Fasting Health Benefits

An article from the New England Journal of Medicine reminds of how intermittent fasting protects health during aging a disease. There are many benefits and also too many to cover in one article. This is a few of them.

Caloric Restriction aka-Fasting

The health benefits of caloric restriction a passive reduction int he production of damaging oxygen free radicals. Hundreds of clinical studies on animals have shown that fasting resulted in metabolic switching from liver-derived glucose to adipose cell-derived ketones. Most people consume 3 meals a day plus snacks, so intermittent fasting does not occur.

Fasting Activates Evolutionary Cell Response

Intermittent fasting activates conserved adaptive cell function that are integrated between and within organs in a manner that improves glucose regulation, increases stress resistance, and suppresses inflammation.

Intermittent Fasting and Metabolic Switching

Glucose and fatty acids are the main source of energy for cells. After eating glucose supplies energy to cells. Fat gets stored in tissue forming triglycerides. While fasting the triglycerides break down into fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty acids are converted to ketone bodies by the liver to supply many tissues, such as the brain, with energy. After feeding blood levels of ketone bodies are low. They rise 8-12 hours after eating and significantly rise at 24 and 48 hours.

Ketones

Ketones are not just fuel that exist during a fast. Their existence indicates that cells are positively regulating proteins and molecules regarding health and aging. Burning ketones helps with brain health, psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Other benefits are weight loss, glucose regulation, blood pressure and heart rate. All this amounts to less stress.

Intermittent Fasting and Aging

Several studies on animals show reduced food intake increased life span significantly. A Wisconsin study on monkeys showed an improvement in health and life span.

Diseases and Fasting

A couple of fasting studies showed improvement in patients insulin resistance for pre-diabetes conditions and type 2 diabetes. Cardiovascular patients improved blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance. Tumors in animals reduced in studies of caloric restrictions or alternate day fasting.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting has several benefits. I.F. helps with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular, cancer and neurological disorder.