Scientists at Monash University (Australia) have recently discovered a new method that is “easier to apply” compared to traditional Intermittent Fasting (IF), thereby opening up the prospect of revolutionizing how individuals apply dietary practices to enhance health and extend lifespan.
Eliminating the amino acid Isoleucine significantly increases stress resistance and lifespan. Illustration. (Source: Northernvirginiamag)
In a study on fruit flies published in the GeroScience journal on February 2, the research team at the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University discovered that the intermittent removal of an essential amino acid called Isoleucine (an amino acid that the body cannot synthesize and must be obtained from external food sources) for short durations significantly enhances stress resistance and extends lifespan.
The lead researcher, Ms. Tahila Fulton, emphasized: “Unlike conventional intermittent fasting, this method does not require a significant reduction in total food intake, making it a more practical and feasible strategy.”
Previous studies have indicated that moderately restricting all amino acids in the diet can help minimize stress, but for longevity, this needs to be applied over a long period during adulthood.
In this study, the research team found that a short-term deficiency of an essential amino acid can increase toxin resistance in adult flies.
To further assess the effectiveness for older flies and the long-term effects of this diet on health, the research team initially evaluated whether flies could achieve nicotine tolerance after short-term Isoleucine deficiency as they aged.
The team maintained flies on a fully nutritious diet for 1, 2, 3, or 5 weeks (within an average lifespan of 9 weeks), then transitioned them to an Isoleucine-deficient diet for 1, 3, 5, or 7 days, and subsequently measured their survival upon exposure to toxins.
By utilizing this data to select care regimes that provide optimal toxin resistance, experts found that allowing flies to “fast” on Isoleucine for one week during mid-life (week 3) and later (week 5) significantly increased lifespan, regardless of their dietary regimen.
Ms. Fulton highlighted that the group’s research not only expands knowledge about the impact of diet on longevity but also opens the possibility of revolutionizing how people approach dietary practices and longevity.
According to her, this is a less “restrictive” approach that provides similar benefits to conventional diets.
