This simple nutrient may help control deadly inflammation during illness

Scientists found that the amino acid methionine helped infected mice survive severe illness by boosting kidney filtration and clearing harmful inflammatory molecules from the bloodstream

A simple amino acid found in everyday diets may help control harmful inflammation during serious illness, according to new research.

 

Scientists found that adding the amino acid methionine (found in cheese, paneer, curd, some nuts and seeds, legumes and pulses, and vegetables like spinach, broccoli, potatoes, peas, eggs, tuna, salmon, chicken) to the diet helped infected mice survive severe illness by boosting kidney function and enabling the body to clear excess inflammatory molecules from the bloodstream.

 

The study titled Dietary methionine mitigates immune-mediated damage by enhancing renal clearance of cytokines, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, suggests that relatively small nutritional changes could influence how the body responds to infection and potentially alter disease outcomes.

 

 

According to the researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, California, when the body faces injury or infection, whether from a burn, bacteria, or a virus, it enters a complex recovery process known as a disease trajectory. This refers to the path the body takes from illness towards either recovery or worsening disease. The trajectory varies widely between individuals depending on factors such as age, biological sex, underlying health conditions, and metabolic state.

 

Salk Institute scientist Janelle Ayres, who led the study and focuses on why some people recover quickly from infections while others develop severe complications, said in a press statement available on the institute’s website, “Our study indicates that small biological differences, including dietary factors, can have large effects on disease outcomes.” 

Why is inflammation both helpful and dangerous? 

According to medical scientists, inflammation is the body’s frontline defence against threats such as pathogens or injury. When the immune system detects danger, it releases signalling molecules called cytokines that summon immune cells to fight the threat.

 

However, too little inflammation allows infections to spread, and too much inflammation, on the other hand, can damage tissues and organs and may ultimately lead to death.

 

The researchers explain that excessive cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, are often responsible for severe symptoms like wasting or the gradual reduction of bodily strength, organ dysfunction and blood-brain barrier disruption during infection. 

What did the study discover about methionine? 

The scientists used mouse models of infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. During infection, they noticed that circulating levels of methionine, an essential amino acid obtained from food, dropped significantly.

 

Curious about its role, they fed another group of infected mice a methionine-supplemented diet.

 

They found that compared with normal diets, methionine supplementation protected mice from:

• Severe inflammation
• Wasting and appetite loss
• Blood-brain barrier dysfunction
• Death from infection

Importantly, methionine did not weaken the immune system’s ability to fight the bacteria. Instead, it reduced the harmful effects of excessive inflammation.  

How do the kidneys help control inflammation? 

The researchers discovered that methionine boosted kidney filtration, allowing the body to remove excess inflammatory cytokines through urine.

 

Essentially, the kidneys acted as a biological filtration system that cleared dangerous immune signals from the bloodstream.

 

Experiments showed that methionine increased the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which is a key indicator of kidney filtration capacity, during infection.

 

By filtering out inflammatory molecules, the kidneys helped reduce systemic inflammation without interfering with the immune response against pathogens.

 

The researchers found similar benefits in mice with sepsis, kidney injury, and other inflammatory disease models.

 

These results suggest that targeting inflammation through nutrition could potentially help patients with inflammatory disorders, kidney disease, or those undergoing dialysis.

 

According to the Salk Institute’s press statement, the findings “demonstrate the plasticity of disease trajectories and how small dietary changes can lead to big changes in patient outcomes.” 

Should people start taking methionine supplements? 

The study was conducted in animal models, and researchers emphasise that human studies are still needed.

 

More research will explore whether methionine supplementation works in humans, whether other amino acids have similar effects, and how diet could be used to influence immune responses during disease.

 

Until then, experts caution that people should not self-medicate with methionine supplements.

 

As Ayres noted in the statement, “Our findings add to a growing body of evidence that common dietary elements can be used as medicine… It may one day be possible for something as simple as a supplement with dinner to make the difference between life and death for a patient.”  For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS 

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.