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A study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the United States has found that fasting may impair the ability to fight infections and potentially increase the risk of heart disease in mouse models. Published in the journal “Immunity” on February 23, this research may provide a better understanding of how prolonged fasting affects the body.
Methodology
To better understand how fasting impacts the immune system, researchers analyzed two groups of mice:
- One group ate breakfast immediately upon waking, which was their most substantial meal of the day.
- The other group did not eat breakfast.
Baseline blood samples were collected from both groups when they woke up, with additional samples taken at 4 and 8 hours later.
Key Findings
- Monocyte Count: During blood tests, researchers noticed significant differences in monocyte counts in the fasting group. Monocytes are white blood cells produced in bone marrow that play crucial roles in fighting infections, heart disease, and even cancer.
- Baseline Equality: At baseline, all mice had the same number of monocytes.
- Fasting Impact:
- After 4 hours, 90% of monocytes disappeared from the blood in the fasting group.
- This number further decreased after 8 hours.
- The non-fasting group’s monocytes remained unaffected.
- Cellular Behavior: In fasting mice, monocytes returned to the bone marrow and entered a dormant state. Simultaneously, the production of new cells in the bone marrow decreased.
- Extended Fasting: When mice were fasted for up to 24 hours and then refed:
- Cells hidden in the bone marrow returned to the blood within hours.
- This surge led to increased inflammation.
- The altered monocytes became more inflammatory and less resistant to infections, rather than preventing them.
Conclusion
Researchers note that while there is ample evidence of the benefits of fasting, balance is crucial, as with many things in life. Therefore, to some extent, something beneficial might have unexpected negative effects in another aspect.
