Energy balance
Three-year mild caloric restriction (approx. 100 kcal/day deficit) significantly reduces plasma levels of L-leucine, L-phenylalanine, and sphingomyelin (SM d18:0/16:1) in overweight and obese middle-aged adults, independent of total weight loss magnitude.
To improve metabolic health markers like insulin sensitivity and reduce specific risk metabolites (sphingomyelin, BCAAs), aim for a modest, sustainable daily calorie deficit of about 100 calories rather than extreme restriction. This approach, maintained over years, has been shown to lower these specific blood markers more effectively than short-term extreme diets in overweight middle-aged adults.
The three-year MCD group follow-up identified reductions in the following 13 metabolites: L-leucine; L-phenylalanine; 9 lysoPCs; PC (18:0/20:4); and SM (d18:0/16:1)... The MCD group showed greater decreases in L-leucine, L-phenylalanine, and SM (d18:0/16:1) compared with those of the control group.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a long duration (3 years) and objective metabolomic profiling, though sample size is moderate (n=94).
Source
Global Metabolic Profiling of Plasma Shows that Three-Year Mild-Caloric Restriction Lessens an Age-Related Increase in Sphingomyelin and Reduces L-leucine and L-phenylalanine in Overweight and Obese Subjects
Minjoo Kim et al. · Aging and Disease · 2016
DOI 10.14336/ad.2016.0330
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