- Beijing scientists found that intermittent fasting can change gut bacteria
- During the study, participants lost an average of 16.7 pounds over 60 days
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A study suggests that intermittent fasting, touted by celebs like Hugh Jackman, Beyoncé and Kourtney Kardashian, could have significant effects on your brain.
Scientists at the Health Management Institute in Beijing found that intermittent fasting can dramatically change gut bacteria and brain activity, leading to both positive and negative results.
In the most popular form of trend diet – time-restricted eating – people limit their food intake to eight to ten hours a day and go without food for 14 to 16 hours.
Another form of diet is to alternate fasting days with very little food intake with days of normal food intake.
Chinese researchers examined the effects of this method of intermittent fasting on overweight and obese participants and found that the regimen led to a reduction in brain activity, which plays a role in appetite and addiction, as well as an increase in gut bacteria associated with attention and emotions connected and learning.
The results may suggest that intermittent fasting could do more for people than just help them lose weight.
Dr. Study co-author Yongli Li from Henan Provincial People's Hospital in China said a healthy gut is essential for maintaining overall balance and improved health in all areas of the body.
Scientists at the Health Management Institute in Beijing found that intermittent fasting can lead to dramatically altered gut bacteria and brain activity, with both positive and negative effects
Researchers studied 25 overweight and obese participants from China who followed two different intermittent fasting diets for two months.
The participants were on average 27 years old and had a body mass index (BMI) between 28 and 45.
To show how fasting diets affect the body, participants gave stool samples and blood samples and took brain scans.
First, they ate their regular food for four days so the researchers could determine their average daily energy intake.
This was followed by a 32-day “strongly controlled fast” during which participants were given personalized meals by a nutritionist whose calorie value gradually decreased to a quarter of their baseline energy intake.
Patients ate unrestricted every other day and ate the restricted meals on the other days.
This was followed by a 30-day “low-controlled fast” during which they were given a list of recommended foods, but not the actual meals.
Female participants received an intake of 500 calories per day, while men received 600 calories.
The researchers found a decrease in activity in brain regions involved in regulating appetite and addiction after both periods of fasting. This may mean people are hungrier.
Researchers found increased activity in brain regions related to attention, emotions and learning, meaning people may be better at tasks that require these skills.
In the gut microbiome, researchers saw a sharp increase in the bacteria Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Parabacteroides distasonis and Bacterocles uniformis.
Faecalibacterium prausnitzii increases the immune system's ability to combat inflammatory interactions, while P. distasonis is thought to help alleviate obesity and Bacterocles uniformis strengthens the intestinal barrier.
Meanwhile, the number of E. coli bacteria decreased. The bacteria can help control appetite by releasing hormones that tell the brain that the body is full. With fewer E. coli bacteria, people may have less control over their appetite.
Participants also lost an average of 16.7 pounds during the study.
Dr. Li said, “A healthy, balanced gut microbiome is critical for energy homeostasis and maintaining normal weight.”
“In contrast, an abnormal gut microbiome can alter our eating behavior by affecting specific brain areas involved in addiction.”
The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.