Lack of nutrition is the enemy of maintaining health and longevity. Essential amino acids, which cannot be synthesized in the body, are literally essential nutrients for human life. It was revealed through experiments on mice that limiting the intake of isoleucine, one of these essential amino acids, slowed aging and extended lifespan.
Among amino acids, isoleucine is one of three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) important for protein synthesis and is also an essential amino acid that cannot be produced by the body. Therefore, humans cannot maintain their bodies without consuming isoleucine from eggs, dairy products, beans, and meat.
However, just because it is necessary does not mean it is good to consume it in large quantities. For example, a study published in 2021 found that people with a higher BMI tend to consume more amino acids, and that the amount of isoleucine included in meals correlates with metabolic health.
In a previous study, an experiment was conducted to determine the relationship between specific amino acids and healthy lifespan by feeding animals controlled amounts. The experiment began when the rats were 6 months old, or about 30 years old in humans. The rats were divided into three groups, and each group was given a diet rich in amino acids, a diet containing one-third amino acids, and a diet containing isoleucine only.
The amino acid-rich food contains 20 different types of amino acids in a balanced way, and the percentage of protein in calories has been adjusted to 21% of the rats’ natural diet. Meanwhile, the diet containing one-third of the amino acids reduced amino acids by 67 percent but increased carbohydrates. Furthermore, in foods containing only one-third isoleucine, many other types of amino acids were mixed in instead of the reduced isoleucine. The fat content and total calories were said to be the same for the three types, and the rats in each group were able to eat as much of their assigned food type as they wanted.
As a result of raising rats on three types of food, isoleucine-restricted rats have a longer and healthier life, a stronger body, reduced body weight and fat, and better glucose control, i.e. blood sugar control . Specifically, male mice with isoleucine restriction had a 33% longer lifespan and 7% longer lifespan for female mice than those without isoleucine restriction.
Mice restricted with isoleucine also showed good scores in 26 other health indicators such as muscle strength, endurance, tail use and fur. Additionally, male mice had a low incidence of prostate enlargement due to aging, and the development of cancerous tumors common to mice of various bloodlines was suppressed.
Interestingly, rats in the isoleucine group consumed more calories than the other rats, although there was no difference in activity level. As a result, I was able to keep the weight off.
The research team believes that limiting isoleucine could achieve similar anti-aging effects not only in mice but also in humans. However, unlike rats, which can be raised on only one type, the human diet is diverse, so it is difficult to make a diet that only reduces isoleucine. Additionally, there’s a good chance that nutrients other than isoleucine are linked to longevity, and since a lack of protein is usually harmful to the body, that doesn’t mean it’s good to omit protein-rich ingredients. The research team said that it is not possible to convert all human diets to a low-isoleucine diet and that it will be possible to apply it to human treatments such as medicine. Related information can be found here.
2024-01-05 04:30:17
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