A New Strike Against High Protein?

A recent paper is fueling the plant-based crowd. In it, the authors found that protein restriction turned off many genetic and molecular signals of aging.It was a synthesis of over 350 existing studies, a mix of in vitro research, animal research, and human trials, and the overall finding was that restricting protein elicited favorable levels and changes to mTOR, FGF21, oxidative stress, and other things associated with or contributory to aging.Now, the study had some interesting things, right? There was some nuance there. They readily admitted that protein restriction acts differently in sedentary versus active individuals. Those who are actively training have a higher supposedly “safe” window of protein consumption. Maybe they have a higher tolerance for protein. But overall, the thrust of the paper, and what most people will take away from it, and what your vegan friends are no doubt bragging to you about, is that less protein is better for longevity.I don’t think it’s as simple as that. Let me explain.Much of the research rests on the assumption that specific amino acids in excess promote aging. The one they say most is methionine. It’s found in dairy, muscle meat, eggs, and ot...