SNR #92: Eric Ravussin, PhD – Calorie Restriction, Longevity & Hormesis

Episode 92: Dr. Eric Ravussin of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center is on the show to discuss their recent human trials on the effects of caloric restriction on longevity markers, fasting, hormesis and obesity.

Guest Bio

Dr. Eric Ravusssin, PhD.

Eric Ravussin is a professor in Human Physiology and the Director of the Nutritional Obesity Research Center at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is also the Douglas L. Gordon Chair in Diabetes and Metabolism at the Center. Since 2012 he has also been a Boyd Professor at Louisiana State University.

Dr. Ravussin is a world expert in the conduct of translational research in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Over his more than 30 year career, he has conducted numerous clinical investigations on measures of energy expenditure, body composition, carbohydrate metabolism and biomarkers of aging in health and disease states.

More specifically over the past 15 years he has established a wet lab studying skeletal muscle and adipose tissue cross talks and the relationship of these two tissues on inflammation, nutrient partitioning and insulin sensitivity. He has published more than 450 peer reviewed manuscripts in the field of obesity, type 2 diabetes and aging.

He has mentored more than 60 postdoctoral fellows. Over the past 10 years he has conducted translational research on the impact of caloric restriction on biomarkers of aging, looked at the impact of weight loss in the cross talk between adipose and skeletal muscle and has conducted randomized clinical trial on the impact of dietary, activity, surgical and pharmacological interventions on insulin sensitivity.

In this episode we discuss:

• The CALERIE study conducted at Pennington

• How does calorie restriction data in rodents carry over to humans?

• The potential mechanisms behind CR increasing longevity

• The main biomarkers of longevity

• The importance of hormesis in human health

• Can fasting or alternate calorie restriction be just as effective?

• Is CR potentially detrimental in the context of muscle loss with age and sarcopenic obesity?

Link & Resources:

• Pennington Biomedical Research Center
• Ravussin et al., 2015 – A 2-Year Randomized Controlled Trial of Human Caloric Restriction: Feasibility and Effects on Predictors of Health Span and Longevity
• Redman & Ravussin, 2011 – Caloric restriction in humans: impact on physiological, psychological, and behavioral outcomes
• Redman & Ravussin, 2008 – Endocrine alterations in response to calorie restriction in humans
• R. Michael Anson et al. – Intermittent fasting dissociates beneficial effects of dietary restriction on glucose metabolism and neuronal resistance to injury from calorie intake