Do proteins inhibit your autophagy?
Proteins inhibit autophagy because amino acids from your meal keep mTOR active, the best-known brake on autophagy. If you want to promote autophagy, a period of fasting or reduced protein intake is the most evidence-based approach, although large human studies on the optimal duration are lacking.
Yes, proteins inhibit autophagy. This happens through a single link: the mTOR protein. Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, activate mTOR as soon as they enter your cell. An active mTOR puts autophagy on pause. This is well described in cell studies and animal research, and forms the target of drugs such as rapamycin.
Here is how it works precisely: two transporter proteins on the cell surface allow amino acids to enter. If you switch off those transporter proteins, mTOR is inhibited and autophagy becomes measurably active. As long as you eat sufficient protein, mTOR keeps autophagy suppressed. This has been demonstrated in cell culture experiments.
During prolonged fasting, a feedback loop comes into play. Autophagy breaks down old cellular material and in doing so supplies new amino acids. Those amino acids reactivate mTOR, which causes autophagy to switch itself off after a while. Proteins therefore also inhibit autophagy at the end of the cycle. This has been studied in kidney tissue from rats; direct data in humans are lacking.
In aged cells the picture is more complicated. Autophagy can actually be elevated there, even when mTOR is active, via pathways that bypass mTOR. In addition, autophagy in those cells supplies amino acids that feed mTOR, which sustains the production of inflammatory substances. Whether it is then better to inhibit mTOR or not depends strongly on the cell type.
If you want to promote autophagy, fasting or a temporarily lower protein intake is the most evidence-based approach. A protein-rich meal keeps mTOR active and inhibits autophagy. As for inhibiting mTOR through protein restriction as an anti-aging strategy: that idea has only been studied in cells and animals, and no studies in humans are available. It is therefore too poorly researched to recommend. How long or how strictly one must fast to activate autophagy in a meaningful way has not yet been established in large human studies.
Evidence comes from cell culture studies, animal research (rat, multiple species) and reviews; large randomised human studies are lacking. The mTOR mechanism is, however, well documented.
Does metformin help with weight loss?
Metformin helps with weight loss, but the effect is modest: expect a few kilograms, not a dramatic transformation. Lifestyle changes work better in the short term, but weight loss with metformin remains stable over the long term. Discuss it with your doctor if you want to know whether it suits your situation.
Can you reverse liver fat accumulation and fibrosis?
Early liver fat accumulation and even fibrosis are largely reversible through weight loss of 10% or more. Start with a Mediterranean diet, resistance training and reduced alcohol intake, and discuss with your doctor whether medication is needed if lifestyle changes alone are not sufficient.
What factors influence your metabolism?
Muscle mass, abdominal fat, age, sex and the way you lose weight together determine how fast your metabolism runs. Building and maintaining muscle through strength training is the most direct lever you have in your own hands.
What is insulin resistance and can I reverse it?
Insulin resistance can be meaningfully improved with exercise and a modest weight loss of 7 to 10 percent. You do not need a perfect lifestyle, though dietary choices and meal timing also help.
What is autophagy and can I switch it on myself?
Autophagy is your cells' clean-up system, and research shows you can measurably switch it on at a molecular level by eating substantially less for several days, around 850 calories a day.
Does exercise activate autophagy?
Exercise activates autophagy in muscle cells through well-described mechanisms, but most of the evidence comes from animal and laboratory research. In practice: regular, moderate movement appears most beneficial; extremely excessive strain could actually disrupt the system.