It has been just revealed the fact that cutting back on this amino acid can increase lifespan by 33%. Check out the latest reports about the subject below. The study has been made on mice, but as we already know by now, this will also be applicable to humans.
Increasing your lifespan
It’s fascinating to learn that a limited intake of a specific essential amino acid could potentially slow down the aging process and extend lifespan in mice.
This discovery has sparked curiosity among scientists about whether it could be applied to help improve the quality of life and longevity of humans.
Isoleucine is one of the three branched-chain amino acids that our bodies require to create proteins.
It’s essential for our survival, but our cells can’t produce it on their own, so we need to obtain it from sources like eggs, dairy, soy protein, and meats.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that too much of a good thing can be harmful.
Previous research has shown that dietary isoleucine levels are linked to metabolic health, based on data from a 2016-2017 survey of Wisconsin residents. People with higher BMIs tended to consume significantly higher amounts of the amino acid.
“Different components of your diet have value and impact beyond their function as a calorie, and we’ve been digging in on one component that many people may be eating too much of,” says metabolism researcher Dudley Lamming from the University of Wisconsin, US, who was involved in both studies.
“It’s interesting and encouraging to think a dietary change could still make such a big difference in lifespan and what we call ‘healthspan,’ even when it started closer to mid-life.”
In a study, a group of genetically diverse mice were given three different diets. The first diet was a control diet containing twenty common amino acids.
The second diet had all amino acids reduced by about two-thirds, and the third diet had only isoleucine reduced by the same amount. The mice were around six months old at the beginning of the study, which is equivalent to the age of a 30-year-old human.
They were allowed to eat as much as they wanted, but only from the specific food provided to their group.
The study found that restricting dietary isoleucine increased the lifespan and healthspan of the mice, reduced their frailty, and promoted leanness and glycemic control.
Male mice had their lifespans increased by 33 percent compared to those whose isoleucine was not restricted, while females had a 7 percent increase.
Check out the complete article posted by Science Alert in order to learn more of the fascinating details of the subject.
