A Day Fast Helps Rejuvenate Stem Cells – Study Claims

A new study has shown a day fasting to be helpful in rejuvenating stem cells.

As people age the stem cells which naturally is said to regenerate every five days begin to lose their ability to regenerate.

In a study carried out by Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the age-related loss of stem cell function was shown to be reversed by a 24-hour fast.

The researchers noticed the regeneration of stem cells in both young and old mice, as the fasting mice cells began to break down fatty acids instead of glucose, which is the change that helps to activate the stem cells to be more regenerative.

“Fasting has many effects in the intestine, which include boosting regeneration as well as potential uses in any type of ailment that impinges on the intestine, such as infections or cancers,” says Omer Yilmaz, an MIT assistant professor of biology and one of the senior authors of the study.

“Understanding how fasting improves overall health, including the role of adult stem cells in intestinal regeneration, in repair, and in ageing, is a fundamental interest of my laboratory.”

They also found that they could boost regeneration with a molecule that activates the same metabolic switch, which will, in turn, help older people recovering from Gastro-Intestinal (GI) infections or cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

“This study provided evidence that fasting induces a metabolic switch in the intestinal stem cells, from utilizing carbohydrates to burning fat,” said David Sabatini, an MIT professor of biology and senior author of the study.

“Interestingly, switching these cells to fatty acid oxidation enhanced their function significantly. Pharmacological targeting of this pathway may provide a therapeutic opportunity to improve tissue homeostasis in age-associated pathologies.”