Low intake of calories and or methionine extends lifespan

By David Liu

One of the best studies ever conducted has proved that reduced intake of calories may extend one's lifespan and reduce risk of serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and brain atrophy.

The study published in the journal Science involved monkeys, meaning that it is still unknown whether or not this practice would bring men any benefit.

Early studies in flies, worms and other low animals like rodents show that eating fewer calories greatly extends lifespan. 

Dr. Richard Weindruch, of the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and colleagues found in their study that 50 percent of monkeys that ate freely died while 80 percent of the monkeys given the same diet, but with calories reduced by 30 percent, were still alive during the course of the 20-year study. The average lifespan for these monkeys is 20 years.

Researchers have known for years that eating too many calories actually increases risk of so-called affluent diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart diseases. The current study showed those monkeys that ate fewer calories were 50 percent less likely to acquire cancers, and cardiovascular disease than those eating without restriction.

Another recent study showed that mice that ate less food during their early life or the first 20 days of life lived much longer. The study was conducted by Sun L and colleagues from the University of Michigan and published in the July 2009 issue of the journals of gerontology Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences.

Calorie-restriction may not be followed by everyone who wants to live a few years longer. Those who have a big appetite and their hunger can be only quenched by a large volume of calories may still enjoy an increased lifespan if they can follow a so-called low-methionine diet.

Sun and team also found in their study that a methionine-restricted diet introduced at 12 months of age also significantly increased longevity. Twelve months for mice are roughly equal to 40 or 50 years for humans.

The researchers suggest that the ways to increase lifespan by following low-calorie and low-methionine diets may be differ.

Methionine-deficient diets have been found to increase metabolic rate, decrease weight and extend lifespan in rodents, according to clinicaltrials.gov.

One clinical trial showed that a methionine-deficient diet helps people lose 8 kg or about 18 pounds of body weight during a period of 17 weeks without adverse events.

Foods that are high in methionine include eggs, cheese, seaweed, seeds, nuts, soy beans, and butter among others.