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Does food restriction increase life span in lean rats?
L Teillet1, S Gouraud, B Corman
1Service de Biologie Cellulaire, CEA/Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France. laurent.teillet@spr.ap-hop-paris-fr
The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging
|August 19, 2004
Summary
Food restriction extended lifespan in lean WAG/Rij rats by 10% when initiated in adulthood. This dietary intervention showed benefits for aging processes, particularly in animals with naturally lower food intake.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Animal Science
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- WAG/Rij rats are a lean rodent strain with naturally low spontaneous food intake.
- Understanding the impact of dietary interventions on longevity in specific strains is crucial for aging research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of food restriction on the survival and lifespan of lean WAG/Rij rats.
- To determine if the timing of dietary intervention initiation influences its efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Adult WAG/Rij rats (males and females) were subjected to a 30% food restriction starting at 10 months of age.
- A subset of male rats also began food restriction at 20 months of age.
- Survival curves, mean lifespan, and maximal lifespan were analyzed.
Main Results:
- In females, food restriction initiated at 10 months increased mean and maximal lifespan by 10% and altered the survival curve's terminal slope.
- In males, food restriction initiated at 10 months also resulted in a 10% increase in mean and maximal survival.
- Dietary restriction initiated at 20 months in males had no significant effect on survival.
Conclusions:
- Food restriction can increase lifespan in lean rodents, though the effect may be less pronounced than in strains with higher spontaneous food intake.
- Initiating dietary restriction in adulthood shows benefits for survival in WAG/Rij rats.
- While lifespan benefits were observed, food restriction also positively impacts various aging processes in this lean strain.