Fasting potentials are the most interesting topics in the Nutritional Era. Fasting consists of the catabolism of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates to maintain blood glucose levels in a normal range. The action mechanisms of fasting were firstly understood in minor organisms and later in humans. Nutritional interventions of caloric restriction could attenuate age-associated epigenetic… Read More

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and intermittent fasting might mitigate risk. Intermittent fasting creates a negative energy balance that results in weight loss, but the cardiovascular benefits of fasting have not been studied thoroughly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the… Read More

Intermittent fasting blunts inflammation in asthma(1) and rheumatoid arthritis(2), suggesting that fasting may be exploited as an immune-modulatory intervention. However, the mechanisms underpinning the anti-inflammatory effects of fasting are poorly characterized(3-5). Here, we show that fasting in humans is sufficient to blunt CD4(+) T helper cell responsiveness. RNA… Read More

Calorie restriction is a primary dietary intervention demonstrated over many decades in cellular and animal models to modulate aging pathways, positively affect age-associated diseases, and, in clinical studies, to promote beneficial health outcomes. Because long-term compliance with daily calorie restriction has proven problematic in humans several intermittent fasting (IF) regimens,… Read More

Serotonin is an important neuromodulator involved in many physiological processes including mood and satiety. In the brain, serotonin is manufactured from tryptophan, as serotonin itself cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Previous research has shown that blood-tryptophan levels increase upon ingestion of carbohydrates and decrease upon protein consumption. How this translates into serotonin… Read More

We aimed to explore whether a single-day of fasting (SDF) increase emergency room (ER) visits due to renal colic (RC). We elected to concentrate on Yom-Kippur (i.e.: SDF), the holiest day in Judaism. Food and liquid consumption is prohibited during this day for 25 h, and an estimated 50-70% fasting rate is observed. SDF always takes place between mid-September and mid-October during which the… Read More

Periods of fasting and refeeding may reduce cardiometabolic risk elevated by Western diet. Here we show in the substudy of NCT02099968, investigating the clinical parameters, the immunome and gut microbiome exploratory endpoints, that in hypertensive metabolic syndrome patients, a 5-day fast followed by a modified Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension diet… Read More

The popularity of fasting and restricted food intake is increasing. While the body's adaptability to dietary insufficiency is crucial for health, molecular mechanisms of adaptive changes are not well understood. Here, we compared the effects of fasting and exercise on the expression of leukocyte genes and proteins involved in the storage, export, and acquisition of iron, an essential… Read More

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A number of recent studies have suggested that intermittent fasting is as effective as traditional calorie restriction (CR) for weight loss and for cardioprotection. However, it is still unclear whether IF improves diabetes risk indicators as does CR. This review provides an overview of various patterns of intermittent fasting and shows the… Read More

Nutrition is essential for supplying an organism with sufficient energy to maintain its bodily functions. Apart from serving as an energy supply, the immunomodulatory effects of diet are emerging as a central aspect of human health. The latest evidence suggests that dietary restriction may play an important regulatory role by influencing the activation and effector functions of immune cells.… Read More