Circadian alignment of early onset caloric restriction promotes longevity in male C57BL/6J mice.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Animal research (controlled rodent study).
PubMed 35511946 · doi:10.1126/science.abk0297
What was done
Male C57BL/6J mice were placed on a 30% caloric restriction (CR) regimen to evaluate how caloric intake, fasting intervals, and circadian alignment of feeding interact to influence lifespan. Hepatic gene expression associated with inflammation and metabolic pathways was also analyzed during aging in ad libitum-fed versus nighttime CR mice.
What was found
A 30% caloric restriction alone increased lifespan by 10%. When combined with a daily fasting interval and circadian alignment of feeding (nighttime feeding), lifespan was extended by 35% in male C57BL/6J mice, an effect independent of body weight. Nighttime CR also ameliorated age-related increases in liver inflammatory gene expression and decreases in metabolic pathway gene expression.
Why it matters
This study demonstrates that the longevity benefits of caloric restriction in mice depend heavily on the circadian timing of food intake and fasting intervals rather than calorie reduction alone.
Limits
The study was conducted exclusively in male C57BL/6J mice, and specific sample sizes and variance metrics are omitted from the abstract. Findings in nocturnal rodents cannot be directly translated to human circadian biology and longevity without clinical trials.
Cited by
- supports In calorie restriction rodent studies, mice provided food in the daytime consume all of their food within 2 to 3 hours.