Jay A. Zimmerman, Ph.D.
Email: zimmermj@stjohns.edu
Our laboratory is focused on life span extension through dietary
manipulation. Since 1936 it has been know that life span can be
extended by 40% or more by reducing the caloric intake in a variety
of animals. More recently, we have demonstrated that similar gains
in life span can be attained by feeding rats a diet deficient in
the essential amino acid methinonie. Animals on this diet have
several advantages over calorically restricted animals, not the
least of which is that they are fed ad libitum, and are group
housed. This effect of methionine restriction does not appear to be
the result of caloric deprivation, since the animals actually
consume more food and energy on a body weight basis than do control
animals exposed to "normal" methionine intake.