Redox Biology: Concord and other teams found that this fasting regimen can fight aging in all aspects

In recent years, fasting has become the new darling of the scientific community. Fasting has been shown to reduce weight and extend the lifespan of animals. In fact, a growing number of studies show that fasting has many health benefits, including improving metabolic health, preventing or delaying diseases associated with aging, and even slowing the growth of tumors.

Intermittent fasting, also known as light fasting, is usually divided into three categories. The first is daily time-limited eating, eating for 8 hours a day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours; the second is the so-called "5:2 intermittent fasting", that is, eating regularly for 5 days a week and eating less on the other 2 days; the third is fasting every other day.

On November 18, 2024, researchers from Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences , Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University , and Hengyang Medical College of South China University published a clinical research paper titled "Time-restricted eating reveals a "younger" immune system and reshapes the intestinal microbiome in human" in the journal " Redox Biology ".

This clinical trial shows that 16+8 intermittent fasting helps anti-aging. Not eating after 5 pm every day can make the immune system younger and the composition of the intestinal flora younger.

In this study, the researchers conducted a single-arm clinical trial, involving a total of 59 participants, including 49 in the 16+8 intermittent fasting group and 10 in the control group. For 30 consecutive days, the intermittent fasting group ate from 9 am to 5 pm every day and fasted at other times. The food was balanced and the calories were appropriate. The weight of the participants was recorded once a week, and peripheral blood was collected on days 0, 14, and 30. Fecal samples were collected before and after the experiment to analyze the effects of the 16+8 intermittent fasting on immune aging, intestinal flora, and metabolism.

The dietary structure of the control group was similar to that of the intermittent fasting group, and there was no intervention in the time of food intake.

In the intermittent fasting group, the researchers monitored changes in weight indicators, T and B cell frequencies, CD4+ senescent T cell frequencies, immune repertoire sequencing, metabolomics analysis, and changes in serum metabolites and intestinal flora.

The results showed that 96% of participants in the intermittent fasting group lost weight, with most losing 2-4% and continuing to lose weight steadily during the time-restricted eating period.

Analysis of the immune system found that intermittent fasting reduced the proportion of senescent CD4+ T cells in the circulation, while increasing the proportion of Th1, Tfh-like cells, Treg cells and B cells.

Analysis of the immune repertoire found that intermittent fasting increased the ratio of T cell receptor α and β chains, and reduced the ratio of B cell receptor κ and λ chains, indicating that intermittent fasting improved the function of the immune system.

In addition, intermittent fasting also has metabolic benefits, exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects. Intermittent fasting upregulates the levels of anti-inflammatory and anti-aging serum metabolites.

Analysis of intestinal flora found that intermittent fasting increased the α-diversity of intestinal flora, reduced the abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, and increased the abundance of several anti-inflammatory probiotics, including Akkermansia and Rikenellaceae.

Importantly, the composition of the intestinal flora of participants in the intermittent fasting group was more like that of centenarians and young people, indicating that the intestinal flora of participants in the intermittent fasting group tended to be younger.

Studies have shown that 16+8 time-restricted eating is an effective, safe and simple way to lose weight, improve metabolism, and even anti-aging. It can achieve anti-aging effects and improve metabolism by "refreshing" the immune system and intestinal flora.

Taken together, the results suggest that 16+8 time-restricted eating is not only beneficial for weight loss, but also helps prolong life and promotes a more youthful immune system and gut flora.