Transgenerational fitness effects of lifespan extension by dietary restriction in Caenorhabditis elegans

Dietary restriction (DR) increases lifespan in a broad variety of organisms and improves health in humans. However, long-term transgenerational consequences of dietary interventions are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of DR by temporary fasting (TF) on mortality risk, age-specific reproduction and fitness across three generations of descendants in Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that while TF robustly reduces mortality risk and improves late-life reproduction of the individuals subject to TF (P-0), it has a wide range of both positive and negative effects on their descendants (F-1-F-3). Remarkably, great-grandparental exposure to TF in early life reduces fitness and increases mortality risk of F-3 descendants to such an extent that TF no longer promotes a lifespan extension. These findings reveal that transgenerational trade-offs accompany the instant benefits of DR, underscoring the need to consider fitness of future generations in pursuit of healthy ageing.

Automated summary

Research shows that dietary restriction has both positive and negative effects on the health of descendants, indicating the need to consider the adaptability of future generations. This suggests that dietary interventions may not be solely advantageous for the current individuals.