Intermittent Fasting is a relatively recent revelation for many grapplers however it’s long been the secret of success for the likes of Tom DeBlass and Edwin Najmi.
Intermittent Fasting is the process of cycling periods in which you eat with periods that you
don’t eat. These short fasting windows cause your body to produce a multitude of hormonal responses – responses that you can use to boost your grappling performance.
One huge side effect of this type of diet is heightened testosterone and growth
hormone production.
Even Hugh Jackman used this type of diet while bulking on to play the Wolverine.
Over at Harvard University, a study was published in Cell Metabolism. They examined nematode worms, or C. elegans, which live just two weeks and therefore allow us to study aging in real time.
Mitochondria are the energy-producing structures in cells. To protect themselves from damage, they sometimes fuse together, keeping them in a more youthful state. As they age, however, their ability to do this declines.
By restricting the diet of the worms, the researchers found that they could keep mitochondria in a fused state for longer. Similar results were achieved by the genetic manipulation of an energy-sensing protein, called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).
They then found that these youthful networks of mitochondria could increase lifespan by communicating with cellular structures called organelles, in this case, peroxisomes, which control fat metabolism.
“Low-energy conditions such as dietary restriction and intermittent fasting have previously been shown to promote healthy aging,” said Heather Weir, lead author of the study, in a statement.
“Understanding why this is the case is a crucial step toward being able to harness the benefits therapeutically.”
“Although previous work has shown how intermittent fasting can slow aging, we are only beginning to understand the underlying biology,” William Mair, senior author of the study, said in a statement.
Last year, a study found that a vitamin called nicotinamide riboside (NR) could also increase lifespan, by stimulating the regeneration of lost muscle tissue in elderly mice. In that study, the researchers also found a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and the reduced ability of cells to regenerate themselves.
