While dietary restriction has been shown by previous studies to extend the healthy lifespan in an array of organisms, Richard C. Grandison, from University College London (United Kingdom), and colleagues have found that a balance of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, are essential for reducing disease while increasing longevity. Employing a fruitfly model, the researchers discovered the organism’s longevity was affected by the combination of the types and amounts of amino acids consumed, with the amount of other nutrients having little effect.  The results were so dramatic that the team concludes that: “In other organisms, including mammals, it may be possible to obtain the benefits to lifespan of dietary restriction … through a suitable balance of nutrients in the diet.”