FASTING MIMICKING TECHNOLOGY

THE INCREDIBLE STORY
NATURE HAS TAUGHT US.

Since organisms arose, the waxing and waning of their food resources has
been a constant in nature. When food is scarce, this exerts compulsory
pressure on all life forms to respond – or risk extinction. And so it is that
through time, all species that survived have developed adaptive
mechanisms during fasting that confer a survival advantage. When food is
plentiful, the cells grow. When food is scarce, the cells stop growing and
enter into a protective and recycling mode that conserves energy and
optimizes cellular functions.

One key mechanism triggered by fasting is called autophagy. In fact, the discovery
and description of autophagy mechanisms was so monumental to understanding cellular
health that the discoverer won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. As it turns out,
the mechanisms of autophagy and other survival processes are unsurprisingly similar in all species,
down to their molecular pathways. From simple organisms such as yeast and fruit flies, to more complex
organisms such as mice, other mammals, and humans, these pathways are conserved.

Specifically, during fasting, the body acts to conserve energy by minimizing any growth activities. This is achieved by shutting down the food signal sensors such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), the target of rapamycin (TOR), and protein kinase A (PKA). In scientific terms, this process is called “down-regulation of nutrient sensing pathways.” Fasting-induced reductions in IGF-1, TOR, and PKA signaling result in increased cellular maintenance and protection, including increased activation of stress resistance, and removal and replacement of old, worn out cellular parts. So, these fasting responses promote resilience.

Here lies one of nature’s greatest untold stories and L-Nutra’s vision. By continuing research into how fasting impacts us at the cellular level, and identifying the pathways through which fasting benefits our bodies, we can leverage our research to develop different products to promote health and longevity. Why not just fast? Despite the potential benefits, fasting is hard to do. For many, it’s not safe to do. So, our nutritechnology is focused on making fasting safer, effective, easier, and more practical while targeting specific outcomes. Our Fasting Mimicking Technology Platform encompasses the basic principles we’ve uncovered and continue to research about fasting, and allows us to develop different formulations targeted to different solutions. In general health and wellness, we have used it to develop and continuously improve the Fasting Mimicking Diet and related products. We’re also leveraging it to define and develop a novel class of fasting mimicking drugs to potentially prevent or treat a number of lifestyle-related chronic illnesses.

Using the power of autophagy and other survival mechanisms invoked by fasting while reducing the stress and improving safety is our goal. Developing specific nutritechnology products targeted for specific uses – that’s the power of the Fasting Mimicking Technology Platform.