So why all this focus on calorie restriction(CR)? In "Part 1" of this posting series I introduced two main concepts, Calorie Restriction and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). I never did really get into what CR is but I am sure you may have made some assumptions on your own. Before I answer the question above let me give you a brief explanation as to what "I" believe CR to be.
A caloric restricted diet is one in which you consume less calories then your body is currently used to taking in. There's not a set amount of daily calories for everyone, it is different based on your body and your goals. I believe a percentage of your "Activity Factor adjusted BMR" is a good way to approach how many calories to consume. Further, CR is not about starving yourself and not giving your body what it needs. Your diet should be well planned out to include the essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. As a last resort, it is important that any lack of nutrients or vitamins you miss by not eating certain foods is made up by taking supplements and vitamins.
Now here's the relation...
It has been shown in studies that resveratrol has the ability to produce the beneficial effects of a caloric restricted diet. This brings us to the potential benefits of a CR diet:
-Increased lifespan & longevity (Life Extension)
-Improved Health
-Lower cholesterol
-Lower blood pressure
-Disease prevention
Not a bad list!!
It is important to note that these benefits have been proven in numerous tests carried out on mice, rats, primates, and yeast. For the most part studies on humans have been minimal due to the amount of time it takes and the difficulty in measuring an increased lifespan.
A review and link to a recent study showing how resveratrol was shown to partially mimic CR in mice can be found here. For more information on CR and Resveratrol please go to our dedicated FAQ page.
CR is also known to be an activator of the Sir2 gene, otherwise known as SIRT1 in humans. You can find out more on SIRT1 by reading some previous posts here.
In short, we all may have been introduced to resveratrol for different reasons. Some for endurance, sleep disorders, or disease prevention, others for calorie restriction and longevity. Either way it is important to know all the potential positives (and negatives) trans-resveratrol can have on you. CR is just another aspect and it's an important one to understand.
Next segment:
Part 3: Is Calorie Restriction something I should do in conjunction with resveratrol?
Comments