Although a plant-based diet is recommended, notably for its environmental benefits, the health consequences of such a diet—in which protein intake is exclusively plant-based—are not yet fully understood. Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have studied, in mice, the effects of switching from a diet containing both animal and plant proteins to one containing only plant proteins. Within just a few days, liver metabolism changes and the willingness to engage in physical exercise decreases significantly. At the heart of these changes lies a liver enzyme, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). The findings are published in Molecular Metabolism.