Caloric restriction (with adequate nutrition) is the only non-pharmacological intervention that extends the lifespan in model organisms from yeast to mammals. Among other things, CR downregulates the mTOR pathway and upregulates AMPK, both of which are metabolic master switches.
In laboratory animals, CR impressively prolongs lifespan. However, lifespan increases are consistently more pronounced in shorter-lived animals than in longer-lived ones. For example, while CR may increase mouse lifespan by 30-50%, in dogs it is thought to only increases lifespan by 10% or so, likely even less in humans.
A couple of years ago, I used to restrict my calories to about 2000-2200kcal/d. Nothing else I have ever done (and I have done a lot) has worsened my health and well-being as much. I was constantly ravenous, developed a slow metabolism (low heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature), stubborn hormonal problems that took a long time to recover from, I had always cold hands and feet, and I was fatigued around the clock.
The ensuing hypoleptinemia also made me irritable, neurotic, restless, and obsessive, pulling me towards disordered eating.
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