Protein-fortified foods are popping up everywhere, from cereal and coffee to even protein water. But a new review covering more than 350 papers on protein restriction and aging—published July 31 in the journal Cell Press Blue—suggests that consuming less protein could have greater health benefits and could, in some cases, extend lifespan. The authors describe how protein restriction slows aging by improving metabolism, changing how cells respond to nutrients, reducing cellular damage and preserving healthy cell function.
In a new study, researchers tracked over 1.2 million peptide trajectories to map out this preservation pathway. The results revealed that low-oxygen environments combined with specific protein structures turned destructive decay into a mechanism for long-term molecular stability.
The paradox of brain preservation
Brain tissue naturally breaks down very quickly once the body dies. Even so, thousands of ancient brains have miraculously survived for millennia, creating an unusual contradiction for tissue preservation researchers.
The benefits of vitamin D are many, with research suggesting it plays an important role in several facets of our health, from boosting our immunity to helping us counter harmful diseases.
As long as we don’t have too much of it, vitamin D is an essential part of a healthy body. But there’s still a lot we don’t know about just how far its goodness extends.
In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated that low levels of vitamin D in older adults are associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and clinical dementia.
An international research team led by The University of Manchester analyzed magma from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption on La Palma, Spain. The scientists found that “superheating,” which occurs when magma becomes hotter than the temperature at which crystals remain stable, can postpone crystal formation as the magma moves toward the surface.
Superheating Removes Crystal Seeds
The study, published in Nature Communications, found that intense heat can dissolve tiny existing crystals that normally act as “seeds” for the growth of new crystals.
Surgery that aims to enhance the clearance of Alzheimer’s-associated proteins from the brain has been banned in China, but only after thousands of people had the procedure
For several decades now, one medication has been the primary drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, but research shows there’s still a lot we can learn about how it works inside the body.
Metformin, the second most commonly prescribed medication in the US in 2023, was first synthesized by scientists in 1922 and has been widely used to treat type 2 diabetes since the mid-20th century.
During that time, metformin has been well known for its strong glucose-lowering effects. But a study published in 2025 in Science Advances revealed the drug also affects a part of the body we had never realized – the brain.
Protein-fortified foods are popping up everywhere, from cereal and coffee to even protein water. But a new review covering over 350 papers on protein restriction and aging-publishing July 31 in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue-suggests that consuming less protein could have greater health benefits and could, in some cases, extend lifespan. The authors describe how protein restriction slows aging by improving metabolism, changing how cells respond to nutrients, reducing cellular damage, and preserving healthy cell function.
“It’s absolutely crystal clear that there are benefits of protein to muscle growth and exercise response of active individuals,” says Dudley Lamming, the paper’s corresponding author, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “But because most people are relatively sedentary, many people are likely consuming more protein than they actually need, which probably has negative health consequences.”
For decades, scientists have known that eating less calories can extend lifespan in many organisms and reduce the risk of age-related diseases like cancer. But maintaining a calorie-restricted diet is difficult for most people.