A diet consisting of fats contributes to an increase in life expectancy and reduces the likelihood of death at a young age. This was clarified by a group of American scientists led by Eric Verdin of the Institute for the Study of Aging Buck. This type of food contributes to the formation of ketone bodies in the body and is called ketogenic. The article is published in the journal Cell Metabolism. In the experiments we used mice of the age of one year, by which scientists came up with a special diet to achieve the maximum concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate (one of the ketone species) in blood plasma without consequences for health. The diet for 89-90 percent consisted of fats, while the ketogenic diet alternated with the usual. Mice with this type of food were compared to animals that were fed differently. Researchers noted that, despite the high content of fats, the weight of rodents almost did not change, unlike those that sat on a non-ketogenic diet or consumed only fats. It turned out that both alternating with the usual (cyclic) and continuous ketogenic diet increased the average life expectancy of rodents, reducing the risk of death of animals in adulthood. However, this did not prolong the life of the old mice. A series of tests of cognitive and physical abilities was performed on mice when they reached the age of 12-14 months, 22-24 months and 28-30 months. It is shown that a cyclic diet helped maintain normal memory during aging. In addition, as shown by the results of the echocardiogram, it prolonged the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. According to scientists, further research is needed that will prove the positive effect of the ketogenic diet on the human body.

In the future, this will help develop ways to treat age-related dementia and even delirium. Ketone bodies are metabolic products that are formed in the liver from fats. These include beta-hydrobutyric acid (beta-hydroxybutyrate or BOMC). It is a source of energy and is synthesized when the body lacks carbohydrates, in particular glucose. It is known that BOMC also has anti-inflammatory properties and regulates the activity of genes associated with age-related changes.

Original article: The life-prolonging diet is revealed.