INTERMITTENT FASTING AND HOW IT BENEFITS THE BRAIN
Human beings have been given many biological features which are not too different from the animals and other species that exist in this world. One process that we have in common, and what we will look at today for brain health, is intermittent fasting. It’s not a universal fact, but many animals will fast when they are sick to allow their bodies to use the energy to recover, rather than for digestion. Do you ever lose your appetite when sick? Maybe it’s for a reason. Â
How well do you treat your brain? As you age, many changes in your body and brain system occur. Although, brain aging is normal it does bring a cognitive decline and affect our memory, neurotransmitter systems, learning abilities, and other functions. The older we get, the more susceptible we become to several brain diseases like Alzheimer disease, dementia, and other neurological disorders. So, what’s the solution? Should we stop using our brain and save it for our later years? That’s not going to get us very far is it?
To keep our brain working appropriately, fit and secure through life, there is one possible solution that is becoming more known, and that is INTERMITTENT FASTING! Fasting produces remarkable health benefits for humans – both for the body as well as brain health. Fasting has been proved a therapeutic and protective formula for the brain. So, let’s move forward and discover what intermittent fasting is, how it can be practiced and what benefits it offers to our brain.
An Overview of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is the process of eating during a specific period of time and then fasting the rest of the time. Unlike a conventional diet process, intermittent fasting is basically an eating schedule, and not so much eating restriction, that can be changed to fit your schedule. Commonly, the methods involve either fasting daily for 16 hours while keeping the eating window to 8 hours, or fasting for 24 hours twice per week.
Fasting doesn’t exactly specify what you should eat; however, you should still be focusing on natural foods. With shorter periods of eating and concentrating on healthy foods, you can obtain many health advantages like weight loss, reduced insulin resistance, diabetes control, reduced inflammation, and improved heart health.
Though intermittent fasting has become quite popular recently, it’s not a new concept as people have been practicing it for centuries. Claims such as increases in life expectancy and boosts in overall performance have been made. Interestingly, many pieces of research have also back this method, proving its many benefits. Here, we will focus on the benefits it delivers to our brain.
How Intermittent Fasting Benefits the Brain
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Increased levels of Brain-Derived NeuroTrophic Factor (BDNF).
BDNF is a brain protein that interacts with the neural parts of the brain. These parts regulate our brain mechanisms like memory, learning, and cognitive functions. BDBF levels govern the creation of new neurons, the development of synapses and the lines of communication between neurons within the brain.
According to a study, intermittent fasting increases the BDNF levels and helps in the growth of new nerve cells. When BDNF levels are higher, healthier neurons are developed, and better communication processes ensue between neurological cells. However, lower BDNF levels lead to brain diseases like Alzheimer, dementia, memory loss and other neurological problems.
Two potential fasting methods have been proven quite beneficial for brain aging and increasing BDNF levels. Fasting for 16 -18 hours boost Human Growth Hormone (HGH) levels by 50%-100%. While fasting for up to 36 hours increases BDNF levels by 400%.
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Lowers the risk of Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease
Apart from Alzheimer disease, intermittent fasting also aids in lowering the risk of Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. As per research, intermittent fasting helps in reducing neuronal dysfunction and degeneration, it benefits the nervous system, enhances cellular bioenergetics and reduces inflammation. All these benefits contribute to slowing down the progression of these brain diseases and eventually improving brain health.
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Protects against brain damage from strokes
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of strokes which occurs due to the advancing age and excessive energy intake (obesity). Strokes happen when the damaged cerebral arteries get blocked by a blood clot within the brain. This disruption of blood supply to the brain leads to brain damage because the brain can’t get oxygen or nutrients without blood and thus suffers the damage resulting in a stroke.
An animal model study was conducted that proved that mice who are maintained on an intermittent fasting diet are less prone to brain damage and functional impairment. Moreover, the study also demonstrated that intermittent fasting protects neurons against ischemic damage by up-regulating multiple neuroprotective proteins. It also enhances BDNF levels, cognitive health, and function, and decreases mortality and inflammation.
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Promotes autophagy
Autophagy is the natural, detox mechanism undergone by your body in which damaged cells are cleaned out, and new cells are regenerated. A study proved that short period fasting generates profound neuronal autophagy and promotes the therapeutic neuronal response. Neuronal autophagy is so essential for the brain health that without the process of autophagy, brains would never develop properly and do not function in the right way, resulting in neurodegeneration.
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Reduces epilepsy and produces ketones
Ketones are chemical compounds that are formed in the liver. You may have heard about the keto diet that reduces the number and frequency of epileptic seizures. Seizures occur due to the increased levels of sodium and glucose in the blood. When intermittent fasting, our brain uses all of its stored sugars and turns it into energy, causing ketosis. This aids in stabilizing the function of neurons and decreases the number of seizures. Studies have shown that ketogenic diet and fasting has anti-seizure properties, serving as neuroprotective measures for many neurological illnesses.
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Improves memory and learning
Intermittent fasting protects against serious neurodegenerative diseases and thus enhances our memory and learning abilities and cognitive functions. Fasting increases the protein levels and promotes neuron growth, thus boosting the brain function. Calories restricted diet have proved beneficial in improving memory in adults. Animal model research has shown that intermittent fasting helps improve the cognitive functions and brain structures in mice.
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Eases depression and protects against brain trauma
A study shows that fasting is effective in improving mood disorders and reduces depression. It develops a subjective feeling of well-being and a sense of peace and happiness. Fasting also improves mental alertness and level of vigilance.
Other researches have revealed that fasting is neuroprotective for post-traumatic brain injury. Fasting decreases the oxidative stress, cognitive decline, and mitochondrial dysfunction which can result in brain trauma.
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Reduces age-related cognitive decline
This is perhaps the most critical benefit of intermittent fasting if you don’t want to forget your grandchildren’s names in your old age. As said earlier, our memory and cognitive functions decline as we go through our aging process. However, intermittent fasting is effective in reducing age-related cognitive decline.
It was also shown that this protective method can generate cognitive benefits even after the signs of cognitive decline are being experienced. Aging male rats who already suffered from cognitive diseases, started to show cognitive benefits when they began fasting.
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Final Words
Intermittent fasting may have many more benefits for our brain, body, and heart. But no study has proved yet that it might cause any problem or any kind of risk for our body. It is, therefore, safe to say that this is a risk-free endeavor that indeed comes with many proven health benefits. So, why not you try this effective method and miss a few meals from your daily routine? It won’t hurt you at all, but yes, you probably start to feel fantastic health benefits in your body and brain.
Happy fasting!
