- A new study in mice suggests that consuming a moderate amount of protein may be most conducive to metabolic health.
- In the study, the sweet spot for moderate protein consumption was between 25% and 35% of a mouse’s daily diet.
- Older people need more protein due to the body no longer being able to process the macronutrient efficiently.
It only makes sense that a person’s nutritional needs change as they go through life from childhood through adulthood. As we grow, reach maturity, and age, our bodies are occupied with different tasks.
As researchers seek to extend our healthy lifespans — periods free of serious disease — they have been hoping to identify the optimal balance of macronutrients that promote good health at each life stage.
A new study of mice investigates the role of protein at different stages of life.
The study finds that consuming moderate amounts of protein in youth and middle age may be the key to good metabolic health.
The authors of the study fed young (6-month-old) and middle-aged (16-months-old) mice diets with varying levels of protein for two months. Their diets consisted of 5%, 15%, 25%, 35%, or 45% protein. The moderate amounts identified in the study were 25% and 35%.
All mice were fasted for three hours before being euthanized for tissue harvesting and analysis.
In mice, a diet low in protein resulted in the development of fatty liver, and middle-aged mice exhibited higher levels of lipids, or fats, in their systems than younger mice.
The moderate-protein diets lowered lipid and blood sugar levels in the mice.
The study is published in Geroscience.
Protein is critical at all stages of life. As Conner Middlemann of Modern Mediterranean noted, “The word ‘protein’ is derived from the Greek word proteios, meaning ‘first’ or ‘primary,’ which reflects its top-drawer status in human nutrition.”
Dr. Stuart Phillips of McMaster University explained protein’s importance:
“When we’re growing, protein provides the building blocks…
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