Diet contributes to over one-third of cancer deaths in the Western world, yet the factors in the diet that influence cancer are not elucidated. A reduction in caloric intake dramatically slows cancer progression in rodents, and this may be a major contribution to dietary effects on cancer. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is lowered during dietary restriction (DR) in both humans and rats. B...

A major cause of aging is thought to result from the cumulative effects of cell loss over time. In yeast, caloric restriction (CR) delays aging by activating the Sir2 deacetylase. Here we show that expression of mammalian Sir2 (SIRT1) is induced in CR rats as well as in human cells that are treated with serum from these animals. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) attenuated this r...

A high energy balance, or caloric excess, accounts as a tumor promoting factor, while a negative energy balance via caloric restriction, has been shown to delay cancer progression. The effect of energy balance on ovarian cancer progression was investigated in an isogeneic immunocompetent mouse model of epithelial ovarian cancer kept on a regimen of regular diet, high energy diet (HED) and calor...

The effect of 1-deoxynojirimycin, a caloric restriction mimetic, was examined in ICR mice with azoxymethane dextran sodium sulfate-induced colorectal cancer. Azoxymethane is a carcinogen (10 mg/kg body weight), and 2% dextran sodium sulfate (w/v) used as a colitis-inducing agent. Mice were separated into 5 groups: a group without colorectal cancer fed a normal diet (CO- group), and groups with ...

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have demonstrated the life-extending effect of caloric restriction. It is generally accepted that caloric restriction has health benefits, such as prolonging lifespan and delaying the onset and progression of CKD in various species, especially in rodent models. Although many studies have tested the efficacy of caloric restriction, no complete quantitative analysis of...

Studies on mice and rats have demonstrated that calorie restriction (CR) slows primary aging, has a protective effect against secondary aging, and markedly decreases the incidence of malignancies. However, the only way to determine whether CR "works" in humans is to conduct studies on people. Such studies are difficult to perform in free-living people. While research on CR in humans is still at...

Caloric restriction is the most reliable intervention to prevent age-related disorders and extend lifespan. The reduction of calories by 10-30% compared to an ad libitum diet is known to extend the longevity of various species from yeast to rodents. The underlying mechanisms by which the benefits of caloric restriction occur have not yet been clearly defined. However, many studies are being con...

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a polypeptide hormone produced mainly by the liver in response to the endocrine growth hormone (GH) stimulus. This protein is involved in a wide range of cellular functions, including cellular differentiation, transformation, apoptosis suppression, migration and cell-cycle progression and other metabolic processes. In the current study, human heart cDNA w...

The processes that determine an organism's lifespan are complex and poorly understood. Yet single gene manipulations and environmental interventions can substantially delay age-related morbidity. In this review, we focus on the two most potent modulators of longevity: insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling and dietary restriction. The remarkable molecular conservation of the com...

F or decades, researchers have been intrigued by calorie restriction, a tried and true way of extending lifespans in creatures ranging from yeast and roundworms to flies and mice. Aside from increasing the lifespan of organisms up to 80% in some studies, calorie restriction (with proper nutrition) also leads to lower insulin, glucose, and blood pressure levels, as well as increased white blood ...