Should We Eat More Protein Or Less Protein, To Live Longer?

…and other items from this week’s health science news:

The meat of the dilemma

We are often told we should eat more protein, and it’s sometimes even true!

However: a review of more than 350 scientific papers has concluded that, for many sedentary adults, consuming less protein can improve metabolic health, promote healthy aging, and extend lifespan.

How it works: protein restriction (PR) appears to improve healthspan by improving metabolism, altering nutrient-sensing pathways, reducing cellular damage, limiting cellular senescence, supporting mitochondrial function, and preserving healthy cell function. So those are all very good things for it to be doing.

Further, lower protein intake increases levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hormone that can increase energy expenditure, improve blood sugar regulation, and reduce inflammation.

In particular, restricting* certain essential amino acids, especially methionine, isoleucine, and valine, appears to reproduce many of the benefits of overall protein restriction, suggesting amino acid composition may actually be as important as, if not more important than, total protein intake.

^{*Restricting! Not eliminating! They are essential amino acids so you do need some or you will literally die. That’s what “essential” means in nutrition.}

But! Before you redo your shopping list, it’s important to note that protein needs vary: The study authors do emphasize that protein remains essential for muscle growth and exercise adaptation, and certain groups, including pregnant people and frail older people, still have higher protein requirements:

Read in full: Consuming less protein could have greater health benefits and extend lifespan

Related: Protein: How Much Do We Need, Really?

Is the cyclosporiasis explosion over?

The US cyclosporiasis outbreak has surpassed 18,000 cases as of late July, making it the largest recorded outbreak.

How it’s been going:

• The Midwest has been particularly affected and continues to bear the brunt of it.
• Public health officials have linked infections in nine states to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms’ operations.
• The contaminated lettuce was distributed to 27 states, raising concerns that additional cases could emerge.

There is some good news, though: bioMérieux, which manufactures a gastrointestinal test panel, reported a decline in test positivity rates.

But do bear in mind that may be misleading yet: more people are seeking testing, because of heightened awareness. That’s great per se, but it does mean that if many additional people test negative, the percentage of positive tests falls, even if the outbreak itself has not substantially improved.

Read in full: Is the cyclosporiasis outbreak slowing? Test-makers are hopeful

Related: Folks Are Calling It The MAHA Blast

Soy lysolecithin vs hypertension & cognitive decline

As you probably know, long-term excessive salt intake is linked to hypertension, cognitive decline, and emotional impairment, affecting both the cardiovascular system and the brain.

However! It turns out that soy-derived lysolecithin, which contains over 70% lysophosphatidylcholine, protects against high-salt diet (HSD)-induced hypertension and cognitive impairment by regulating prostaglandin signaling.

This latter is important because prostaglandins are lipid signaling molecules derived from arachidonic acid, that regulate blood vessel constriction and dilation, while also influencing brain inflammation, cognition, and emotional function. In other words, all things that are needed to deal with this problem!

And indeed, it has also been shown that this soy-derived nutrient reduced HSD-induced hypertension and cognitive impairment:

Read in full: Soy lysolecithin reduces salt-induced hypertension and cognitive decline

Related: The Brain Nutrient That 90% Of Americans Don’t Get Enough Of

Take care!