Want to live longer? Intermittent fasting could help you live a longer, thinner lifestyle. New research from the University of Bath reveals that intermittent fasting may also carry risks, however–such as making your immune system weaker.
The results, now published in the journal Evolution, now warn that practicing intermittent fasting could be a threat to your immune system.
That’s not good news.
“Many studies have documented benefits of diet restriction and anti-oxidants consumption, but there is a lack of data on levels of illness in people administered these anti-ageing treatments,” says Dr. Nick Priest, a Lecturer in Biology & Biochemistry at the University of Bath. “We know that certain stresses such as starvation or exposure to pathogens can extend life and increase fertility, but we have found that ironically this has a trade-off in terms of immune function.”
The Study
Intermittent fasting, otherwise known as the 5:2 diet, has been gaining popularity lately due to celebrity endorsements and recommendations from health professionals as a way to lose weight and live longer–claims which are supported by empirical evidence. Some studies have even found it reduces the risk of other diseases, such as dementia and heart disease.
But now research shows it may not be the perfect diet everyone claims it could be.
Working with fruit flies, Priest identified four stress and immunity genes associated with a longer lifespan, which also share similarities with other genes shown to be “activated” by starvation diets. Priest exposed the fruit flies to a fungal pathogen which activated these stress and immunity genes, extending their lifespan.
Then Priest observed how this changed their immune system–which didn’t appear to have an effect at first.
But after prolonged exposure to this fungal pathogen, their immune response was severely reduced.
This, say researchers, put them at a higher risk of infection.
“We have known for decades that starved mice are more likely to succumb to serious infections,” says Priest. “But, there has been a lot more interest in the short term benefits than potential long-term costs. This shows that acute fasting can be helpful, however, our study suggests that in the long term fasting might make people less able to fight infections.”
What You Should Do
Want to live longer? Then intermittent fasting may be your ticket to a longer, thinner life. You run a higher risk of it compromising your immune system, however, so you’ll need to be extra vigilant about your health if you want to stay healthy as well.
“There are clear health benefits to diets such as the 5:2 regime, but we need to bear in mind there are side effects,” says Priest. “It shows that even the fountain of youth should come with a warning label.”
Readers: Would you try the intermittent diet even with these risks? Why or why not?
Sources:
Fasting Diet May Make You More Susceptible to Infection – MedicalExpress.com
Study: Intermittent Fasting Shown to Cause Long-Term Suppression of Immune System in Fruit Flies – Wiley.com
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