Eating less protein could slow aging, major review finds — SkimNews
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- University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers Dudley Lamming and Bailey Knopf reviewed 350+ studies in the journal Cell Press Blue, concluding protein restriction improves metabolism, limits cellular damage, and activates longevity-linked pathways.
- Human clinical trials cited in the review found that people who lowered protein intake lost weight and body fat and improved fasting blood sugar, even while often consuming more total calories.
- FGF21, a hormone that rises when protein intake falls, was linked to longer lifespan in mice — with the effect stronger in males — and in humans it improves blood sugar regulation and reduces inflammation.
- The review identified methionine, isoleucine, and valine as amino acids that, when consumed in excess, activate growth pathways tied to obesity, inflammation, and other conditions associated with aging.
- Updated US dietary guidance this year raised recommended protein intake to 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight daily, nearly double the previous recommendation.
- Lamming argued most sedentary people likely consume more protein than they need, and that recommendations should be personalized by age and physical activity rather than applied uniformly.
Why it matters: This 350-study review from the University of Wisconsin-Madison argues sedentary adults likely over-consume protein — contradicting updated US dietary guidance this year that nearly doubled recommendations to 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day. The protein-fortified food market, which has spread to cereals, coffee, and water, has the most direct exposure if guidance shifts toward personalization by activity level.
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