A leading genealogy expert has explained how you can ‘reverse’ ageing at a cellular level – and it’s a lot easier than you might think
Experts claim there’s a simple trick to rid your body of accumulated ‘junk’ and appear younger. It might not be for everyone, but plenty have seen the physical benefits firsthand.
Speaking on the Zoe podcast with Professor Tim Spector, Dr. Valter Longo explained that three-day fasting prompts cells to “eat themselves,” eliminating unwanted cellular debris. Dr. Longo claimed that it was “an opportunity to clean up.”
He added: “I still have not got anybody to even come up with something that they think could challenge it.” According to Dr Longo, a five-day fast triggers the most significant short-term bodily changes.
However, both experts concurred that the long-term effects of extended fasting remain unknown, suggesting a healthier, simpler alternative. For those reluctant to abstain from food for five days, a “fasting-mimicking diet” could lead to similar results, reports the Manchester Evening News.
This is where the secret to reducing your biological age lies. Professor Spector also endorses the strategy of limiting your eating window to just 12 hours a day, which is the best approach for ageing.
Dr Longo praised the 12-hour window as a “very good recommendation.” He added: “It seems to be working for ageing. It seems to be working for metabolic issues.”
Stretching your fasting window to 16 hours might be the gold standard, but a solid 12-hour fast is still a “safe option to the 16 hours.” University of Cambridge researchers have linked this fasting or fasting-mimicking behaviour to reduced inflammation, a key culprit in the ageing process.
However, Professor Tim Spector cautions that fasting isn’t a cure-all for health. He pointed out: “The daily food you’re eating when you’re not fasting is also really important because we know that particularly ultra-processed foods are going to be pro-inflammatory.”
He further explained: “Inflam-aging, which is this concept that our immune system is constantly triggered, accelerates ageing. I think it is getting increasingly recognised in the field.”
Zoe’s study, which had participants narrow their eating windows to 12 or 14 hours, yielded positive feedback with individuals reporting “real benefits in mood and energy.” Prof Spector claimed that people “lost weight and waist circumference improved” and, on top of the physical changes, people “actually had less hunger”.
He added: “A third of people never found it too much and they didn’t actually get started and a third started and sort of gave up.” He noted that while some find fasting quite natural and beneficial, others may struggle with the long gaps between meals.