardless of macronutrient composition.