OBJECTIVE:

Aging is associated with elevated levels of glucose, insulin, and triglycerides. Our objective was to assess the effect of a nutritional program designed to reduce these correlates of aging.

DESIGN:

This is a retrospective chart review of patients attending an outpatient metabolic management program including a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, nutritional supplementation and periodic individual visits. Outcomes measured at baseline and follow-up included body weight, fasting serum glucose, insulin, leptin, lipids, and thyroid hormone.

RESULTS:

Thirty-one patients were identified with complete information. The mean age of patients was 57.6 ± 2.4 consisting of 53% female and 47% male patients. The average duration between follow up visits was 91.5 ± 8.5 days. Of the parameters measured at the follow-up visit, body weight, serum leptin, insulin, fasting glucose, triglyceride, and free T(3) significantly decreased by 8.1 ± 0.8%, 48.2 ± 3.8%, 40.1 ± 4.7%, 7.6 ± 2.1%, 28.3 ± 5.7%, and 10.8 ± 1.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the triglyceride/high density lipoprotein ratio decreased from 5.1 ± 1.7 to 2.6 ± 0.5.

CONCLUSIONS:

In the context of an outpatient medical clinic, a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet with nutritional supplementation led to improvements in serum factors related to the aging process. Further research regarding this dietary approach and its relationship to aging is in order.