Future anti-aging medications could mimic fasting by flipping a \”metabolic\” switch
There are many health benefits to fasting, including a slowing of the aging process. Researchers from MIT found that fasting just 24 hours can improve regeneration of a person’s intestinal stem cells. These cells naturally decrease with age. The metabolic switch has been identified and in future, the effect can be mimicked by a drug.
Intestinal stem cells, like stem cells in other parts of the body are responsible for growing new cells within the organ. The stem cells maintain the lining, which is shed every few days and replaced, they fight infection, and they repair tissue damage. As is the norm, stem cells become less efficient as they age.
Prior research has shown that caloric restrictions, or continuous fasting, have a profound impact on health and lifespan. The effects of diet have been observed in mice, rats and monkeys. Although human studies have not been done, it appears that we can also benefit. The MIT team decided to investigate the effects of fasting in intestinal stem cells.
Source:
https://newatlas.com/intestinal-stem-cell-regeneration-fasting/54526/
