Could fasting extend your lifespan? | Dr. Valter Longo and Prof. Tim Spector

ZOE Science & Nutrition

How old are you? A better question might be: how old do you feel? While your birthday says one thing, your biological age—the health of your cells—might tell a very different story. And here’s the best part: unlike your chronological age, your biological age can go down.

But how? For years, fasting has been celebrated as a key to longevity. Yet the challenge of skipping meals is enough to make most of us shy away. What if you could trick your body into reaping the rewards of fasting—without starving yourself?

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at USC and one of TIME’s 50 most influential people in healthcare. Valter’s groundbreaking research on ageing and his FMD program have transformed how we think about health and longevity. Joining him is Tim Spector, ZOE’s co-founder and one of the world’s top 100 most-cited scientists.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Dr. Valter Longo on fasting and biological age reversal

01:18 Quickfire questions: Can fasting slow aging?

02:29 Surprising discoveries about rejuvenating the body

03:39 The difference between chronological and biological age

05:20 Can a single gene mutation extend lifespan?

06:29 What twins teach us about aging and longevity

08:19 Are biological age tests reliable?

10:27 Dr. Longo explains the fasting mimicking diet

12:43 Can fasting help regenerate damaged organs?

15:42 The science behind nutrient sensing and aging

18:19 Why does your body shift into "maintenance mode" during fasting?

22:04 Genetics vs. lifestyle: Which impacts aging more?

24:24 The role of fasting in longevity: Insights from lab studies

28:30 Time-restricted eating: What’s the ideal fasting window?

31:16 Does extreme fasting increase long-term health risks?

35:52 The fasting mimicking diet: How it works

41:07 Long-term studies on fasting: What’s next for science?

45:41 Reversing kidney damage with fasting research

47:10 Can a fasting protocol improve biological age by years?

55:08 Is a holistic approach to diet and fasting the key to longevity?

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks

Studies references in today’s episode

Programmed longevity, youthspan, and juventology, 2018, published in Aging Cell

Yeast Chronological Lifespan: Longevity Regulatory Genes and Mechanisms, 2022, published in Cells

Chronological Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 2012, published in Subcell Biochemistry

Low protein intake is associated with a major reduction in IGF-1, cancer, and overall mortality in the 65 and younger but not older population, 2014, published in Cell Metabolism

Growth Hormone Receptor Deficiency is Associated With a Major Reduction in Pro-aging Signaling, Cancer and Diabetes in Humans, 2012, published in Science Translational Medicine

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Episode transcripts are available here.