Food restriction, pituitary hormones and ageing

Reducing the intake of food in rodents inhibits body growth, retards most physiological ageing processes, delays the onset of pathology and prolongs life. Food restriction (FR) reduces pituitary hormone secretion and in consequence has been called 'functional hypophysectomy'. Direct life-long comparisons in the rat showed that hypophysectomy (HYP) (a complete absence of pituitary hormones) has a greater anti-ageing action than FR (a partial lack of pituitary hormones) on collagen, kidney and muscle. This suggests that pituitary hormones accelerate ageing. Recent American research on genetic variants of the mouse indicates that pituitary growth hormone (GH) may accelerate ageing and shorten life. Both the Snell and Ames dwarf mice have a deficiency of pituitary GH and live 50% longer than normal mice. The Snell dwarf mouse has retarded ageing of both collagen and immune functions. The Ames dwarf mouse has high antioxidant enzyme activities in liver and kidney. A transgenic human GH mouse is short lived, has a low activity of antioxidant enzymes in liver and kidney and an early development of disease in these organs. It is postulated that FR by reducing the secretion of pituitary hormones, such as GH, diminishes the oxidative damage of certain tissues, thereby delaying the development of age-related diseases in these tissues and by this means extends life.