A new study shows that restricting valine, an essential amino acid from proteins, can increase the lifespan of male mice by over 23 percent. Valine is one of the building blocks of proteins that the body cannot produce itself and therefore must be ingested through diet. In female mice, valine restriction had no significant effect on lifespan.
The researchers kept mice from a young age on a diet in which the amount of valine was reduced by two-thirds. This diet had the same amount of calories and fats as the normal feed, but the valine was replaced by non-essential amino acids. Male mice clearly lived longer and moreover remained healthier, with less fat and fewer signs of ageing, also known as frailty. In females, the median lifespan remained virtually the same.
It appears that valine restriction not only causes life extension, but also keeps the body healthier. This was reflected, for example, in better blood sugar processing in both sexes. Important processes in liver cells, such as the activity of mitochondria (the powerhouses of the cell), also appeared to have increased, especially in men. This may be an explanation for the positive effect of valine restriction.
Although the results are promising, they differ by sex and it is not yet clear exactly how this works. Researchers are still investigating whether such dietary trends can also contribute to a longer and healthier life in humans. For people interested in healthy ageing, such discoveries provide valuable inspiration for looking at nutrition.
Source: Arkadi Mazin
