Methionine Restriction: Ready for Prime Time in the Cancer Clinic?

[Daniel E.]

Low-protein diet - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A low-protein diet is a diet in which people decrease their intake of protein. A low-protein diet is used as a therapy for inherited metabolic disorders, such as phenylketonuria and homocystinuria, and can also be used to treat kidney or liver disease. Low protein consumption appears to reduce the risk of bone breakage, presumably through changes in calcium homeostasis...

Low-protein diets mimic many of the effects of calorie restriction but may engage different metabolic mechanisms.[14] Low protein diets rapidly reduce fat and restores normal insulin sensitivity to diet-induced obese mice.[15] Specifically restricting consumption of the three branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine is sufficient to promote leanness and improve regulation of blood glucose.[16] Restriction of isoleucine, but not leucine or valine, is required to observe the full beneficial effects of a low protein diet.[17]

The diets of humans living in some of the Blue Zones, regions of enhanced numbers of centenarians and reduced age-associated morbidity, contain less than 10% of energy from protein,[18] although reports on all the Blue Zones are not available. None of the diets in these regions is completely based on plants, but plants form the bulk of the food eaten.[19] Although it has been speculated that some of these populations are under calorie restriction, this is contentious as their smaller size is consistent with the lower food consumption.[20]...

Low-protein diets to treat kidney disease include the rice diet, which was started by Walter Kempner at Duke University in 1939. This diet was a daily ration of 2,000 calories consisting of moderate amounts of boiled rice, sucrose and dextrose, and a restricted range of fruit, supplemented with vitamins. Sodium and chloride were restricted to 150 mg and 200 mg respectively. It showed remarkable effects on control of edema and hypertension.[23][24] Although the rice diet was designed to treat kidney and vascular disease, the large weight loss associated with the diet led to a vogue in its use for weight loss which lasted for more than 70 years. The rice diet program closed in 2013.[25] Other low-protein starch-based diets like John A. McDougall's program continue to be offered for kidney disease and hypertension.

 

[Daniel E.]

Dietary protein to carbohydrate ratio and caloric restriction: comparing metabolic outcomes in mice

Both caloric restriction (CR) and low protein, high carbohydrate (LPHC) ad libitum-fed diets increase lifespan and improve metabolic parameters such as insulin, glucose and blood lipids. Severe CR, however, is unsustainable for most people; therefore, ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Both caloric restriction (CR) and low protein, high carbohydrate (LPHC) ad libitum-fed diets increase lifespan and improve metabolic parameters such as insulin, glucose and blood lipids. Severe CR, however, is unsustainable for most people; therefore, it is important to determine whether manipulating macronutrient ratios in ad libitum-fed conditions can generate similar health outcomes. We present the results of a short-term (8 week) dietary manipulation on metabolic outcomes in mice. We compared three diets varying in protein to carbohydrate ratio under both CR and ad libitum conditions. Ad libitum LPHC diets delivered similar benefits to CR in terms of levels of insulin, glucose, lipids and HOMA, despite increased energy intake. CR on LPHC diets did not provide additional benefits relative to ad libitum LPHC. We show that LPHC diets under ad libitum-fed conditions generate the metabolic benefits of CR without a 40% reduction in total caloric intake.

 

[Daniel E.]

https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.21694

“We would recommend against intermittent fasting for patients undergoing active cancer treatment unless doing so as part of a clinical trial and we would also advise patients who previously used intermittent fasting as a weight-loss strategy before a cancer diagnoses not to continue it during treatment unless doing so as part of a clinical trial."

 

[Ayana]

Of course, with beef and other animal products, one can use half (or less) of the regular amount and substitute with something else like beans, lentils, peas, mushrooms, etc.

Regarding peas, they are low in methionine (and cysteine) compared to rice:

Rice protein - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Rice protein is commonly mixed with pea protein powder. Rice protein is high in the sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine, but low in lysine. Pea protein, on the other hand, is low in cysteine and methionine but high in lysine.

Pea protein is also a source of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs are often taken as supplements to help with exercise recovery. When combined, rice protein and pea protein provide a complete amino acid profile. Rice protein is also a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.

1. Hemp protein Hemp protein is made from the seeds of the hemp plant. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Hemp protein is also a good source of fiber, magnesium, and iron. It’s low in carbohydrates and calories and is gluten-free.
2. Soy protein Soy protein is made from soybeans. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Soy protein is also a good source of fiber, iron, and calcium. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.
3. Egg protein Egg protein is made from eggs. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Egg protein is also a good source of vitamins A, D, and E. It’s low in carbohydrates and calories and is gluten-free.
4. Casein protein Casein protein is made from milk. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Casein protein is also a good source of calcium. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.
5. Whey protein Whey protein is made from milk. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Whey protein is also a good source of calcium. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.
6. Pea protein Pea protein is made from peas. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Pea protein is also a good source of fiber, iron, and calcium. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.
7. Brown rice protein Brown rice protein is made from brown rice. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Brown rice protein is also a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.
8. Quinoa protein Quinoa protein is made from quinoa. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa protein is also a good source of fiber, iron, and magnesium. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.
9. Almond protein Almond protein is made from almonds. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Almond protein is also a good source of fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium. It’s low in fat and calories and is gluten-free.
10. Beyond protein powder. The rheological behaviour of aqueous solutions of the ionic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, has been studied at 25 degrees C. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to explore the contribution of each variable to the variation in the first four axes of the ordination.