STOP intermittent fasting if you think it automatically keeps you young. In this episode, you’ll learn why short-term fasting results can mislead long-term aging outcomes, and how duration, frequency, refeeding, and protein intake determine whether fasting supports longevity or quietly accelerates decline.
Host Dave Asprey sits down with Valter Longo, one of the world’s leading longevity researchers with over 30 years of experience studying aging, nutrition, and disease prevention. Dr. Longo is the Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and the Director of the Longevity and Cancer Program at IFOM, the Italian Foundation for Cancer Research Institute of Molecular Oncology in Milan. He is the author of the bestselling book The Longevity Diet and was named one of TIME Magazine’s 50 most influential people in health care for his research on fasting-mimicking diets.
Together, Dave Asprey and Dr. Longo explain why many people focus too heavily on short-term effects and extrapolate them incorrectly across a lifetime. They break down how intermittent fasting differs biologically from multi-day fasting, why five-day fasting cycles trigger deeper cellular changes, and how insulin, IGF-1, mTOR, and growth hormone shape aging, regeneration, and disease risk over time.
The conversation covers protein and amino acid intake, muscle preservation, frailty risk, and the tradeoffs between strength, function, and longevity. They explore ketosis, fasting-mimicking diets, stem cell activation, mitochondrial function, neuroplasticity, and why equilibrium and cycling matter more than constant restriction. Dave and Valter also discuss supplements, nootropics, creatine, carnivore-style eating, metabolism, sleep optimization, and how AI may eventually personalize fasting and nutrition based on individual biology rather than population averages.
You’ll learn:
• Why short-term fasting benefits do not predict long-term longevity
• How fasting duration changes gene expression and cellular regeneration
• The difference between intermittent fasting and multi-day fasting
• How protein and amino acids influence mTOR, IGF-1, and aging
• Why muscle, strength, and longevity must be balanced, not maximized
• When ketosis overlaps with fasting and when it does not
• Why supplements can disrupt biological equilibrium
• How AI could support future personalization in fasting and nutrition
Resources:
• Learn More About Valter’s Work At: https://valterlongo.com/
• Join My Fasting Challenge: https://daveasprey.com/#14-day
• Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/
• Join My Low-Oxalate 30-Day Challenge: https://daveasprey.com/2026-low-ox-reset/
• Dave Asprey’s Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction & Aging Fundamentals
4:36 – Fasting Mimicking Diet Overview
7:03 – Insulin, IGF-1 & mTOR
11:03 – Body Fat & Fasting Frequency
17:08 – The Protein Debate
20:22 – Blue Zones & Centenarian Evidence
23:10 – Amino Acids & Leucine
30:30 – Growth Hormone & Longevity
34:01 – Five-Day Fasting Benefits
40:55 – Personalization & AI
42:29 – Plant-Based Concerns
49:07 – Fasting Risks & Limits
53:05 – Supplements & Equilibrium
1:03:05 – Ranking Longevity Pathways
1:05:05 – Modern Environmental Challenges
1:16:21 – Final Thoughts
Thank you to our sponsors!
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Connect with Dave Asprey!
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