Fasting May Help Stem Cells Regain Lost Function Due To Aging
When you age, stem cells start to lose their ability to regenerate. A new study (on mice) from MIT biologist has shown age-related loss of stem cell function can be reversed by a 24-hour fast.
From the article:
“Fasting has many effects in the intestine, which include boosting regeneration as well as potential uses in any type of ailment that impinges on the intestine, such as infections or cancers,”
“This study provided evidence that fasting induces a metabolic switch in the intestinal stem cells, from utilizing carbohydrates to burning fat,”
“This paper shows that fasting causes a metabolic change in the stem cells that reside in this organ and thereby changes their behavior to promote more cell division. In a beautiful set of experiments, the authors subvert the system by causing those metabolic changes without fasting and see similar effects,”