Abstract
Life expectancy in most developed countries has been rising over the last century. In the UK alone, there are around 12 million people over 65 years old and centenarians have increased by 85% in the past 15 years. As a result of our ageing population, which is due mainly to improvements in medical treatments, public health, improved housing and lifestyle choices, there is an associated increase in prevalence of pathological conditions, such as metabolic disorders, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, many types of cancer and others. Statistics suggest that nearly 54% of elderly people in the UK live with at least two chronic conditions, revealing the urgency for identifying interventions that can prevent and/or treat such disorders. Non-pharmacological, dietary interventions such as caloric restriction (CR) and methionine restriction (MR) have revealed promising outcomes in increasing longevity and preventing and/or reversing the development of ageing-associated disorders. In this review, we discuss the evidence and mechanisms that are involved in these processes. FGF21 and H2S are important molecules involved in the effects of CR and MR in the extension of life span. Their role is also associated with the prevention of metabolic and cognitive disorders, highlighting these interventions as promising modulators for improvement of health span.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 126–138 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Proceedings of the Nutrition Society |
Volume | 80 |
Issue number | 2 |
Early online date | 3 Nov 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 2021 |
Event | Nutrition Society Live 2020 - Virtual event Duration: 14 Jul 2020 → 15 Jul 2020 https://www.nutritionsociety.org/events/nutrition-society-live-2020 |
Bibliographical note
M. S. M. is a recipient of the Elphinstone Scholarship of the University of Aberdeen as well as Institute of Medical Sciences postdoctoral studentship. Work in B. P. and M. D. laboratories is funded by Alzheimer's Research UK, British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. Tenovus Scotland and BBSRC DTP studentship funded the published work on methionine restriction in M. D. laboratory.Keywords
- Ageing
- Metabolism
- Methionine restriction
- Dietary restriction
- Cognition