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Protein intake and longevity

Graham49 profile image
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This Review paper available on Google Scholar is not about PCa but I found it interesting. The Abstract and a couple of sections from the paper are reproduced below. The main things I take from the study are that it is ok to have a high protein diet if you are an older person (66+) but go easy on the protein from animal sources.

Review

The impact of dietary protein intake on longevity and metabolic health

Author links open overlay panelMunehiroKitadaabYoshioOguraaItaruMonnoaDaisukeKoyaab

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doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.201... rights and content

Under a Creative Commons licenseopen access

Abstract

Lifespan and metabolic health are influenced by dietary nutrients. Recent studies show that a reduced protein intake or low-protein/high-carbohydrate diet plays a critical role in longevity/metabolic health. Additionally, specific amino acids (AAs), including methionine or branched-chain AAs (BCAAs), are associated with the regulation of lifespan/ageing and metabolism through multiple mechanisms. Therefore, methionine or BCAAs restriction may lead to the benefits on longevity/metabolic health. Moreover, epidemiological studies show that a high intake of animal protein, particularly red meat, which contains high levels of methionine and BCAAs, may be related to the promotion of age-related diseases. Therefore, a low animal protein diet, particularly a diet low in red meat, may provide health benefits. However, malnutrition, including sarcopenia/frailty due to inadequate protein intake, is harmful to longevity/metabolic health. Therefore, further study is necessary to elucidate the specific restriction levels of individual AAs that are most effective for longevity/metabolic health in humans.

3.2. Human studies

Levine et al. investigated the relationship between the level of protein intake and all-cause, cancer- and diabetes-related mortality in a major nationally representative study of nutrition involving a United States population (6381 individuals aged 50 years and over) [6]. The results were analysed using Cox proportional hazard models and revealed that both the moderate protein (MP;10–19% of calories from protein) and high protein (HP; ≥20% of calories from protein) intake groups had higher risks of diabetes-related mortality than the participants in the low protein(LP; <10% of calories from protein) group (Table 1). Among those aged 50–65 years, higher protein levels were linked to significantly increased risks of all-cause and cancer-related mortality (Table 1). In this age range, the HP intake group exhibited a 74% increase in their relative risk of all-cause mortality and were >4-fold likely to die of cancer than those in the LP group. Additionally, the higher risks of all-cause and cancer-related mortality in the HP intake group compared to those in the LP intake group were further increased among those who also had high levels of IGF-1 [6] (Table 1). However, among those aged 66 years and older, the HP diet was associated with the opposite effect on all-cause and cancer-related mortality (Table 1). Compared to those in the LP group, the participants in the HP and MP groups exhibited a 28% and 21% reduction in all-cause mortality, respectively. Additionally, compared to those in the LP group, HP consumption resulted in a 60% reduction in cancer mortality. Thus, LP intake during middle age may be beneficial for the prevention of cancer and improvement of overall mortality. However, among elderly people, avoiding LP intake or consuming adequate dietary protein may be important to prevent sarcopenia and frailty, thus potentially preventing an increase in all-cause mortality.

Interestingly, on the Japanese island of Okinawa, many people exhibit increased longevity, and the centenarian population is five times larger than that in other developed nations [69]. The CVD and cancer death rates in Okinawa were found to be only 60–70% of those in other regions of Japan on average, and the all-cause mortality rate among 60- to 64-year-olds was only half that of other Japanese populations. Based on the 1972 Japan National Nutrition Survey, Kagawa et al. reported that the Okinawan adult population had a low caloric intake (83% of the Japanese average) and documented that the anthropometric and morbidity data of older Okinawans were consistent with CR [70]. Therefore, CR may be associated with the longevity observed in Okinawa [71]. In addition to CR, many factors, including food, genes and physical activity, contribute to longevity. The types of foods included in the traditional Okinawan diet, which includes a high intake of green leafy and yellow root vegetables, sweet potatoes (as a dietary staple), and soy (as the principle protein) supplemented with small amounts of fish and meat, are adequate in most nutrients [72,73]. The energy obtained from the Okinawan diet is derived from 9%protein and 85%carbohydrates [74]. Interestingly, the Okinawan values of dietary protein and the protein to carbohydrate ratio (1:10) are very low and are remarkably similar to those found to optimize the lifespan in recent animal studies investigating ageing.

4. Relationships among protein sources, longevity and metabolic health

The protein source, including animal or plant protein, may be more important for mortality risk than the level of protein intake. The associations between animal and plant protein intake and the risk of mortality were examined by a prospective US cohort study involving 131,342 participants and 32 follow-up years [7]. Animal protein intake was related to a higher risk of mortality, particularly CVD mortality. In contrast, higher plant protein intake was associated with lower all-cause mortality. The substitution of animal protein from a variety of food sources, particularly processed red meat, with plant protein was associated with a lower risk of mortality, indicating that the protein source is important for long-term health.

As described above, compared to LP intake in middle-aged humans, HP intake is associated with increased all-cause mortality and cancer- and diabetes-related mortality [6]. However, after controlling for the percent of calories from animal protein, the association between the level of protein intake and all-cause and cancer-related mortality was eliminated or significantly reduced, suggesting that animal protein mediates a significant portion of those relationships. In contrast, after controlling for the effect of plant protein, there was no change in the association between protein intake and mortality, indicating not only that high levels of animal proteins promote mortality but also that plant proteins have a protective effect.

Among animal proteins, the consumption of red meat and processed meat is associated with the risk of developing chronic diseases, including CVD, CKD, cancer and diabetes [8,9]. A meta-analysis indicated that a high consumption of red meat tends to increase the risk of CVD mortality and cancer and that a high consumption of processed meat significantly increases the risk of cancer and CVD mortality and diabetes [8]. Red meat is an important dietary source of EAAs and micronutrients, including vitamins, iron and zinc, that perform many beneficial functions. However, a high intake of red meat and processed meat results in an increased intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, iron, salt, and phosphate; oxidative stress/inflammation; elevation of by-products of protein or AA digestion by the gut microbiota, such as trimethylamine n-oxide or indoxyl sulfate; acid load; and protein/AA load, which are possibly associated with increased risks of CVD mortality and CKD.

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Graham49
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10 Replies
Magnus1964 profile image
Magnus1964

Thanks for sharing this article. Great information.

Walkingwell profile image
Walkingwell

Thank you for posting. Evidence of the benefits of a low animal protein diet is strong and growing it seems. Yes, there's an argument that some nutrients are more easily available in meat, but even if that's true, the amount we need to eat to get those nutrients is very small. As for Okinawa, the research referenced here, and in many other places, was done several decades ago before a big change in Okinawa to a more American style diet (Okinawa was administered by the US until 1972, now about a fifth is US controlled) and a reduction in longevity compared to other parts of Japan. A lesson in itself, maybe.

Graham49 profile image
Graham49 in reply to Walkingwell

Yes, essential amino acids are easier to get from animal sources but the paper indicates that too much of Methionine and some EAAs, the Branch Chained Amino Acids are not good for longetivity. Other sections of the paper go into the biochemistry of BCAAs and Methionine with respect to longetivity.

noahware profile image
noahware

Interesting to think that too much methionine may not be good for longevity, because one potential mode of treatment for some cancers (including PC) is the restriction of specific amino acids. If I'm not mistaken, the "methionine-restricted diet" is already seen (outside mainstream SOC medicine) as worthy of investigation.

PC can be highly dependent on fatty acids that are perhaps not directly provided by fats in the diet but that rather are synthesized ("de novo") from an abundance of dietary amino acids, which are of course in foods not normally considered "protein foods."

Graham49 profile image
Graham49 in reply to noahware

See below from the paper I posted on (MetR means Methione restricted diet).

"Fig. 3. Restriction of sulfur-containing AAs, such as Met or Cys, increases H2S production through TSP pathway activation, including the activation of CBS and CGL. H2S exerts anti-oxidative/anti-inflammatory effects. A LP/LPHC diet or MetR suppresses mTORC1, which leads to TSP pathway activation, and reduces the overproduction of ROS from mitochondria. BCAA restriction suppresses oxidative stress and inflammation through inhibition of NADPH oxidase and NF-κB."

Studies have linked inflammation, mTORC1 and NF-kB to cancer progression.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

Any protein in graham crackers?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 06/06/2020 6:26 PM DST

Walkingwell profile image
Walkingwell in reply to j-o-h-n

Sure, if they're made out of body-building Grahams!

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to Walkingwell

Wow you coulda knocked me over with a GRAM of UMP!!

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 06/07/2020 6:59 PM DST

SPEEDYX profile image
SPEEDYX in reply to j-o-h-n

Or do you prefer a feather..Monkey Business...MARX Brothers 1931

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to SPEEDYX

I prefer the whole chicken...... Y A Chicken?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 06/07/2020 11:23 PM DST

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