Intermittent Fasting & Longevity

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The main 3 nutrient sensors of the human body, which is similar to most animals are:

1. mTOR
2. AMPK
3. Insulin

Most of these interventions affect one or more of these pathways. With TOR, less is more. Blocking mTOR improves protein handling, increases autophagy and enhances stem cell function. 

That is, from all the animal research, increased health span depends not on having more nutrients, it is having less. Increased longevity depends on decreasing the nutrient sensors (lower mTOR and insulin, higher AMPK) at least periodically.

This is fascinating, because the most ancient dietary intervention is fasting – a clear form of decreasing nutrient-sensing pathways. Humans have used fasting (or cleansing, detoxification, purification or whatever you call it) as a method of increasing wellness since antiquity. Benjamin Franklin, kind of a smart guy, said 

“The best of all medicines is resting and fasting”.

Decreased nutrients sensors

Compared to other dietary interventions, intermittent fasting appears to be far more powerful because alone has the ability to affect all 3 nutrient sensors simultaneously, as well as stimulate autophagy and mitophagy. mTOR is sensitive to dietary protein. Insulin is sensitive to proteins and carbohydrates. So eating a pure fat diet (not realistic) may lower mTOR and insulin, but will not be able to raise AMPK, since that senses the energy status of the cells. If you are eat a very high-fat diet (ketogenic) your body will still be able to metabolize this to energy – generating ATP and lowering AMPK. Only 2 of the 3 nutrient sensing pathways have been alerted. Only complete restriction of nutrients will have this effect (ie. fasting).

https://www.dietdoctor.com/ancient-secret-hacking-aging-process

https://idmprogram.com/fasting-and-autophagy-fasting-25/

http://siimland.com/how-to-increase-ampk-for-fat-burning-and-longevity/

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