A new study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health suggests that eating less of one particular nutrient might help people live longer and stay healthier. The nutrient in question is isoleucine, an amino acid found in many common foods like eggs, milk, soy, and meat.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and isoleucine is considered essential—this means our bodies need it but can’t make it on their own, so we have to get it from food.
This research, led by Professor Dudley Lamming, was done on mice and published in the journal Cell Metabolism. While it doesn’t prove that the same results would happen in people, it gives scientists new ideas to explore.
In the study, mice were divided into groups and given diets with different levels of isoleucine. The mice that ate less isoleucine showed several improvements in health compared to mice on a normal diet.
One of the most eye-catching results was that the mice lived longer. Male mice lived about 33% longer, while female mice lived about 7% longer. That’s a big difference, especially for the males.
Even though the mice on the low-isoleucine diet ate more food, they didn’t gain weight. In fact, they stayed leaner than the mice eating more isoleucine. The researchers believe this happened because their bodies processed calories differently. It wasn’t due to the mice moving more or exercising.
The study also showed that male mice who ate less isoleucine had more stable blood sugar levels and had fewer problems with prostate enlargement, which is a common issue as male mammals age. In addition, the researchers noticed a lower risk of tumors in the mice on the low-isoleucine diet, suggesting it might reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
So, what does this mean for humans?
It’s still early to say. We can’t directly apply the mouse results to people, because our diets and bodies are more complicated. Humans need isoleucine to stay healthy, so removing it completely from the diet is not an option. Also, making big changes in how much of a single amino acid we eat is very difficult to do without affecting our overall health.
However, the researchers see promise. They believe this kind of study helps us understand more about how aging works and how what we eat can influence our health. Professor Lamming says that one possible future step could be developing medicines or supplements that block isoleucine’s effects in a safe way.
Interestingly, data from a health survey in Wisconsin showed that people who are leaner tend to eat less isoleucine naturally. This means that simply choosing certain foods—perhaps ones lower in isoleucine—could lead to better health over time, even without strict diets or drugs.
More research is needed to understand exactly how low-isoleucine diets work and whether they could help humans. Scientists will need to study the long-term effects, how safe it is, and whether it works the same way for everyone.
This study is important because it points to a new way of thinking about food and aging. Instead of only focusing on how many calories we eat, the study looks at the types of nutrients in our food—especially proteins—and how they may affect health and aging. The results suggest that one specific amino acid, isoleucine, might play a larger role in aging than we previously thought.
The most surprising finding is that mice lived longer and healthier lives even when they ate more calories, as long as they had less isoleucine. This shows that it’s not just about eating less food, but about what you’re eating.
The study also adds to the idea that different nutrients can affect different systems in the body—such as metabolism, blood sugar control, and even cancer risk.
Still, this is just the beginning. The mice study gives us a direction, but it will take years of further studies to know if humans can safely reduce isoleucine or use other ways to get similar benefits.
If you’re interested in diabetes and health, you might also want to read about how turmeric and vitamin D could help with blood pressure in people with diabetes, or how certain vitamin supplements may actually increase the risk of falls in diabetic patients. Other studies warn of signs of diabetes-related eye disease and explore how fruits like pomegranate might help manage the condition.
The full findings from the isoleucine study can be found in Cell Metabolism.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and vitamin D supplements strongly reduce cancer death.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about plant nutrient that could help reduce high blood pressure, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.
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