title: Significant life extension by ten percent dietary restriction.
abstract: Although it is well documented that dietary restriction (DR) increases the life span of rodents and other animals, this increase is observed at relatively high levels of DR, in which rodents are typically fed 40% less than that consumed by rodents fed ad libitum. It is generally assumed that lower levels of DR will have a lesser impact on life span; however, there are very little published data on the effect of low levels of DR on life span. In this study, we show that 10% DR increased life span to almost the same extent as 40% DR. While both 10% and 40% DR resulted in similar changes in non-neoplastic lesions, 10% DR had no significant effect on the incidence of neoplasia (except for pituitary adenoma), and 40% DR resulted in a significant reduction (40%) in neoplasia. These data clearly demonstrate that the life span of F344 rats does not increase linearly with the level of DR; rather, even a low level of DR can substantially affect life span. This rodent study has important translational implications because it suggests that a modest reduction in calories might have significant health benefits for humans.
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.|Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: Arlan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
authors.forename: Steven N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Austad
authors.affiliation: Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Research Service, Audie Murphy VA Hospital (STVHCS), San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikeno
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Unnikrishnan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Roger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McCarter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002423:Cause of Death; D004032:Diet; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats
keywords: 10% dietary restriction; calorie restriction; life span; neoplasia