Aging, Metabolism
Conditions
Keywords
Sirtuins, Calorie Restriction, Intermittent Fasting, Antioxidant, Aging, Metabolism, Mitochondria, Oxidative Stress
Brief summary
Healthy volunteers will be recruited to participate in a ten-week double-blinded crossover trial. The trial will consist of two, three-week periods of intermittent fasting, where subjects receive either antioxidant supplementation or placebo, the ordering of which will be randomly determined. A one-week preconditioning will precede each invention period, and a two week wash-out period will follow the first intervention period. Serum-based assays will be performed to assess levels of reactive oxidant species, antioxidant genes, sirtuins, and markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and aging. The investigators hypothesize that an intermittent fasting diet in healthy young volunteers will improve these markers of cellular aging and that these beneficial effects will be abrogated by the supplementation of antioxidants. This study is a proof-of-principle study that will shed light on the mechanism and effects of IF as an anti-aging dietary intervention in the absence of weight loss. It will inform the design of dietary interventions that are both effective in improving markers of aging and feasible for patients to practice on a long-term basis.
Interventions
OTHERIntermittent Fasting
The intermittent fasting paradigm used in this study will require participants to alternate between days of feasting (175% of normal caloric intake) and fasting ( 25% of normal caloric intake). Food will be provided by University of Florida Clinical Research Center with macronutrient composition prepared according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT400 IU Vitamin E
once each day in morning; oral pill form
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT1000 mg Vitamin C
500mg twice each day; morning and evening; oral pill form
Sponsors
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
University of Florida
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Body mass index in the range of 20.0-30.0 kg/m2; * Age between 19 and 30; * Stable weight (change \<±10%) for 3 months immediately prior to the study * No history of metabolic disorders (e.g. non-diabetic), cardiovascular disease, or thyroid dysfunction * No past or present eating disorders * No acute or chronic inflammatory disorder * No more than moderate physical activity (i.e.,\<3 hour/week of light exercise sessions for the past 3 months) * No current medications to regulate blood sugar or lipids * Not donated blood within 56 days of study start date * No food allergies * No dietary restrictions (e.g. vegetarianism and vegan) * No heavy drinking (more than 15 drinks/week) * No use of tobacco or recreational drugs within past 3 months * Access to a microwave or stove * Access to refrigeration
Exclusion criteria
* Inflexibility of schedule such that subject cannot attend blood draw appointments * Unwillingness to pick-up and eat only study-provided food during the 8 weeks in which it is provided and for unwillingness to abstain from travel (\>48hrs) during these same 8 weeks of the trial (travel is permitted during wash-out period) * Unwillingness to abstain from tobacco, alcohol, recreational drugs, resveratrol or antioxidant supplements (other than study-provided) for the duration of study * Women who are pregnant, breast-feeding or trying to become pregnant
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SOD2 gene expression (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: SOD2 = Superoxide-dismutase-2 |
| SOD2 gene expression (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: SOD2 = Superoxide-dismutase-2 |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SIRT3 gene expression (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note SIRT3 = Sirtuin 3 |
| mTFA gene expression (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: mTFA = mitochondrial transcription factor a |
| NRF1 gene expression (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note NRF1 = Nuclear respiratory factor 1 |
| 8oxodG ratio (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using DNA extracted from venous blood. Note: 8oxodG = 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine/2-deoxyguanosine |
| 8oxoG ratio (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: 8oxoG ratio = 8-oxo-7,8 dihydroguanosine/guanosine |
| GPx1 gene expression (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: GPx1 = Glutathione peroxidase 1 |
| GPx1 gene expression (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: GPx1 = Glutathione peroxidase 1 |
| SIRT3 gene expression (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note SIRT3 = Sirtuin 3 |
| mFTA gene expression (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: mTFA = mitochondrial transcription factor a |
| NRF1 gene expression (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note NRF1 = Nuclear respiratory factor 1 |
| 8oxodG ratio (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using DNA extracted from venous blood. Note: 8oxodG ratio = 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine/2-deoxyguanosine |
| 8oxoG ratio (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note: 8oxoG ratio = 8-oxo-7,8 dihydroguanosine/guanosine |
| SIRT1 gene expression (antioxidant supplementation) | 3 weeks | Experimental outcome examining differences between intermittent fasting with supplementation of antioxidants and intermittent fasting alone using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note SIRT1 = Sirtuin 1 |
| SIRT1 gene expression (intermittent fasting) | 3 weeks | Observational outcome examines difference in expression between a normal diet and a 3-week intermittent fasting diet using RNA extracted from venous blood. Note SIRT1 = Sirtuin 1 |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed