A team of researchers from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) believes they have found the key to why high-protein diets are unhealthy and can shorten our lives.
The study used worms and fruit flies to investigate how diet influenced the rate of protein synthesis. The results clearly showed that speeding up protein synthesis produced more errors and this is related to a shorter life span.
The scientists’ findings also support studies suggesting that carbohydrates are not necessarily – and as is often believed – enemies of the diet.
According to the leader of the work, Christopher Proud, his team clearly identified how nutrient supply affects longevity. “Science has long known that eating too much, particularly protein, shortens lifespan, and now we know why,” he said.
“Our team showed that high levels of nutrients accelerate protein synthesis within cells. The faster this process occurs, the more mistakes are made. It is similar to everyday activities like driving: the faster we go, the more likely we are. to make a mistake. The resulting accumulation of defective proteins within cells compromises health and shortens lifespan, “says Proud in the journal Current Biology, which includes the study.
Also for brain health
The research also reinforces the links established between a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet and longer, healthier lives, especially when it comes to brain health.
“Carbs get a lot of bad press, especially in relation to diet, but the key is balance and knowing the difference between good carbs and ‘bad’ carbs,” says Proud.
And it is that eating carbohydrates rich in fiber such as those we can find in fruits, vegetables and cereals and unprocessed seeds will lead to much healthier benefits. We could say that it is similar to the traditional Mediterranean diet that has been previously associated with longevity.
The experiment was conducted with fruit flies and worms, but “since this link also operates in humans, our findings show how lower protein intake could promote longevity in people,” the expert continues.
It’s clear that low-protein, high-carb diets have been unfairly demonized. While they may not help with calorie counting, these diets are associated with longer life and better brain health, as long as the main sources of the carbohydrates are whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed grains.
Researchers will need long-term human trials before any of these results can be burned. Be that as it may, the link between high protein intake and increased rates of synthesis error is likely to translate into humans as well because these cellular processes are similar throughout the animal kingdom.
Referencia: Jianling Xie et al. Regulation of the Elongation Phase of Protein Synthesis Enhances Translation Accuracy and Modulates Lifespan, Current Biology (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.029
