Food for Thought: Can intermittent fasting increase the risk of cancer?

For decades, fasting or skipping meals for extended periods of hours, is well-known as a religious diet practice. Numerous people also began using it for specific health benefits. Intermittent fasting has been the hottest dieting trend for more than a decade. The most recent study, published in the journal titled “Immunity,” suggests that skipping breakfast may harm the immune system and make it harder for the body to fight off infections. Researchers said the study is among the first to demonstrate that missing meals trigger stress in the brain, which can also make a person feel “hangry.” Let’s take a closer look. Also read: Digest This: What’s the Mediterranean diet named the healthiest way to eat in 2023? How can intermittent fasting increase the risk of cancer? Researchers from Mount Sinai discovered that skipping breakfast can result in a 90 per cent decrease in white blood cell count. Notably, these cells support the body’s immune system, reduce inflammation, and get rid of damaged cells. According to Dailymail, Dr Filip Swirski, the lead author and an immunologist at the New York City hospital, said, “Because [immune cells] are so important to other diseases like heart disease or cancer, understanding how their function is controlled is critical.” Intermittent fasting has been linked to longevity and weight loss in some studies, but more recent research suggests it may have the opposite impact. Dr Swirski explained, “There is a growing awareness that fasting is healthy, and there is indeed abundant evidence for the benefits of fasting. However, our study provides a word of caution as it suggests that there may also be a cost to fasting that carries a health risk. This is a mechanistic study delving into some of the fundamental biology relevant to fasting. The study shows that there is a conversation between the nervous and immune systems.” In the study, mice were divided into two groups. The largest meal of the day for rodents is breakfast, which one group received while the other did not. The scientists took blood samples from mice at the beginning of the trial, as well as four, eight and 24 hours into it. Monocytes, white blood cells produced in the bone marrow that fight cancer, heart disease, and infections were detected in the test samples.

All the laboratory animals started off with an equal number of these cells in their blood, however, after four hours, 90 per cent of these cells vanished in the fasting group. In eight hours, there was a much greater drop. The cells had moved back to the bone marrow, as per the scans. Additionally, this area also witnessed a decrease in monocyte production as well. Before being given access to food once more, the fasted mice were denied it for 24 hours. Yet, when this occurred, the white blood cells re-entered the bloodstream and induce inflammation. The body’s immune system reacts to the return of blood cells by inflaming the area as a defence against parasites and other intruders. Further investigation showed that the mice’s hunger caused a stress reaction in the brain, which the researchers compared to feeling “hangry,” or hungry and angry. As soon as the bone marrow was loosened, the white blood cells were able to travel from the bone marrow back into the bloodstream. The researchers believe that additional study is needed to fully comprehend their findings. What is intermittent fasting? Intermittent fasting involves entirely or partially abstaining from eating for a set amount of time, before eating regularly again, according to Medical News Today. There are various methods of intermittent fasting, and popular iterations include the 14:10 plan – where a person eats only within a 10-hour window each day and the 16:8. Others use alternative day fasting strategies, like the 4/3 or 5/2 diets. In both plans, a person eats normally four to five days per week, then severely restricting their food intake to 500 to 600 calories on the other two or three days. As per Medical News Today, some studies suggest that this way of eating may offer benefits such as fat loss, better health, and increased longevity. Proponents claim that an intermittent fasting program is easier to maintain than traditional, calorie-controlled diets. According to Dailymail, Jennifer Aniston is one of the famous people who adheres to the diet. In 2019, she disclosed that she only drinks liquids in the morning and waits until midday to have her first meal. Mark Wahlberg is also a fan of the diet who restricts his daily dietary intake to only between 12 pm and 6 pm. [caption id=“attachment_12217702” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Intermittent fasting involves entirely or partially abstaining from eating for a set amount of time, before eating regularly again. Pixabay[/caption] Also read: Tough to Swallow: What is disordered eating that one in five children are struggling with worldwide? Fasting as a part of many culture Fasting is often associated with many cultures around the world. Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Jainism, and Hinduism are a few of the religions and philosophical systems that engage in fasting. The duration of a fast can range from a few hours to several weeks, and practitioners often eat at night. It’s interesting to note that different sects or denominations may fast differently or at different times even within the same religion. According to Cultural Awareness International (CAI) website, some cultures even fast for non-religious reasons.  The town of Geneva, Switzerland, holds the “Jeune genevois” or “Fast of Geneva,” which is a public holiday and day of fasting in the canton of Geneva occurring in September.   With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.