How many calories should you cut to slow down brain aging?

A calorie-restricted diet may slow the natural aging process in the brain as we get older, according to a new study on rhesus monkeys.

Eating habits affect brain health - Photo: FREEPIK

According to Science Alert , these findings about aging and diet may also be linked to diseases such as Alzheimer's.

A calorie-restricted diet helps slow brain aging.

Researchers led by a team from Boston University (USA) analyzed the brains of 24 rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) that were fed either a calorie-restricted diet or a standard diet for over 20 years.

Following these dietary differences throughout life, researchers found signs of healthier neural communication and better protection in brain tissue samples from animals that consumed 30% fewer calories.

According to lead author Ana Vitantonio, a neuroscientist at Boston University, the study provides rare, long-term evidence that calorie restriction may also protect against brain aging in more complex species.

The research team focused specifically on myelin, the fatty layer that surrounds nerve axons. As the brain ages, myelin degrades, which can trigger inflammation.

"This is important because changes at the cellular level can impact cognition and learning," said neuroscientist Tara Moore from Boston University.

Eating habits affect brain health.

Like the rest of the body, the brain's systems tend to weaken over time. In some cases, mechanisms designed to maintain brain health become disordered and harmful, leading to neuroinflammation.

That's why diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's become much more common in old age, when brain cells are in worse shape, and their overactivity can cause unintended damage, especially if the protective sheath surrounding nerve cells is also degenerating with age.

Although this study was conducted on a relatively small number of monkeys, their brains share many similarities with humans. Therefore, there is reason to believe that these findings may also apply to humans – something that future studies may continue to explore.

"Eating habits can affect brain health, and eating fewer calories may slow down some aspects of brain aging if adopted over the long term," Moore said.

However, as we are gradually understanding from other studies, there are many factors beyond diet that can influence brain aging, including sleep quality and language learning. The research was published in the journal Aging Cell .

DAWN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cat-giam-bao-nhieu-calo-de-lam-cham-tien-trinh-lao-hoa-nao-20251209195936096.htm