Methods and Diets to Protect Against Chemotoxicity and Age Related Illnesses

Abstract

A method of improving longevity and/or alleviating a symptom of aging or preventing age related diseases is provided. The method includes a step in which the subject's average and type of daily protein intake, IGF-I, and IGFBP1 levels, and risk factors for overall mortality, cancer and diabetes are determined. With respect to protein consumption, the relative amounts of protein calories from animal and plant sources are determined. A periodic normal calorie or low calorie but low protein fasting mimicking diet with frequencies of every 2 weeks to 2 months is provided to the subject if the subject's average daily protein intake level and type and/or IGF-I levels, and/or IGFBP1 levels is identified as being greater or lower than a predetermined cutoff intake/level and if the subject is younger than a predetermined age. The method is also shown to alleviate symptoms of chemotoxicity.

1 . A method of increasing longevity in a subject, the method comprising:
 identifying if the subject's average daily protein intake level is greater than a predetermined cutoff protein intake level;   determining amounts of plant-based and animal-based proteins consumed by the subject;   if the subject's average daily protein level is greater than the cutoff protein intake level, providing a low protein diet to the subject if the subject is younger than a predetermined age, the low protein diet providing a percent calories from protein that is less than the predetermined cutoff protein intake level; and   monitoring the subject's IGF-1 levels to determine the frequency and type of diet.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein if the subject's age is older than the predetermined age, a high protein diet is provided to the subject, the high protein diet having a protein calorie percentage that is greater than the predetermined cutoff protein intake level. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the low protein diet is provided to the subject for a predetermined number of days. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the low protein diet is provided to the subject for 3 to 7 days. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the low protein is periodically provided to the subject. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein a frequency with which the low protein diet is provided to the subject is determined by the subject's levels of insulin resistance, fasting glucose levels, IGF-I, IGFBP1, obesity, Body Mass Index, weight loss in previous 10 years, family history of cancer, family history of diabetes, family history of early mortality. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the low protein diet is a fasting mimicking diet providing less than 10% of calories from proteins and/or with all proteins being plant-based 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the low protein diet prevents or treats diabetes or cancer, and delays age-related mortality and other age-related diseases. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the low protein diet provides 4.5 to 7 kilocalories per pound of subject for a first day and 3 to 5 kilocalories per pound of subject per day for a second to fifth day of the low protein diet, the low protein diet including:
 less than 30 g of sugar on the first day; 
 less than 20 g of sugar on the second to fifth days; 
 less than 28 g of proteins (all plant based) on the first day; 
 less than 18 g of proteins (all plant based) on days the second to fifth days; 
 20 to 30 grams of monounsaturated fats on the first day; 
 10 to15 grams of monounsaturated fats on the second to fifth days; 
 between 6 and 10 grams of polyunsaturated fats on the first day; 
 3 to 5 grams of polyunsaturated fats on the second to fifth days; 
 less than 12 g of saturated fats on the first day; 
 less than 6 grams of saturated fats on the second to fifth days; and 
 12 to 25 grams of glycerol per day on the second to fifth days. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising administering a second diet for a second time period to the subj ect, the second diet providing an overall calorie consumption that is within 10 percent of the subject's normal calorie consumption for 25 to 26 days following the low protein diet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the combination of the low protein diet and the second diet provide the subject with a total number of calories within 10 percent of the subject's normal caloric intake. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the low protein diet includes at least 50% of a daily recommended amount of dietary fiber on all days. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein level of IGF-I decreases and a level of IGFBP1 increases. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the low protein diet includes a supplement that provides excess levels of non-essential amino acids to be consumed for a period of 5 to 7 days every 2 weeks to 2 months together with very low protein amounts or no protein diet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein greater than 70% of protein calories are plant based. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the low protein diet is alternated with a normal protein diet, the low protein diet being provided for 7 days and a maximum of 2 months with 5-7 days of the supplement being provided every 2 weeks to 2 months with a normal diet of 1 to 7 weeks in between. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the supplement provides one or more of the following amino acids as a source of nitrogen: alanine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, proline, serine, and tyrosine while substantially excluding isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenyalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, and arginine such that isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenyalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, and arginine in combination are present in an amount that is less than 5% of a total weight of the subject's diet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenyalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, and arginine in combination are present in an amount that is less than 3% of a total weight of the subject's diet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising monitoring the subjects IGFBP 1 level. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined age is 65 years. 
     
     
         21 .- 43 . (canceled)