Regulating Nutrient Intake Previous to Surgery May Reduce Surgical Complications

       Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that limiting proteins or amino acids several days before surgery may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke or heart attack.

       In an article published in Science Translational Medicine, researchers from HSPH reported on a study testing food restriction in relation to stress resistance in lab mice.

       The mice were split into 2 groups, the first was on a standard feeding schedule for 6-14 days; the second group followed a diet containing no protein or lacking a single amino acid. Both groups were then exposed to surgical stress that could pose liver or kidney harm. Of the group that was fed normally, 40% died, while all subjects survived in the group that prohibited protein

      Researchers also examined the gene that senses levels of amino acid—and discovered that removal of the gene eliminates the protective effect;  this link suggests that the pathway that activates amino acids, not the acids themselves, is the cause of the protective effect. James Mitchell and Wei Peng, who led the HSPH research team, are planning a human clinical trial to examine whether dietary restriction of protein pre-surgery lowers surgery-related risk.