Re: Fat, Protein Restriction More Important in CR than Carbs?

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

This seemed to be good and is free text available.

Mair W, Piper MD, Partridge L (2005)

Calories Do Not Explain Extension of Life Span by Dietary Restriction in

Drosophila.

PLoS Biol 3(7): e223

Dietary restriction (DR) extends life span in diverse organisms, including

mammals,

and common mechanisms may be at work. DR is often known as calorie restriction,

because it has been suggested that reduction of calories, rather than of

particular

nutrients in the diet, mediates extension of life span in rodents. We here

demonstrate that extension of life span by DR in Drosophila is not attributable

to

the reduction in calorie intake. Reduction of either dietary yeast or sugar can

reduce mortality and extend life span, but by an amount that is unrelated to the

calorie content of the food, and with yeast having a much greater effect per

calorie

than does sugar. Calorie intake is therefore not the key factor in the reduction

of

mortality rate by DR in this species.

http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document & doi=10.1371/journ\

al.pbio.0030223

... Our results suggest that it may be possible to obtain the full extension of

life span by DR by reducing critical nutrients in the food without any reduction

in

overall calorie intake.

--- Rodney <perspect1111@...> wrote:

> Hi folks:

>

> I have been unable to find this study, but research in fruit flies

> seems to suggest that restriction of fat and/or protein may be much

> more important than carbohydrate restriction to the life extension

> derived from CR. (Jeff will be pleased to hear this, LOL):

>

> " Yeast intake linked [inversely] to longevity in fruit flies.

>

> .......... Restricting the amount of yeast in the [fruit fly] diet

> can increase life expectancy by 50%, research into fruit flies has

> shown. It is not yet clear whether the same might be true in humans.

>

> But the authors say their findings hint it might be what you eat

> rather than total calorie intake that influences longevity, contrary

> to current belief. (Warren will NOT be pleased to hear THIS, LOL)

>

> The University College London team [explained] how it could be down

> to metabolic pathways triggered by foods.

>

> Quality not quantity ...............

>

> Lead researcher Professor Partridge said: " Yeast and sugar

> trigger different metabolic pathways with different effects on life

> span.

>

> " The dramatic impact of reducing yeast [the food source providing fat

> and protein in the fruit fly diet] suggests that protein or fat plays

> a greater role in fly longevity than sugar. "

>

> She said the results made a " strong case " that calories per se are

> not the important factor in prolonging life - at least in fruit

> flies.

>

> A spokesman from the International Longevity Centre UK said: " At this

> point in time, it is difficult to state whether or not diet, rather

> than simply calorific intake, has a major bearing on life expectancy

> in humans. " "

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4583063.stm

Al Pater, PhD; email: old542000@...

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Al:

That is a great source of information. Including some wonderful

survival curve charts that really tell the story.

The next issue, and I will bet we will have an answer to it within

twelve months, is: 'Is it the fat or the protein that most needs to

be restricted?'.

Of course the question after that will be: 'is this stuff applicable

to humans?'. Perhaps that question will be able to be answered

fairly quickly if it is found that the process involves some

biomarker, say for example insulin. Then, if we can find a similar

short term biomarker response in humans to the same 'treatment' we

could, perhaps, be reasonably confident that the same applies to us.

After that the next question will be 'how much restriction is

appropriate?'

Exciting times in longevity research.

Rodney.

> > Hi folks:

> >

> > I have been unable to find this study, but research in fruit

flies

> > seems to suggest that restriction of fat and/or protein may be

much

> > more important than carbohydrate restriction to the life

extension

> > derived from CR. (Jeff will be pleased to hear this, LOL):

> >

> > " Yeast intake linked [inversely] to longevity in fruit flies.

> >

> > .......... Restricting the amount of yeast in the [fruit fly]

diet

> > can increase life expectancy by 50%, research into fruit flies

has

> > shown. It is not yet clear whether the same might be true in

humans.

> >

> > But the authors say their findings hint it might be what you eat

> > rather than total calorie intake that influences longevity,

contrary

> > to current belief. (Warren will NOT be pleased to hear THIS,

LOL)

> >

> > The University College London team [explained] how it could be

down

> > to metabolic pathways triggered by foods.

> >

> > Quality not quantity ...............

> >

> > Lead researcher Professor Partridge said: " Yeast and sugar

> > trigger different metabolic pathways with different effects on

life

> > span.

> >

> > " The dramatic impact of reducing yeast [the food source providing

fat

> > and protein in the fruit fly diet] suggests that protein or fat

plays

> > a greater role in fly longevity than sugar. "

> >

> > She said the results made a " strong case " that calories per se

are

> > not the important factor in prolonging life - at least in fruit

> > flies.

> >

> > A spokesman from the International Longevity Centre UK said: " At

this

> > point in time, it is difficult to state whether or not diet,

rather

> > than simply calorific intake, has a major bearing on life

expectancy

> > in humans. " "

> >

> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4583063.stm

>

> Al Pater, PhD; email: old542000@y...

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

Another thought on the implications of this study ...........

Previous studies have shown a 40% extension of maximal lifespan is

procured by a 40% reduction in calories.

Now since the diets of most of us contain about 20% of the calories

from fat and 20% more from protein, if we wanted to reduce calories

by 40% mostly through a reduction of these two macronutrients, then

we would have to reduce both to zero!

Presumably therefore the 'ideal' macronutrient profile, when it is

finally determined what it is, will be, say, VERY VERY APPROXIMATELY,

ten percent fat and ten percent protein, with some reduction in

carbohydrates. So when done this way the total reduction in calories

might be only twenty percent, for a number.

Or, perhaps it will be found that it is either only fat or only

protein that is critically important, and not the other. In which

case we might only need a ten percent reduction in total calories to

get near optimal benefits.

This is going to require lists of biomarkers and symptoms that will

tell us when we are approaching inappropriately low levels of fat and

protein intake. Any thoughts on what those biomarkers/symptoms would

be?

Then no doubt the issue will be which fats to maintain our intakes of

and which to eliminate comletely, and which amino acids can safely be

reduced and which cannot.

Enough work to keep these guys busy for a while!

Rodney.

> > > Hi folks:

> > >

> > > I have been unable to find this study, but research in fruit

> flies

> > > seems to suggest that restriction of fat and/or protein may be

> much

> > > more important than carbohydrate restriction to the life

> extension

> > > derived from CR. (Jeff will be pleased to hear this, LOL):

> > >

> > > " Yeast intake linked [inversely] to longevity in fruit flies.

> > >

> > > .......... Restricting the amount of yeast in the [fruit fly]

> diet

> > > can increase life expectancy by 50%, research into fruit flies

> has

> > > shown. It is not yet clear whether the same might be true in

> humans.

> > >

> > > But the authors say their findings hint it might be what you

eat

> > > rather than total calorie intake that influences longevity,

> contrary

> > > to current belief. (Warren will NOT be pleased to hear THIS,

> LOL)

> > >

> > > The University College London team [explained] how it could be

> down

> > > to metabolic pathways triggered by foods.

> > >

> > > Quality not quantity ...............

> > >

> > > Lead researcher Professor Partridge said: " Yeast and

sugar

> > > trigger different metabolic pathways with different effects on

> life

> > > span.

> > >

> > > " The dramatic impact of reducing yeast [the food source

providing

> fat

> > > and protein in the fruit fly diet] suggests that protein or fat

> plays

> > > a greater role in fly longevity than sugar. "

> > >

> > > She said the results made a " strong case " that calories per se

> are

> > > not the important factor in prolonging life - at least in fruit

> > > flies.

> > >

> > > A spokesman from the International Longevity Centre UK

said: " At

> this

> > > point in time, it is difficult to state whether or not diet,

> rather

> > > than simply calorific intake, has a major bearing on life

> expectancy

> > > in humans. " "

> > >

> > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4583063.stm

> >

> > Al Pater, PhD; email: old542000@y...

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

Final thought, hopefully!

It might turn out to be (pure speculation on my part) that protein is

the most important component that needs restriction.

My reasoning relates to telomere shortening with repeated cell

division. It is easy to imagine the possibility that in a situation

where there is plenty of available protein, cells would be more than

happy to divide at a faster rate and use the available protein

to 'fuel' (not quite the word I want) this growth.

But in a somewhat protein-deficient environment it would seem quite

possible that cell division would procede at a slower rate until more

protein becomes available. The slower cell division would result in

slower shortening of telomeres and cells, accordingly, functioning

well for longer.

This might (possibly, all speculation) also make cell proliferation

more diffiult and this might explain the lower cancer rates

experienced by restricted mice.

All fwiw. I will not be changing my fat or protein intake until we

get much better data.

Rodney.

> > > Hi All,

> > >

> > > This seemed to be good and is free text available.

> > >

> > > Mair W, Piper MD, Partridge L (2005)

> > > Calories Do Not Explain Extension of Life Span by Dietary

> > Restriction in Drosophila.

> > > PLoS Biol 3(7): e223

> > >

> > > Dietary restriction (DR) extends life span in diverse

organisms,

> > including mammals,

> > > and common mechanisms may be at work. DR is often known as

> calorie

> > restriction,

> > > because it has been suggested that reduction of calories,

rather

> > than of particular

> > > nutrients in the diet, mediates extension of life span in

> rodents.

> > We here

> > > demonstrate that extension of life span by DR in Drosophila is

> not

> > attributable to

> > > the reduction in calorie intake. Reduction of either dietary

> yeast

> > or sugar can

> > > reduce mortality and extend life span, but by an amount that is

> > unrelated to the

> > > calorie content of the food, and with yeast having a much

greater

> > effect per calorie

> > > than does sugar. Calorie intake is therefore not the key factor

> in

> > the reduction of

> > > mortality rate by DR in this species.

> > >

> > > http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-

> > document & doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0030223

> > >

> > > ... Our results suggest that it may be possible to obtain the

> full

> > extension of

> > > life span by DR by reducing critical nutrients in the food

> without

> > any reduction in

> > > overall calorie intake.

> > >

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

I now have it on good authority (!) that the good people at

University College, London, (UK) will be telling us, perhaps around

year end, how much of the increased longevity in restricted fruit

flies is accounted for by restriction of fat, and how much by

restriction of protein. (They have already shown that restriction of

carbohydrate is a rather small factor).

Hold on to yer hats folks! And remember, yer heard it first here :

^ )))

Rodney.

Of course after that they will have to determine which are the

important fats, and/or important amino acids, that most need to be

restricted.

--- In , " Rodney " <perspect1111@y...>

wrote:

> Hi folks:

>

> I have been unable to find this study, but research in fruit flies

> seems to suggest that restriction of fat and/or protein may be much

> more important than carbohydrate restriction to the life extension

> derived from CR. (Jeff will be pleased to hear this, LOL):

>

> " Yeast intake linked [inversely] to longevity in fruit flies.

>

> .......... Restricting the amount of yeast in the [fruit fly] diet

> can increase life expectancy by 50%, research into fruit flies has

> shown. It is not yet clear whether the same might be true in

humans.

>

> But the authors say their findings hint it might be what you eat

> rather than total calorie intake that influences longevity,

contrary

> to current belief. (Warren will NOT be pleased to hear THIS, LOL)

>

> The University College London team [explained] how it could be down

> to metabolic pathways triggered by foods.

>

> Quality not quantity ...............

>

> Lead researcher Professor Partridge said: " Yeast and sugar

> trigger different metabolic pathways with different effects on life

> span.

>

> " The dramatic impact of reducing yeast [the food source providing

fat

> and protein in the fruit fly diet] suggests that protein or fat

plays

> a greater role in fly longevity than sugar. "

>

> She said the results made a " strong case " that calories per se are

> not the important factor in prolonging life - at least in fruit

> flies.

>

> A spokesman from the International Longevity Centre UK said: " At

this

> point in time, it is difficult to state whether or not diet, rather

> than simply calorific intake, has a major bearing on life

expectancy

> in humans. " "

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4583063.stm

>

> Rodney.