WHAT IS SAA?
In the human body, proteins are made from strings of 20 unique amino acids, including two that contain sulfur (methionine and cysteine). These so-called “sulfur amino acids” (SAA) play critical roles in protein structure, metabolism, and antioxidant defense.
Methionine is an amino acid found in many proteins, including the proteins in foods and those in the tissues and organs of your body. In addition to being a building block for proteins, it has several other unique features. Although your body can produce the amino acid cysteine on its own, methionine must come from your diet.
Cysteine is an amino acid important for structural proteins, and other metabolic functions. It is found in beta-keratin which is the main protein in nails, skin, and hair.
Unfortunately, typical western diets contain high levels of SAA and studies have demonstrated that these levels of SAA are associated with poor health outcomes and can limit overall lifespan.
WHAT IS THE SAA Method?
To address this, a dietary practice known as sulfur amino acid restriction (SAAR) was developed, to test whether it can extend the healthy lifespan (or “healthspan”) of mammals. It did! For example, rodents fed a SAA-restricted diet live up to 45% longer than animals fed an unmodified diet. Further, SAA-restricted animals show improved metabolism, as well as a reduced incidence of age-related diseases.
As observed by preclinical and clinical studies, as well as recent population-based observational studies, the multifaceted benefits of SAAR include (but are not limited to):
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Protection against diet-induced obesity
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Protection against fatty liver
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Improved glucose tolerance / protection against diabetes
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Reduced incidence of certain cancers
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Enhanced stress resistance
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Extended healthy lifespan
Given that multiple studies suggest that humans are likely to also receive such health benefits from SAAR, we developed the SAA Method to enable people to eat a healthy, SAA-restricted diet!
HOW DOES SAAM WORK?
The SAAM app records your weight and changes of weight. It uses your weight to calculate the right amount of SAA you need to consume per day. Since SAAM has shown to be very effective on an intermittent schedule, you only need to stay within the suggested amount 4 days a week.
You just need to record the foods you have eaten for each meal, and the app will calculate how many SAA's you have consumed.
The only thing you need to do is try to not exceed your recommended SAA level for the 4 days per week you select on the SAAM app.
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The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) proposed by the FAO/WHO/UNU group in 2007 recommended adults to consume SAA around 15 mg of SAAs per kg of body weight per day. For example, i If you are 60kg (132 lbs), then the recommendation would be to eat about 900mg SAA per day.
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