Burning calories linked to longer life in mice- could exercise be the key for humans too?

Key points from article :

Restricting calories is known to increase lifespan in rodents, but why this happens is debated.

New study investigates the mismatch between calories eaten and calories burned.

Mice in cooler cages were found to burn more energy to maintain body temperature.

Cooler mice also had lower insulin levels and body weight than the warmer-caged mice.

Cooler mice also lived 20% longer and stayed healthier during aging, maintaining better balance and a more coordinated gait.

The work suggests both calorie intake and energy expenditure are important for lifespan.

Translating findings to humans is difficult because mimicking a colder environment is impractical.

More research is needed to find alternative ways to create an energy imbalance for humans.

Research by the UAB and the University of Aberdeen, published in GeroScience.