The science behind fasting

According to HopkinsMedicine, “Intermittent fasting is a type of eating plan which switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule”. This type of fasting has several health benefits. For example, intermittent fasting can aid in weight loss. This is because when the insulin levels decrease between meals(assuming there is no snacking), the fat cells in our body release their stored sugar which can be used as energy. Ultimately, the goal of intermittent fasting in this respect is to allow the insulin levels in the body to decrease to a point where fat can be burned off. In addition, intermittent fasting induces several cellular repair processes such as autophagy which is the metabolic mechanism responsible for removing damaged cell organelles. Increased occurrences of autophagy may play a role in protecting against different diseases such as cancer. Studies have shown that there is an increase in the expression of the autophagy gene LC3A during intermittent fasting. Animal studies have shown that intermittent fasting may aid in improving connections in the brain’s hippocampus as well as increasing the growth of new nerve cells in the brain. Additionally, this type of fasting has been shown to play a role in protecting the brain from damage during strokes. It can be seen that the act of fasting has several health benefits and overall scientific significance.