Time-limited eating, according
to researchers, can alter gene expression.
HIGHLIGHTS
The precise molecular effects
of a time-limited diet have been demonstrated by research.
The most recent animal study
sheds light on how those changes affect at least 22 organ systems.
Since numerous laboratory studies have demonstrated the health benefits
of time-restricted eating, including increased life span, intermittent fasting
has become a hot topic in the wellness industry.
However, the precise molecular
mechanisms by which it affects the body and how those changes interact with
multiple organ systems are still poorly understood.
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22 Brain and Body Regions Were Affected
Now, Salk researchers
demonstrate in mice how time-restricted eating affects gene expression in more
than 22 body and brain regions. The process by which genes are activated and respond
to their environment by producing proteins is known as gene expression.
The findings, which were
published on January 3, 2023, in Cell Metabolism, have implications for a wide
range of health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and
cancer, where time-restricted eating has shown potential benefits.
"Our findings pave the way for further investigation into the mechanism by which this nutritional intervention activates genes involved in specific diseases, such as cancer,"
Two groups of mice were fed
the same high-calorie diet for the study. Free food was provided to one group.
The other group was limited to eating during a nine-hour feeding window each
day.
After seven weeks, genetic
changes were examined in tissue samples taken from the brain and 22 organ
groups at various times of day and night.
Time-Limited Eating Affects
70% of Genes
The liver, stomach, lungs,
heart, adrenal gland, hypothalamus, various parts of the kidney and intestine,
and various parts of the brain were all included in the samples.
70% of mouse genes respond to
restricted eating, according to the researchers. "We were able to change
the gene expression not only in the gut or the liver, but also in thousands of
genes in the brain," Panda claims. We were able to do this by changing the
timing of food."
Regulation of Hormones
Time-restricted eating had an
impact on nearly 40% of genes in the adrenal gland, hypothalamus, and pancreas.
Hormone regulation relies on these organs.
Hormone imbalance is linked to
a wide range of illnesses, including diabetes and stress-related disorders.
Hormones are responsible for coordinating functions in various parts of the
body and brain. The findings provide advice on how to manage these diseases
with time-limited eating.
It's interesting to note that
not all parts of the digestive system were affected the same. Time-limited eating
did not activate genes in the ileum, which is located at the lower end of the
small intestine, but it did activate genes in the upper two parts of the
intestine, the duodenum and the jejunum.
Periodic Cycles
This finding may signal the
beginning of a new area of investigation into the effects of shift work, which
disrupts our circadian rhythm, our 24-hour biological clock, on digestive
disorders and cancers. Panda's team's previous research demonstrated that
firefighters' health improved when they were restricted in their food intake
for specific amounts of time.
Multiple organs' circadian
rhythms were found to be aligned when time-restricted eating was practiced,
according to the researchers.
According to Panda,
"Circadian rhythms are everywhere in every cell." We discovered that
time-restricted eating caused the circadian rhythms to be synchronized into two
major waves: one while fasting, and another immediately following a meal. We
speculate that this permits the body to coordinate various processes.
Atherosclerosis, which is a
hardening of the arteries that is frequently a precursor to heart disease and
stroke, as well as chronic kidney disease, are among the conditions or systems
that are implicated in the study. Panda's team will then conduct a more in-depth
investigation into the effects of time-restricted eating on these conditions or
systems.
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