All the basic mechanisms hold through population variation, given that it is also seen in rats, but you are correct as to how individuals respond in other health aspects.

A good example is carnivore and paleo. On paper they are dreadful diets with big increases in chances of serious diseases, but for some individuals it is a new lease on life with better quality and reduction of symptoms from often difficult to treat conditions.

Having followed life extension science for decades now, I find the science a bit disappointing in some areas, but especially the interpretation of what these experiments mean, the mechanism and human application.

Calorie restriction and different macro nutrient ratios impact processes, but are often misinterpreted as being literal for similar results. An example is from another site where people are taking Rapamicin but ignoring dietary amino acids that activate mTOR.

You also have the CRON people who reduce calorie intake to place their body in often unhealthy states, when they miss that targeted nutrition could be more effective.

The links to autophagy and mitochondrial activity through diet is well established, and when you work backwards to dietary application you find it is not so much about calories but where they are sourced and timing.

There is also confusion with 'healthspan' vs 'lifespan', and I always like the example of a bodybuilding lifestyle that goes against most of these studies but has many elements to boost healthspan with results similar to traditional life extension protocols.