Periodically, there have been posts here on the FML about work on
caloric restriction and elongated life spans in a variety of species,
usually invertebrates though there has been some vertebrate work, too,
of course. The last time I recall it coming up was several years ago
when some studies showed that what made the difference appeared to be
protein restriction in at least one type of worm.

Anyway, there has been a long term mammal (rhesus) study now and
caloric restriction did NOT elongate lifespans in that study, though
it improved some aspects of quality of life, so if the topic comes up
again with someone again wondering if ferrets could be helped this way:
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2012/nia-29.htm

>The research, conducted by scientists at the National Institute on
>Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health, is reported in
>the August 29, 2012 online issue of Nature.
>...
>research has cited calorie restriction as extending lifespan of yeast,
>worms, flies and some strains of mice. But other studies have not
>shown a longevity benefit... studies of certain strains of mice,
>calorie restriction on average had no effect on lifespan. Some of
>these mice actually had a shorter lifespan when given a
>calorie-restricted diet.
> ...
>
>Beyond longevity, the parallel NIA and Wisconsin studies have reported
>similar beneficial health effects of calorie-restriction. Both studies
>found that certain age-related diseases -- including diabetes,
>arthritis, diverticulosis and cardiovascular problems -- occurred at
>an earlier age in monkeys on the standard diet compared to those on
>calorie restriction. However, this observation was not statistically
>significant in the NIA study. NIA researchers did find that monkeys
>started on calorie restriction at an early age had a statistically
>significant reduction in cancer incidence.
> ...
>survival results in the study reported today by NIA researchers differ
>from those published in 2009 by NIA-supported investigators at the
>University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Furthermore, beginning a caloric restriction diet at a young age had
bad outcomes.

Sukie (not a vet) Ferrets make the world a game.

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)

A nation is as free as the least within it.

[Posted in FML 7533]