Research
Macro partitioning
Protein restriction, specifically methionine restriction, increases maximum lifespan in rodents by approximately 20%, potentially accounting for half of the life-extending effects of caloric restriction.
While animal studies show that restricting protein, especially methionine, can extend lifespan, this is not yet recommended for humans. More research is needed to determine if this is safe or beneficial for people.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
protein restriction increases maximum lifespan by roughly 20%... methionine restriction increases longevity... methionine restriction might account for most or all of the life-extending benefits of protein restriction.
Why this rating
Strong evidence in rodents; no human longevity data.
Source
Impact of caloric and dietary restriction regimens on markers of health and longevity in humans and animals: a summary of available findings
John F. Trepanowski et al. · Nutrition Journal · 2011
DOI 10.1186/1475-2891-10-107
narrative_reviewCited 203×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Caloric restriction (CR) of 20-40% below ad libitum intake, while maintaining adequate nutrient intake, improves cardiovascular and glucoregulatory biomarkers and extends lifespan in animal models, with mixed but generally favorable effects on human health markers.Good
- Alternate-day fasting (ADF), involving alternating days of ad libitum intake and partial/complete restriction, extends lifespan in animals and improves cardiovascular and glucoregulatory biomarkers, with mixed results in humans.Moderate
- Religious fasting practices, such as Ramadan, Greek Orthodox fasting, and the Daniel Fast, have mixed effects on health biomarkers, including cardiovascular, glucoregulatory, and oxidative stress markers.Moderate
Related findings · Macro partitioning
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- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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