A new study overturns what has been thought so far about the link between slow metabolism and longevity.
According to a previous hypothesis, in fact, it seemed that those with a slow metabolism lived even longer.

Hence the idea of ​​slowing down cellular aging thanks to a basically low-calorie diet (which slows down the metabolism) or short fasting therapies.

This hypothesis has always been supported by mostly epidemiological, ie observational, studies.
For example, studies linking greater TSH to longevity . TSH is the hormone that stimulates the production of thyroid hormones. When it is too high it means that something in the thyroid is not working.

In fact, a higher TSH has been associated at the same time with a higher risk of thyroid disease and a reduction in the production of thyroid hormone T3. So thinking that high TSH means longer life is like saying that someone with hypothyroidism will live longer.

The hypothesis that slow metabolism was the key to a longer life was devised by Raymond Pearl in the two decades of the last century.

Pearl essentially stated that if the speed of cellular regeneration led to greater aging: then a faster metabolism was also associated with premature aging. Hypothesis also supported not only by observational studies, but also by the fact that a greater metabolism develops more free radicals.

However, today, a study by the University of Tsukuba provides a new piece of understanding of the phenomenon, which in essence indirectly overturns what Pearl has argued.