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In a study that is bad news for adherents of the Atkins Diet and health-food advocates, most of the benefits of caloric restriction were found to be due to reduction of fats and proteins. The study, though, used fruit flies as subjects, so there is no proof yet that the same effect holds for mammals, particularly humans.

For the past half-century, doctors have been warning that stress shortens lifespan and leads to a variety of diseases and infirmities. Now a doctor specializing in aging tells us that stress, in moderation, is good for us and will extend our lives. These seemingly diametrically opposed views are not so far apart as they seem at first glance.

An antioxidant found in rice bran oil has been shown to lower cholesterol in rats, and may also have anti-cancer and anti-infection effects. A concentrated form of Vitamin E called tocotrienol rich fraction or TRF isolated from rice bran oil, lowered total cholesterol by 42 percent and LDL by as much as 62 percent in test animals.

A study of 6000 persons taking metformin, a drug used to treat type II diabetes since the late 1950s, found that the risk of cancerous tumours was reduced by 25% for those taking metformin, compared to those with diabetes taking other medications or no medication at all.

Researchers used genetic engineering to produce mice that have high levels of catalase. Catalase removes hydrogen peroxide from cells, a source of oxygen free radicals. Mice with high levels of catalase in their mitochondria lived 20% longer than control animals.