The Belief That "Eating Less Leads to a Longer Life" Proven True

Glucose Restriction in Caenorhabditis elegans
Activates AMPK and Extends Lifespan
Potential to Delay Alzheimer's Progression Demonstrated

The long-held belief that "eating less leads to a longer life" has been scientifically validated by a Korean research team.

The Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology announced on February 16 that Dr. Kwon Eunsoo and her research team from the Convergence Research Center for Aging had successfully identified the molecular mechanism by which restricting glucose (grape sugar) intake extends lifespan in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Aging refers to a series of biological phenomena in which the functions of living organisms gradually decline over time, ultimately leading to death. As a wealth of research accumulates, there is a growing shift in perception: aging is no longer seen simply as an inevitable natural process, but increasingly as a disease that can be treated or prevented. It has long been known that eating a balanced diet while avoiding excessive intake of any particular nutrient is closely linked to healthy living and the aging process. Several studies have shown that excessive consumption of glucose, a carbohydrate used as an energy source by living organisms, accelerates aging.

Although dietary regulation is closely related to aging, there is still a lack of research on which specific dietary components influence the aging process. Since it is difficult for people to maintain overall dietary restriction over the long term, there is a growing demand for dietary strategies that can maintain health by selectively controlling the intake of specific nutrients.

Beautiful little nematode. Stock photo.

The research team used Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism widely used in aging research, and discovered that restricting glucose intake activates the AMPK protein (AMP-activated protein kinase), which is involved in energy regulation, thereby increasing lifespan.

The researchers engineered Escherichia coli with reduced glucose synthesis capability, and when Caenorhabditis elegans consumed these bacteria, the AMPK protein sent lifespan-extending signals to neurons in the brain. The tissues receiving these signals then regulated aging by increasing the fluidity of cell membranes made of lipids through changes in lipid metabolism. Furthermore, the team applied glucose-restricted diets to Caenorhabditis elegans models of Alzheimer's disease and confirmed that this intervention slowed disease progression, suggesting the potential for application to other aging-related diseases.

The research team stated, "This study is the first in the world to genetically examine the relationship between diet and aging, discovering a new aging pathway regulated by dietary glucose restriction. We plan to identify additional factors that contribute to lifespan extension and develop dietary restriction technologies that can control aging without side effects."

The results of this study were published online on January 18 in 'Nature Communications' (IF 17.694), an international journal in the field of bioscience.

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