A study demonstrates that this low-commitment diet can rejuvenate biological age

Is there a simple method to rejuvenate our body from the inside?

A recent study conducted by the University of Southern California (USC) reveals that periodically following a fasting-mimicking diet could not only rejuvenate the immune system and reduce insulin resistance, but also decrease liver fat and slow down biological aging in clinical trial patients.


The researchers developed a five-day diet high in unsaturated fats and low in calories, proteins, and carbohydrates, designed to simulate the effects of water fasting while providing essential nutrients. This diet, known as the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD), makes it easier for participants to follow the fasting regimen. According to Professor Valter Longo, the leading author of the study, this innovative dietary approach, published in the journal Nature Communications, does not require chronic lifestyle changes and can make subjects biologically younger.

The study analyzed the impact of this diet on two populations of clinical trial patients, including men and women aged 18 to 70 years. Patients subjected to the fasting-mimicking diet underwent 3 to 4 cycles. A cycle lasts one month, with a fasting-mimicking period for 5 days, followed by a normal diet for the remaining 25 days. This diet includes plant-based soups, energy bars, energy drinks, snack chips, and tea, all supplemented with a nutrient-rich supplement of minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids.

The results showed that participants following the fasting-mimicking diet exhibited a reduction in diabetes risk factors, notably less insulin resistance and lower levels of HbA1c. Magnetic resonance imaging also revealed a decrease in abdominal and liver fat, signs of a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome. Moreover, cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet seemed to increase the lymphoid-myeloid ratio, an indicator of a younger immune system.

Further statistical analysis demonstrated that participants on the fasting-mimicking diet reduced their biological age - a measure of cell and tissue functionality as compared to chronological age - by an average of 2.5 years.

These findings add to the evidence of the benefits of fasting-mimicking cycles, already associated with stem cell regeneration, reduction of chemotherapy side effects, and decreasing signs of dementia in mice, as well as lowering risk factors for cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, and other age-related diseases in humans.

This research paves the way for a periodic dietary intervention that is short-term and feasible, which could help people reduce their risk of disease and improve their health without major lifestyle changes. Professor Longo hopes these results will encourage more healthcare professionals to recommend fasting-mimicking cycles to their patients.