Valter Longo

Valter D. Longo
Born1967 (age 56–57)
Genoa, Italy
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Known forThe Longevity Diet (2018)
The Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD).
Scientific career
FieldsCell biology
Biogerontology
InstitutionsUSC Davis School of Gerontology
Doctoral advisorJoan Valentine

Valter D. Longo (born 1967) is an Italian-American biogerontologist and cell biologist known for his studies on the role of fasting and nutrient response genes on cellular protection aging and diseases and for proposing that longevity is regulated by similar genes and mechanisms in many eukaryotes. He is currently a professor at the USC Davis School of Gerontology with a joint appointment in the department of Biological Sciences as well as serving as the director of the USC Longevity Institute.

Early life and education

Longo was born in Genoa, Italy to Calabrian parents.[1] He moved to Chicago in the United States as a teenager in order to become a professional rock guitarist, and lived with extended relatives.[2] While there, he observed that his relatives in the United States, who were eating diets rich in fat, meat and sugar, were suffering from cardiovascular disease, which was rare among his family living in Italy.[2] He joined the United States Army Reserve as a way to pay for college, attending recruit training in Fort Knox.[2] He then attended the University of North Texas College of Music due to its renown as a jazz school, studying under Dan Haerle and Jack Petersen, among others.[2] While in college, Longo decided to change focus and study nutrition and longevity instead, inspired in part by his observations about his relatives, as well as his experience in military training.[2][3] He graduated from the University of North Texas in 1992 with a degree in biochemistry.

In 1992 he joined the laboratory of "calorie restriction" pioneer Roy Walford at UCLA where he studied calorie restriction and aging of the immune system. He completed his PhD work in Biochemistry studying antioxidant enzymes and anti-aging genes under Joan Valentine at UCLA in 1997 and his postdoctoral training in the neurobiology of Alzheimer's disease under Caleb Finch at the University of Southern California.

Career

Since 1997, Longo has been a faculty member at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center. He is a member of the formation of USC's Biology of Aging program as well as the director of the USC Longevity Institute,[4] also launched the USC Davis School of Gerontology's first study-abroad program, a summer class in the nutrition and genetics of aging in Italy.[5]

In 2011, he was profiled on Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman for his longevity-related research.[6]

In 2012, he discussed his fasting research with Michael Mosley in an episode of the BBC documentary series, Horizon called, Eat, Fast, and Live Longer.[7]

Longevity diet

With regard to longevity, Longo's promotes a mostly plant-based diet that also includes fish.[8][9] In addition, he suggests implementing time-restricted eating, with daily eating windows of 11–12 hours.[10]

His research is focused on the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD). The FMD is a low-calorie, low-protein, moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-fat plant-based diet program, that he argues mimics the effects of periodic fasting or water fasting. The course lasts five days, while still aiming to provide the body with nutrition,[11][12] and is considered a periodic fast.[13]

Longo "founded the L-Nutra technology company and developed the ProLon fasting-mimicking diet."[14]

Honors

  • Nathan Shock Lecture Award, National Institute on Aging, NIH, 2010[15]

Selected publications

  • Valter Longo bibliography at National Library of Medicine[16]
  • Longo, Valter (2 January 2018). The Longevity Diet: Discover the New Science Behind Stem Cell Activation and Regeneration to Slow Aging, Fight Disease, and Optimize Weight. New York: Avery. ISBN 978-0-525-53407-5.[17]
  • Longo, Valter (15 September 2016). La dieta della longevità. Dallo scienziato che ha rivoluzionato la ricerca su staminali e invecchiamento, la DIETA MIMA-DIGIUNO per vivere sani fino a 110 anni (in Italian). Translated by De Tomasi, Laura. Milan: Antonio Vallardi Editore. ISBN 978-88-6987-116-0.[18]

References

  1. ^ Longo, Valter, during XII Premio Simpatia della Calabria, Reggio di C, 4 September 2018
  2. ^ a b c d e Valter Longo (2016). "From Ligurian to Chicagoan". The Longevity Diet. Penguin Random House. ISBN 9781743772751. Archived from the original on 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
  3. ^ "Faculty Profile: Valter Longo". USC Davis School of Gerontology. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  4. ^ "USC Longevity Institute". USC. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  5. ^ Riggs, Jonathan. "Gerontology and Genoa's Lifestyle". USC News. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  6. ^ "USC in the News". USC Media and Public Relations. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  7. ^ Eat, Fast, and Live Longer
  8. ^ "Plant-based diet, a little protein and enough exercise lead to long life, USC professor says". ABC News. 2018-02-21. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  9. ^ "Fasting Mimicking Diet Could Fight Disease, Increase Longevity: 9 New Questions for Dr. Longo (Interview)". Blue Zones. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  10. ^ Newcomb, Beth (2023-11-23). "New Article Outlines the Characteristics of a "Longevity Diet"". University of Southern California. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  11. ^ University of Southern California (February 16, 2017). "Scientifically-designed fasting diet lowers risks for major diseases". ScienceDaily. Archived from the original on August 28, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  12. ^ King, Jennifer (June 19, 2015). "Fasting diets and longer life may go hand-in-hand, new research finds". ABC. ABC Health. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  13. ^ Landro, Laura (April 11, 2017). "Can Different Forms of Fasting Make You Healthier?". Dow Jones & Company. Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  14. ^ Fasting-Mimicking Diet: A DIY Meal Plan
  15. ^ "Nathan W. Shock Memorial Lecture Award Winners". National Institute on Aging. Archived from the original on 22 November 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  16. ^ Mishra, A.; Mirzaei, H.; Guidi, N.; Vinciguerra, M.; Mouton, A.; Linardic, M.; Rappa, F.; Barone, R.; Navarrete, G.; Wei, M.; Brandhorst, S.; Di Biase, S.; Morgan, T. E.; Ram Kumar, S.; Conti, P. S.; Pellegrini, M.; Bernier, M.; De Cabo, R.; Longo, V. D. (2021). "Fasting-mimicking diet prevents high-fat diet effect on cardiometabolic risk and lifespan". Nature Metabolism. 3 (10): 1342–1356. doi:10.1038/s42255-021-00469-6. PMID 34650272.
  17. ^ "The Longevity Diet by Valter Longo". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  18. ^ "La dieta della longevità". www.vallardi.it. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.