Consuming less protein could trigger a coordinated physiological response throughout the body associated with healthier aging and greater longevity, according to recent research from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center (USA).
The study, published in the journal "Cell Metabolism", suggests that changes in metabolism, glucose control, energy expenditure, growth, and even food preferences are part of a single biological response activated when the body detects a protein shortage.
Researchers point out that these are not isolated mechanisms, but rather a general adaptation of the organism. After years of work, the team determined that the brain coordinates this response and that, in the experimental models used, these adjustments ultimately promote a longer lifespan.
- A key hormone in the process
In the center's neurosignaling laboratory, scientists identified the hormone FGF21 as a key component of this process. As they explain, this hormone acts in the brain to orchestrate the organism's response to protein deficiency and is essential for the observed effects on longevity, metabolism, and dietary preferences.
They also noted that similar mechanisms appear in other species, such as fruit flies, where signals originating in the gut play a role. This approach opens the door to measuring whether this coordinated response is being properly activated, for instance, through changes in FGF21 levels or the appetite for protein-rich foods, and, in the future, to developing more personalized dietary interventions.
For the study's authors, viewing protein restriction as an integrated physiological state allows for a better understanding of the interactions between cellular nutrient sensing, hormonal signals, neuronal circuits, and tissue responses.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου