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Trautman, M. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Trautman, M. E..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Resistance exercise protects mice from protein-induced metabolic dysfunction

Low protein (LP) diets extend the lifespan of diverse species, and are associated with improved metabolic health in both rodents and humans. Paradoxically, many athletes and bodybuilders consume high protein (HP) diets and protein supplements, yet are both fit and metabolically healthy. Here, we examine this paradox using weight pulling, a validated progressive resistance exercise training regimen, in mice fed either an LP diet or an isocaloric HP diet. We find that despite having lower food consumption than the LP group, HP-fed mice gain significantly more fat mass than LP-fed mice when not exercising, while weight pulling protected HP-fed mice from this excess fat accretion. The HP diet augmented exercise-induced hypertrophy of the forearm flexor complex, and weight pulling ability increased more rapidly in the exercised HP-fed mice. Surprisingly, exercise did not protect from HP-induced changes in glycemic control. Our results confirm that HP diets can augment muscle hypertrophy and accelerate strength gain induced by resistance exercise without negative effects on fat mass, and also demonstrate that LP diets may be advantageous in the sedentary. Our results highlight the need to consider both dietary composition and activity, not simply calories, when taking a precision nutrition approach to health.

physiology↗

Dietary restriction of isoleucine increases healthspan and lifespan of genetically heterogeneous mice

Low protein (LP) diets promote health and longevity in diverse species. Although the precise components of an LP diet that mediate its beneficial effects have not been defined, reducing dietary levels of the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine and valine promotes metabolic health in both sexes, and increases lifespan while reducing frailty in male, but not female, C57BL/6J mice. Each BCAA has unique metabolic effects, and we recently showed that restriction of isoleucine is both sufficient to promote metabolic health and required for the metabolic benefits of an LP diet in male C57BL/6J mice. Here, we tested the hypothesis that specifically restricting isoleucine could promote healthy aging in genetically heterogenous UM-HET3 mice. We find that a reduced isoleucine diet improves the metabolic health of both young and old HET3 mice, promoting leanness and glycemic control. Restriction of isoleucine starting in adult, 6 month old HET3 mice reprograms hepatic metabolism in a way distinct from an LP diet. Finally, we find that a reduced isoleucine diet reduces frailty and extends the lifespan of both male and female HET3 mice, but to a much greater degree in males. Our results demonstrate that restricting dietary isoleucine can increase health span and longevity in a genetically diverse population of mice, and suggests that reducing dietary levels of isoleucine may have great potential as a geroprotective intervention.

physiology↗

Regulation of metabolic health by dietary histidine in mice

Low protein (LP) diets are associated with a decreased risk of diabetes in humans, and a low protein diet promotes leanness and glycemic control in both rodents and humans. While the effects of a LP diet on glycemic control are mediated by reduced dietary levels of the branched- chain amino acids (BCAAs), we have observed that reducing dietary levels of the other six essential amino acids leads to changes in body composition. Here, we find that dietary histidine plays a key role in the response to a LP diet in male C57BL/6J mice. Specifically reducing dietary levels of histidine by 67% reduces weight gain of young, lean male mice, reducing both adipose and lean mass gain, without altering glucose metabolism. Specifically reducing dietary histidine rapidly reverses diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis in diet-induced obese male mice, increasing insulin sensitivity; this normalization of metabolic health was associated not with caloric restriction or increased activity, but with increased energy expenditure. We find that the effects of histidine restriction surprisingly does not require the energy balance hormone Fgf21. Histidine restriction started in mid-life promoted leanness and glucose tolerance in aged males but not females, but did not affect frailty or lifespan in either sex. Finally, we demonstrate that variation in dietary histidine levels helps to explain body mass index differences in humans. Overall, our findings demonstrate that dietary histidine is a key regulator of weight and body composition in male mice and in humans, and suggest that reducing dietary levels of histidine may be a highly translatable option for the treatment of obesity. Key PointsO_LIProtein restriction (PR) promotes metabolic health in rodents and humans and extends rodent lifespan. C_LIO_LIRestriction of specific individual essential amino acids can recapitulate the benefits of PR. C_LIO_LIReduced histidine promotes leanness and increased energy expenditure in mice. C_LIO_LIReduced histidine does not extend the lifespan of mice when begun in mid-life. C_LIO_LIDietary levels of histidine are positively associated with BMI in humans. C_LI

physiology↗