Meat and Nicotinamide: A Causal Role in Human Evolution, History, and Demographics

Hunting for meat was a critical step in all animal and human evolution. A key brain-trophic element in meat is vitamin B3 /nicotinamide. The supply of meat and nicotinamide steadily increased from the Cambrian origin of animal predators ratcheting ever larger brains. This culminated in the 3-million...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational Journal of Tryptophan Research Vol. 2017; no. 10; p. 1178646917704661
Main Authors Williams, Adrian C, Hill, Lisa J
Format Journal Article Book Review
LanguageEnglish
Published London, England SAGE Publishing 2017
SAGE Publications
Sage Publications Ltd. (UK)
Sage Publications Ltd
Subjects
Animal reproduction
Authorship
Brain research
Climate change
Demographics
Evolution
Faulkner, William (1897-1962)
Fertility
Food
Foraging behavior
Hunting
Meat
Metabolism
Niacinamide
Nutrition
Nutritional aspects
Peer review
Review
Success
Tropical diseases
Malthus
NAD(H)
vitamin B3
nicotinamide
fertility
longevity
evolution
immunological tolerance
Meat
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Summary:Hunting for meat was a critical step in all animal and human evolution. A key brain-trophic element in meat is vitamin B3 /nicotinamide. The supply of meat and nicotinamide steadily increased from the Cambrian origin of animal predators ratcheting ever larger brains. This culminated in the 3-million-year evolution of Homo sapiens and our overall demographic success. We view human evolution, recent history, and agricultural and demographic transitions in the light of meat and nicotinamide intake. A biochemical and immunological switch is highlighted that affects fertility in the ‘de novo’ tryptophan-to-kynurenine-nicotinamide ‘immune tolerance’ pathway. Longevity relates to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide consumer pathways. High meat intake correlates with moderate fertility, high intelligence, good health, and longevity with consequent population stability, whereas low meat/high cereal intake (short of starvation) correlates with high fertility, disease, and population booms and busts. Too high a meat intake and fertility falls below replacement levels. Reducing variances in meat consumption might help stabilise population growth and improve human capital.
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ISSN:1178-6469
1178-6469
DOI:10.1177/1178646917704661