Not so fast/Not so fast (was Less protein gives longer life)

[Guest guest]

Sound advice from .

Apropos of the protein/methionine theory: we’ve had many theories posted and postulated which have been discarded or discredited. I remember the “high blood insulin” or “eat foods low in glucose” theory (challenged by a recent study); then the “starch” theory (never conclusively proven and which we have not heard much about lately); then the “resveratrol” theory (and I admit that I bought some very expensive but probably useless pills) recently superceded by the “polyphenols” theory. Do you get my drift?

Of course we must continue to post these studies and theories in the hope that one of them provides a shortcut to longevity. But to this point the only consistently proven method is CR. Since CR entails eating lower calorie, nutritionally dense foods (which means a diet of mostly plants) one would also be eating less protein/methionine on CR.

From what we know about methionine, calorie restriction (difficult as it is) sounds a whole lot easier than eliminating or greatly reducing methionine which is so abundant in so many foods.

That said, I’m as gullible and ready for a shortcut as anyone especially since I’m getting a bit long in the tooth.

From: <crjohnr@...>

Reply-< >

Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:27:24 -0600

< >

Subject: Re: [ ] Less protein gives longer life

Hair falling out due to dietary restriction sounds unusual and surely evidence of some unhealthy extreme situation. 

Please stop whatever you're doing that's causing this and strive to consume adequate nutrition and energy balance.

JR

On Feb 20, 2008, at 11:20 AM, claire roberts-torres wrote:

Ya know...

I am doing my best to stick to the CRON program, and

feel 1000 times better as my calories/sugar/fat has

been reduced. However, when I drop low in protein (I

don't eat much as it is) my hair starts falling out in

fistfuls. It's vanity v.s. longevity over here. Do I

wish to live to 150 bald as a cue ball?

Hmmm....

--- Arturo Veve <volae@... <mailto:volae%40earthlink.net> > wrote:

> All

> CR and protein intake discussed in this article. 

> Cheers,

> Arturo

> 

> Less protein gives longer life 

> Tuesday, 19 February 2008 

> University of Sydney 

> The key to longevity is eating less protein - and

> not just fewer calories, as has previously been

> thought - scientists have discovered. But the catch

> is that while cutting protein may help you live

> longer, it may mean you'll have fewer children. 

> 

> " Animals that eat less live longer - up to a point, "

> says Professor Simpson of the University of

> Sydney's School of Biological Sciences. " Our

> research using animal models shows the balance of

> protein to carbohydrate in the diet is critical. "  

> 

> The idea that restricting food intake without

> malnutrition prolongs life has become a core belief

> in gerontology research, Professor Simpson says. " We

> know dietary restriction extends life in yeasts,

> fruit flies, worms, mice and monkeys, and it is

> widely held that the same affect should be true for

> humans. "  

> 

> But scientists couldn't be sure whether it was the

> restriction of calories in itself, or the

> restriction of specific nutrients, that affected

> ageing. But now Professor Simpson and colleagues at

> Seoul University, Auckland University, UNSW and

> Macquarie have measured for the first time in any

> organism the relationship between diet, nutrient

> intake, lifespan and reproduction 

> 

> Using new techniques developed by Professor Simpson

> and Professor Raubenheimer (Auckland) the team

> showed in the fruit fly that calorie restriction is

> not responsible for extending lifespan: rather the

> balance of protein to carbohydrate in the diet was

> critical 

> 

> " Flies lived longest when the diet contained a low

> percentage of protein, and died sooner the more

> protein they consumed, " says Professor Simpson. " But

> protein is needed for reproduction - so flies are

> faced with a conundrum: eat less protein and live

> longer, or eat more protein and lay more eggs? "  

> 

> Professor Simpson said his team 'asked' the flies

> what they preferred. " When offered a choice, flies

> behaved like nutrient-seeking missiles, unerringly

> mixing a relatively high protein diet that maximised

> their lifetime egg production. In other words, flies

> preferred to achieve maximum evolutionary fitness

> rather than live as long as possible. "  

> 

> " In demonstrating the role protein plays in

> determining both lifespan and reproduction, my

> co-authors and I have united a body of apparently

> conflicting work within a common framework and

> provided a new platform for studying ageing in all

> organisms, " Professor Simpson said. 

> 

> The research has been published online in

> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of

> the United States of America (PNAS). 

> 

>

http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20081902-16917-2.html

> 

> 

>