How ketogenic diet protects against vascular aging

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It has been noticed that ketone bodies producing diets such as calorie-restricted diet and ketogenic diets exert some anti-aging effects (on test animals). This study, see the article linked below, pinpoints the mechanism of this effect to the specific ketone body molecule: β-Hydroxybutyrate.

Natural “Fasting” Molecule Exerts Anti-Aging Effects to Protect Vascular System
By NutritonReview.org - May 16, 2019


Quote:

In their study, the research team explores the link between calorie restriction (eating less or fasting) and delaying aging, which is unknown and has been poorly studied. The findings are published in the journal Molecular Cell.

The researchers identified an important, small molecule that is produced during fasting or calorie restriction conditions. The molecule, β-Hydroxybutyrate, is one type of a ketone body, or a water-soluble molecule that contains a ketone group and is produced by the liver from fatty acids during periods of low food intake, carbohydrate restrictive diets, starvation and prolonged intense exercise.

The researchers reported that β-Hydroxybutyrate delays vascular aging by providing a chemical link between calorie restriction and fasting and the anti-aging effect.

This compound can delay vascular aging of the endothelial cells, which line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, preventing a type of cell aging called senescence, or cellular aging.

Senescent cells can no longer multiple and divide. The researchers found β-Hydroxybutyrate can promote cell division and prevent these cells from becoming old. Because this molecule is produced during calorie restriction or fasting, when people overeat or become obese this molecule is possibly suppressed, which would accelerate aging.

In addition, the researchers found when β-Hydroxybutyrate binds to a certain RNA-binding protein, this increases activity of a stem cell factor called Octamer-binding transcriptional factor (Oct4) in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in mice.

Stem cell factor Oct4 increases a key factor against DNA damage-induced senescence, which can keep blood vessels young.

Reference:

1. "β-Hydroxybutyrate Prevents Vascular Senescence through hnRNP A1-Mediated Upregulation of Oct4",
Young-min Han et al., Molecular Cell, VOLUME 71, ISSUE 6, P1064-1078.E5, SEPTEMBER 20, 2018.

Example of a ketogenic (high fat low carb) dish.  Ketogenic diet has been described by some as BBB diet, meaning Butter, Bacon and Brie.  It is not limited to that!  

How Carbohydrates and Not Protein Promote Aging

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Interesting article:

How Carbohydrates and Not Protein Promote Aging

Low-energy diets render motor neurons vulnerable to degeneration

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This paper is a bit old but I am posting it to keep it in focus for a discussion.   Please notice that low fat vegan diets often tend to be "low energy"!

Mattson MP, Cutler RG, Camandola S. Energy intake and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuromolecular Med. 2007;9(1):17-20

Abstract

Roy Walford, a physician and scientist who pioneered research on the anti-aging effects of caloric restriction and subjected himself to a low-energy diet, recently died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Information from his case, epidemiological findings, and recent controlled studies in mouse models of ALS suggest that low-energy diets might render motor neurons vulnerable to degeneration, whereas high-energy diets are ameliorative. This contrasts with the effects of low-energy diets on various neuronal populations in the brain that respond adaptively, activating pathways that promote plasticity and resistance to disease. One reason that motor neurons might be selectively vulnerable to low-energy diets is that they are unable to engage neuroprotective responses to energetic stress response involving the protein chaperones, such as, heat-shock protein-70 [*].


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*) In addition to that, ketone bodies (often very low on low-energy diets) would have been protective against neural damage caused by the stress response, see:
Ketone bodies protect neurons from stress hormone-induced damage

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This video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-PzhyTlODc illustrates what kind of diet did Dr. Walford followed for about 10 years before his death (see around 7m into video).