laitimes

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

author:Department of Nephrology, Zhang Hongtao

In life, we often hear the phrase "people are iron, rice is steel, and if you don't eat a meal, you are hungry and panic". But today, when we are all trying to eat, some people say, "We need to maintain proper hunger so that we can live longer." ”

When we first heard this statement, did everyone feel surprised and puzzled, because our subconscious thought that only by eating enough food and replenishing enough energy can we enhance the body's immunity and resist the invasion of diseases.

But now I want to tell you that there is some scientific basis for the claim that maintaining proper hunger can prolong life. If you don't believe it, let's move on.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

First, the "Science" study found that hunger itself can prolong life?

Recently, an article published in the journal Science has given everyone a new understanding of the diet that is inseparable from daily. This article shows that eating less and maintaining a certain amount of hunger will achieve the effect of prolonging life.

The researchers came to this conclusion because they did a lot of experiments, which they ultimately came to from experimental data. They mainly intervened in the feeding of fruit flies to keep these subjects hungry. The first artificial restriction is the intake of branched-chain amino acids, and the restriction of this substance is also more effective, and the experimental comparison results can be seen.

The researchers set up two diets with different BCAAs content, with one group of fruit flies consuming foods containing less BCAAs, accounting for 5.6 percent of the total BCAA content, while the other group was relatively high at 7.2 percent.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

After a period of comparative observation, the researchers found that flies that ate low content of branched-chain amino acids consumed more calories than the control group with high content, but the flies in this group lived relatively longer. Fruit flies that consumed low levels of BCAAs and consumed more indicated that they felt higher "hunger," but the results showed that they lived longer.

The researchers conducted a more detailed analysis of this result and found that the root cause of this result was isoleucine in branched-chain amino acids. As long as the researchers increase the concentration of isoleucine, they can relatively reduce the calorie intake of fruit flies. This also shows that restricting this substance can appropriately extend the lifespan of fruit flies. Therefore, the researchers concluded through the experiment of fruit flies that hunger itself can achieve the effect of prolonging life.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

In addition, Harvard University has also studied whether reducing calorie intake can improve the energy exchange process of cells. The experimenters studied the material exchange process in nematodes, and finally found that the mitochondria that regulate the physiological functions of cells and are responsible for energy conversion are dysfunctional.

The experimenters found that reducing the intake of reduced food in daily life can have a positive effect on the activity of mitochondria, that is, maintaining appropriate hunger and reducing food intake can keep mitochondria functioning normally and make them in good condition for a long time. In this way, the aging of the human body can be delayed and the ultimate goal of health and longevity can be achieved.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

Finally, studies have shown that starving for a few days may enhance the effect of immunotherapy in cancer patients and help them better cope with the damage of cancer to the body. Cancer is when a person's body undergoes metabolic changes, and short-term fasting causes extensive metabolic adaptations. That is to say, appropriate hunger can delay the process of metabolism in the body, so that patients have a certain metabolic adaptability, thereby helping to reduce the damage of abnormal metabolic changes to the body.

The researchers' explanation for this is that normal cells in our body in the state of short-term fasting will delay the speed of cell division, and readjust the needs of cell metabolism and energy, so as to better cope with the nutritional pressure of cancer cells. To a certain extent, it can also be said to help delay life.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

Taken together, these studies are all suggesting what we were previously surprised to think that keeping starvation properly can delay life. In this regard, there must be many people who want to live a long life will think: then I don't need to eat so much later, as long as I am hungry. This idea is undoubtedly wrong, and in these experiments we can find that the premise is hunger or proper hunger, rather than actually making us hungry.

If we really don't eat anything, or don't supplement enough nutrition, "hidden hunger" is likely to occur. "Hidden hunger" is likely to be the first time many people have heard it or have not known much before. Let's learn about "hidden hunger" together.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

Second, how much do you know about "hidden hunger"?

I believe that many people have had this feeling: they have just eaten, and they have eaten a lot, why can they still feel hungry. In fact, this is the point of what we will talk about next - "hidden hunger". According to the World Health Organization, nearly 2 billion people worldwide are currently threatened by hidden hunger. Of these 2 billion people, there are nearly 300 million people on the mainland.

On the mainland, the reason why so many people have "hidden hunger" is that the diet structure is unreasonable and the diet is improper, of which the cultivation of crops on the mainland is the most important factor. Wheat, corn, sweet potatoes, etc. account for a larger proportion, while the content of essential vitamins and minerals is relatively low.

It is precisely the lack of these vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, as well as the excessive intake of other proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, that will cause the body to produce a hidden hunger, which is what we call "hidden hunger".

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

If the "hidden hunger" is not improved for a long time, it is likely to have more serious consequences for the body. Studies have shown that chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, which are common among middle-aged and elderly people in mainland China, are related to insufficient nutrient intake and "hidden hunger". The most common "hidden hunger" includes: calcium deficiency, zinc deficiency, iodine deficiency, and so on.

The impact of "hidden hunger", especially on mothers and children, needs to be paid more attention. Because during pregnancy, nutrients in the mother's body need to be supplied to the mother and fetus. If the nutrients are insufficient, or the imbalance will affect the development of the two people. In the process of fetal growth and development, iron, zinc, iodine and other nutrients must not be deficient.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

Iodine deficiency is likely to cause abnormal fetal brain development, affected intelligence, and may also cause thyroid disease; The main effects of iron deficiency are felt in the mother, more commonly iron deficiency anemia, and more difficult at birth; We all know that zinc is a key element in the growth and development of babies, and if it is missing, it is likely to cause the baby's immunity to decline.

Therefore, "hidden hunger" is endangering the health of the mainland people and has a negative impact on society and national economic development. And this is also to remind us that in daily life, we must not only properly maintain hunger, but also eat a balanced diet, and consume enough trace elements and nutrients to ensure the normal function of the body, so as to achieve the effect of health and longevity that everyone wants. Next, let's specifically understand how to keep the body in a healthy and long-lived state through diet?

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

3. How to eat to ensure health and longevity?

Through the above, we know that properly maintaining hunger can achieve the effect of prolonging life, but if the intake of nutrients is insufficient and the diet is not balanced, it is likely to lead to the emergence of "hidden hunger", and "hidden hunger" is quietly endangering our health. Therefore, how to eat is the focus. How to eat can not only have the effect of healthy and longevity, but also avoid the appearance of "hidden hunger", let's talk about it specifically.

First of all, we can be seven points full when we eat food. If you eat too much and consume too much energy, it is likely to increase the burden on the stomach, which in turn will cause disorders in the function of the gastrointestinal tract and increase the risk of gastrointestinal diseases. Moreover, when we eat too full, most of the blood will flow into the gastrointestinal tract to help digestion and absorption, and the blood supply to the brain will be correspondingly reduced.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

At this time, the oxygen content in the brain will decrease, and the lack of oxygen in the brain is likely to accelerate the aging rate of the brain. Therefore, if we eat seven points full, it can help delay the aging of the brain and reduce the pressure on the gastrointestinal tract caused by excessive input.

Secondly, we must pay attention to a balanced diet. Cereal-based intake of whole grains, soybeans and their soy products can be moderately increased. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that we ensure that we consume 250-400g of cereals per day. This is because soy foods are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and B vitamins, as well as rich in high-quality protein, which provides important nutritional support for human health.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

Unsaturated fatty acids can effectively reduce the content of cholesterol and triglycerides in our body, build a fence for diseases that endanger human health such as high blood pressure and high blood lipids, and thus make our body healthier.

Finally, the intake of vegetables and fruits should also be sufficient. The content of vitamins, dietary fiber and antioxidants in vegetables and fruits is incomparable with other substances, among which dark vegetables are the most abundant in these beneficial substances.

Supplementing enough vitamins and dietary fiber can reduce the appearance of "hidden hunger" and avoid causing some of the diseases mentioned above. The abundance of antioxidants in the body can effectively resist free radicals and protect human cells from damage, thereby delaying aging. Therefore, if we want to live a long and healthy life, we can neither overeat nor eat unbalanced.

Science finds: Hunger itself can prolong life? Is there a scientific basis? Here comes the answer

Article Summary:

The claim that proper hunger can prolong life has been confirmed by multiple studies, but while maintaining proper hunger, we should also be wary of the emergence of "hidden hunger". Only a balanced diet, seven points full every meal, and enough vegetables, fruits, etc. are the best for our health, and the effect of prolonging life will be achieved as much as possible.

bibliography

[1] Willow Garden. Jiangsu Health Care,2021(04):46.)

[2] GUO Rong. The harm of hidden hunger should not be underestimated[J].Jiangsu Health Care,2018(12):48.)

[3]. Why does moderate hunger prolong life? Pig Breeding,2017(06):16.

[4] Effects of hunger on neuronal histone modifications slow aging in Drosophila. Science (2023).