Could a drug that mimics a zero-carb diet help us live longer, healthier lives?

[AndyPR]

Another article I found interesting so thought others might.

A drug that mimics a zero-carbohydrate diet could help people live longer, healthier lives and have better memories in old age, US researchers claim.

Scientists hope to develop a medication after two independent studies showed that mice fed on a diet stripped of all carbohydrate lived longer and performed better on a range of physical and mental tasks than those that had regular meals.

Because the diet is hard to stick to, the researchers are working on a compound that aims to deliver the same benefits for humans. If they are successful, it would amount to an extra seven to ten years of life on average, and protection against the weakening muscles and faltering memories that are defining aspects of human ageing.

“I’m excited about this, and it’s hard not to be after what we’ve seen that it does. These are pretty profound effects,” said Eric Verdin, a physician who led one of the studies at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in California.

The zero carb diet was designed to induce a dramatic change in metabolism, by fooling the mice into thinking they were fasting. When deprived of carbohydrate, the body shifts from using glucose as its main energy source to burning fat and producing chemicals in the liver known as ketone bodies.

https://www.theguardian.com/science...carb-diet-help-us-live-longer-healthier-lives

 

[Wonko]

I think I'd rather have a drug that turned me into a mouse, or failing that a carrot, never seen a paper on depression in carrots. Carrots are healthy and live, short, but productive lives (before being fed to pigs). Those that aren't healthy don't care and rarely suffer the unneeded input of a psychologist. Seems bliss compared with this.

Sorry - I'll delete if you like - just thought a bit of random "humor" wouldn't go amiss after today - but this may not be the place

 

[AndyPR]

I think I'd rather have a drug that turned me into a mouse, or failing that a carrot, never seen a paper on depression in carrots. Carrots are healthy and live, short, but productive lives (before being fed to pigs). Those that aren't healthy don't care and rarely suffer the unneeded input of a psychologist. Seems bliss compared with this.

Sorry - I'll delete if you like - just thought a bit of random "humor" wouldn't go amiss after today - but this may not be the place

Lol, doesn't bother me. I fully respect your preference to be a carrot, or a vegetable of any type!

 

[Subtropical island]

I don't know enough about this. But I always like to see new ideas around it.
Personally, I find a ketogenic diet too harsh on my digestive system (I need a small amount of bland food to help the proteins and veges through my stomach - and watery is not the same as bland). I also feel a lot better with a minimum of carb in the diet. I know that others will disagree (there are other threads for that discussion). But it means that human trials of ketogenic diets must be plagued with people who cannot complete the trial and are excluded, for many reasons, not just that they have no commitment to trying it but also because it seems to be doing them harm. (Heh! Sound familiar?)
So what I find interesting about the idea of a pill to induce ketosis is that we might be able to eventually do research on whether ketosis actually helps (ETA: _humans_ for a given condition) or if it is other factors that make the difference.
That would be great.

 

[Bander]

Personally, I find a ketogenic diet too harsh on my digestive system

Chris Armstrong mentioned at last month's Community Symposium that the clinician he works with recommends digestive enzymes for patients that are on a ketogenic diet and that it seems to help. I've just recently gone back on the diet and I'm using digestive enzymes, although it's hard to tell whether or not it's helping.

You can see the Armstrong comments here.