Reducing the consumption of a specific amino acid, called isoleucine, could extend life expectancy and promote weight loss.
- Amino acids are the molecular building blocks of proteins. Isoleucine, in particular, is found in eggs, dairy products, soy protein, and many types of meat.
- Reducing the amount of isoleucine absorbed appears to extend lifespan and promote weight loss.
- However, the researchers specify that the benefits observed in the study should not lead to eliminating isoleucine from one’s diet.
“Different components of your diet have value and impact beyond their calorie function, and we looked at one component that many people might be eating too much of”, explains Professor Dudley Lamminga metabolism researcher at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. It is an amino acid called isoleucine present in foods such as eggs, dairy, turkey, lamb, chicken, seafood and spirulina.
Life expectancy, weight, cancer: reducingisoleucine would be good for health
To better understand the effects of isoleucine on health, the researcher and his team conducted a study on mice published in the journal Cell Metabolism. The rodents were divided into three groups: one followed a balanced diet, the second had a healthy menu but low in 20 amino acids and the members of the third had removed two thirds of isoleucines from their diet. The animals were monitored from the age of 6 months (the equivalent of a 30 year old person) and were evaluated on different health criteria.
The results showed that mice on a low-isoleucine diet lived on average 33% longer for males and 7% longer for females compared to the control group. Additionally, they had better overall health throughout their lives, with a significant reduction in the risk of cancer and prostate disorders.
Another observation from the researchers: “Mice on a low-isoleucine diet ate significantly more calories than their study counterparts – probably to try to compensate for their lower consumption of isoleucine, according to the lead author. But they also burned significantly more calories, losing and then maintaining leaner body weight simply through metabolism adjustments, not by exercising more.”explains communicated.
Health: however, you should not ban the amino acid
It is already known that dietary amino acids, including isoleucine, are linked to a gene called mTOR. The latter appears to play a role in the aging process in mice and other animals as well as the hormone that regulates the body’s response to cold. However, the exact mechanisms behind the benefits of low isoleucine intake are not yet well understood. For the team, further research is needed to deepen our understanding of these processes and develop drugs.
“The fact that we see fewer benefits for female mice than for male mice is something we could perhaps use to achieve this mechanism”explains Pr Lamming.
However, he specifies that these promising results should not lead to removing isoleucine from one’s diet. It remains essential to life. “It could be that by choosing healthier foods and eating a more balanced diet in general, we could reduce isoleucine enough to make a difference.”explain Lamming.