Intermittent fasting is popular as it offers a simple to weight loss without strict dieting. Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that alternates between fasting and eating. A new study has revealed that age plays a crucial role in how the body responds to fasting and for teens, it might have negative implications.
A team of German researchers discovered while intermittent fasting improved health markers in older mice, it actually impaired important cellular development in younger ones. The findings of the study were published in the Cell Reports journal.
During the study, the scientists found that in young mice, long-term intermittent fasting disrupted how these cells grew and functioned.
“Our study confirms that intermittent fasting is beneficial for adults, but it might come with risks for children and teenagers,” says Stephan Herzig, a professor at Technical University of Munich and director of the Institute for Diabetes and Cancer at Helmholtz Munich, in a statement.
According to the study, all age groups showed improvements in how their bodies handled sugar, which, of course, is a positive sign. However, after extended periods of intermittent fasting, significant differences emerged between age groups. “While older and middle-aged mice continued to show benefits, the young mice began showing troubling changes,” the study found.
“Intermittent fasting is usually thought to benefit beta cells, so we were surprised to find that young mice produced less insulin after the extended fasting,” explains co-lead author Leonardo Matta, from Helmholtz Munich.
The team also found that older mice, however, actually benefited from the extended fasting periods as their insulin-producing cells worked better, and they showed improved blood sugar control. Middle-aged mice maintained stable function, suggesting that mature bodies handle fasting periods differently than developing ones, The study finds reported.
“The next step is digging deeper into the molecular mechanisms underlying these observations,” says Herzig. “If we better understand how to promote healthy beta cell development, it will open new avenues for treating diabetes by restoring insulin production.”