{"id":5011,"date":"2024-03-21T18:02:21","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T16:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/?p=5011"},"modified":"2024-03-21T18:02:21","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T16:02:21","slug":"does-intermittent-fasting-benefit-the-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/?p=5011","title":{"rendered":"Does intermittent fasting benefit the brain?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/does-intermittent-fasting-benefit-the-brain.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><strong>By Hayley O\u2019Neill<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"cypru-video-ads\" id=\"cypru-515486921\">\n<div id=\"cypru-1071257024\" data-cypru-trackid=\"478051\" data-cypru-trackbid=\"1\" class=\"cypru-target\">\n<div id=\"gpt-ad-4824855760832-0\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Intermittent fasting has become a popular dietary approach to help people lose or manage their weight. It has also been promoted as a way to reset metabolism, control chronic disease, slow ageing and improve overall health.Meanwhile, some research suggests intermittent fasting may offer a different way for the brain to access energy and provide protection against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s.This is not a new idea \u2013 the ancient Greeks believed fasting enhanced thinking. But what does the modern-day evidence say?Our diets are factors in our lifestyle we can change. People do this for cultural reasons, desired weight loss or potential health gains.Intermittent fasting consists of short periods of calorie (energy) restriction where food intake is limited (usually 12 to 16 hours per day), followed by periods of normal food intake. The intermittent component means a re-occurrence of the pattern rather than a \u2018one off\u2019 fast.The brain accounts for about 20 per cent of the body\u2019s energy consumption.Here are four ways intermittent fasting can act on the body which could help explain its potential effects on the brain.<strong>Ketosis<\/strong>The goal of many intermittent fasting routines is to flip a \u201cmetabolic switch\u201d to go from burning predominately carbohydrates to burning fat. This is called ketosis and typically occurs after 12\u201316 hours of fasting. Ketones \u2013 chemicals produced by this metabolic process \u2013 become the preferred energy source for the brain.Due to this being a slower metabolic process to produce energy and potential for lowering blood sugar levels, ketosis can cause symptoms of hunger, fatigue, nausea, low mood, irritability, constipation, headaches, and brain \u201cfog\u201d.At the same time, as glucose metabolism in the brain declines with ageing, studies have shown ketones could provide an alternative energy source to preserve brain function and prevent age-related neurodegeneration disorders and cognitive decline.<strong>Circadian syncing<\/strong>Eating at times that don\u2019t match our body\u2019s natural daily rhythms can disrupt how our organs work. Studies on shift workers have suggested this might also make us more prone to chronic disease.Time-restricted eating is when you eat your meals within a six to ten-hour window during the day when you\u2019re most active. Time-restricted eating causes changes in expression of genes in tissue and helps the body during rest and activity.<strong>Mitochondria<\/strong>Intermittent fasting may provide brain protection through improving mitochondrial function, metabolism and reducing oxidants.Mitochondria\u2019s main role is to produce energy and they are crucial to brain health. Many age-related diseases are closely related to an energy supply and demand imbalance, likely attributed to mitochondrial dysfunction during ageing.Rodent studies suggest alternate day fasting or reducing calories by up to 40 per cent might protect or improve brain mitochondrial function.<strong>The gut-brain axis<\/strong>The gut and the brain communicate with each other via the body\u2019s nervous systems. The brain can influence how the gut feels (think about how you get \u201cbutterflies\u201d in your tummy when nervous) and the gut can affect mood, cognition and mental health.In mice, intermittent fasting has shown promise for improving brain health by increasing survival and formation of neurons (nerve cells) in the hippocampus brain region, which is involved in memory, learning and emotion.Some research has suggested calorie restriction may have a protective effect against Alzheimer\u2019s disease by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation and promoting vascular health.Studies in mice support a role for intermittent fasting in improving brain health and ageing, but few studies in humans exist, and the evidence we have is mixed.Rapid weight loss associated with calorie restriction and intermittent fasting can lead to nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and decreased immune function, particularly in older adults whose nutritional needs may be higher.Further, prolonged fasting or severe calorie restriction may pose risks such as fatigue, dizziness, and electrolyte imbalances, which could exacerbate existing health conditions.If you\u2019re considering intermittent fasting, it\u2019s best to seek advice from a health professional such as a dietitian who can provide guidance on structuring fasting periods, meal timing, and nutrient intake. This ensures intermittent fasting is approached in a safe, sustainable way, tailored to individual needs and goals.Hayley O\u2019Neill is Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach aimed at weight management and health improvement, involving periods of calorie restriction followed by normal food intake. It has been suggested to offer benefits such as resetting metabolism, controlling chronic diseases, slowing aging, and improving overall health. Research indicates intermittent fasting may protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s by providing the brain with an alternative energy source through ketosis, syncing eating patterns with the body&#8217;s circadian rhythms, improving mitochondrial function, and enhancing the gut-brain axis. However, evidence in humans is mixed, and there are potential risks such as nutrient deficiencies and decreased immune function, especially in older adults. It is recommended to seek advice from a health professional before starting intermittent fasting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5012,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[862,2911,1980,3,2190,358,1610,250,210,2496,2910,185,2446,783,2912,720,1358,1230,380],"class_list":["post-5011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other","tag-age","tag-brain-health","tag-chemicals","tag-cyprus","tag-decline","tag-energy","tag-evidence","tag-google","tag-health","tag-hunger","tag-intermittent-fasting","tag-main","tag-match","tag-medicine","tag-metabolic-switch","tag-rest","tag-support","tag-survival","tag-us"],"acf":{"keyphrase":"","keywords":"","sourceimg":"","country-category":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - 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