Intermittent fasting makes immune cells more effective against pathogens and cancer
In recent years, intermittent fasting has become popular because it deprives the body of glucose, forces the body to break down fat, and produces an alternative energy source called ketone, which promotes weight loss.Intermittent fasting can also boost immunity and help fight disease.Researchers found in mice that immune cells were more effective against infection and cancer when ketones were used as energy sources.
It is widely believed that cells prefer glucose as a source of energy.However, Russell Jones and colleagues at the Van Andel Institute in Michigan previously found that some immune cells called T cells do not produce much energy by using glucose against pathogens.
"We thought it was weird, " Jones said."These cells require a lot of energy.But what do they use as a source of energy?”
Jones and colleagues collected data from three other studies that analyzed the genetic response of T cells to infections and tumors.They found that effective T cells were more active in genes involved in breaking down ketones than dysfunctional T cells, suggesting they were getting energy from ketones in fighting disease.
The researchers genetically modified three mice to prevent them from breaking down ketones and compared their response to infection with an equivalent number of mice that could break down ketones.They found that on average, normal mice had 50 percent more T cells than GMOs, which produced substances to kill pathogens, called cytokines, and each of these animals produced more cytokines.In other words, the ability to break down ketones made T cells more effective against infection in mice.Or, as Jones says, the ability to break down ketones increases the number of frontline soldiers and ammunition.
Jones' team also injected cancer cells into mice.After 22 days, they found that mice that could not break down ketones had twice as many tumors as mice that could break down ketones.
Jones says the findings suggest that immune cells are more effective in fighting disease when ketones are used instead of glucose as a source of energy for capacity.
Satchidananda Panda of the Solk Institute of Biology in California did not participate in the study, saying they also explained why previous studies showed that fasting for 12 hours or more a day improved immune function in mice.
These results also help understand dietary interventions that promote ketone production, such as intermittent fasting, which may affect our ability to fight infections and cancer, Jnes said.However, he cautioned that not all ketogenic diets have the same effect.For example, a low-carb ketogenic diet may damage immunity because high levels of fat suppress immune production.